Guest Column Naresh Kumar

The Twenty20 cricket and the sacking of the Indian Hockey Federation are two pivotal points in the history of Indian sport. Pioneering vision and enterprise have taken cricket over the rainbow. In a bold historic move, hockey, sliding from Olympic glory to oblivion, has been rescued from the IHF quicksand by the Indian Olympic Association.

One hopes it is a signal to other non-performing associations. Lack of vision and accountability have been the major shortcomings in Indian sports administration. The complex multi-tiered Indian sports structure provides shelter to non-performers. Every setback in sport — and there have been many — is followed by the blame game. The unprecedented sacking of the IHF has shown that the country is no longer going to tolerate non-performers. About time.

The Twenty20 has taken the country by storm. Watching it is like an emotional roller coaster ride. Compressed into three hours are triumph, disaster and the entire spectrum of emotions.

It is a live mini-world where one single moment can change the course of the match. Purists lament the death of village green cricket and its treasured values, but Twenty20 cricket and its frenetic hype cannot be held back. The scantily clad cheerleaders with their pom-poms seem to be here to stay.

The culture vultures, moral brigade and cricket purists have tilted their lances and charged into the poor girls and promoters.

It is of little consequence if one is for them or against them. No country, however old and rich in culture, can in modern times withstand a cultural assault of a fast changing world riding high on the omnipresence of television. The verdict will come in due course from the masses and not from enforced moral standards.

The Twenty20 has taken sports administration and promotion to dizzy heights. Though there is an awakening in other sports, the outdated colonial moorings of most sports associations with velcro bottomed honorary office bearers are still holding firm.

They have failed to respond to the changing times where all sport is now run by specialised professionals. The government, with their myriad problems, have also failed to realise the enormous power of sport and the lethal political punch it can carry.

The Twenty20 has emphatically showcased the enormous power of organised sport. Played in the right spirit sport builds character while excellence at international levels brings pride and lifts the spirits of the whole nation. One must not underestimate the power of Twenty20 with the current degree of hype and think of what it can do for the millions of youngsters who watch. Youth follow the mannerisms, style and behaviour of the stars. This is a wonderful opportunity to restore and instil sporting values in the whole nation, by strictly enforcing sporting behaviour and punishing the wrong doers.

The stars must be made to understand the importance of both their on and off field behaviour and the impact it can have on the whole nation. Projection of their personalities in the media should be built on the foundation of sacrifice, hard work, discipline and focus.

Cricket has given sport a glimpse of what lies over the rainbow. But, without Indian participation and excellence at international levels viewers will switch to other channels. With a few exceptions, India are a long way below international levels.

Grandiose plans are constantly being drawn up, but you cannot anchor a skyscraper in a quicksand. Nothing will work, unless some simple basic steps known to all are taken and a proper accountable administrative foundation laid.

(a) Our greatest strength lies in our numbers and the system should be geared to throw up raw talent in abundance. Adequate basic playing facilities with easy and affordable access must be provided across the country in schools, colleges and at district levels.

(b) The education system must, repeat – must, give weightage to sporting talent, consider sport as a subject and give preference for admission to schools and colleges. The US Olympic success is linked to providing students with financial aid and the highest quality of coaching.

(c) The reward for proficiency should provide a respectable income close to white-collar levels with the lure of stardom.

A paltry sports budget of little more than Rs 700 crores out of which nearly 350 crores is meant for the Asian Games preparations will achieve nothing. The Twenty20 has provided a fleeting glimpse of the awesome power of sport.

Victory in international sport will bring pride and lift the spirit of the nation, a factor beyond measure.