So, SRK’s KKR won the IPL. It was an anti-climactic final as – unlike the entire tournament that had the most exciting and close encounters – it was almost a walkover for the winners. But it was Cricket, and the losers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, graciously applauded the Kolkata Knight Riders. There were very few complaints throughout the tournament, everybody abided by the rules and, so far, there have been no complaints that the final was fixed.
A similar result is expected in the 2024 elections, with a big margin between the winners and the losers overall. But will IPL style graciousness be displayed? Everybody knows that the blame game will begin, targeting the Election Commission, the selection process for the Election Commissioners, the EVMs, the courts, all except the leaders who took the wrong path – be it by projecting outdated ideologies, to seeking to satisfy fringe elements rather than the mainstream. They will even blame the voters for not getting taken in.
Is this what the losing IPL teams will do – blame the system? No, they will get down to analysing what went wrong, the strategic and tactical failures. The player selection will be reconsidered, also whether the combinations were wrong. Which player did not justify the amount of money spent on him. Coaches will be sacked or continued with. Strategies will be prepared for the next round of the IPL.
Unfortunately, the political parties just continue with the very same players, year after year, no matter how dismal their record at the hustings. There are no selection strategies, so there is no question of finding new players within the party or inducting better ones from outside. Most parties are just hanging from a dynastic peg – do not have a base to build up from. And, so, come the next round of elections, they will suffer the same fate.
Those involved in the IPL have a common purpose – to promote the game and profit from the people’s interest in it. The earnings, over the years, have been invested in improving the quality of the venues, benefiting all those involved, including curators and grounds personnel, etc. It has not been a means of just self-gratification at the cost of others down the hierarchy. But what can be said about the politicians? Do they ever agree on how improvements can be brought about? They are more concerned about ensuring others do not get the credit for something done well. As such, the general well-being is ignored and the politicians as a class are further disgraced. That’s what makes the difference between success and failure.
