When it comes to lending support to the Indian cricket team, Bollywood is always there at the forefront. Taking cue from them are our stars from television. The team of SAB TV's Jersey No.10, a cricket based serial, offered their best wishes to the Indian team for their ongoing Australian tour and the season ahead.
Cinevistaas (production house) and the Jersey team unveiled a cricket bat signed by its stars and crew, which would be presented to the Indian team upon their return from Australia.
While their intention is noble, the timing of this act appears a bit awry. Normally such good wishes, and goodies, are offered to the Indian team before the start of a series or a tournament.
When this query was posed to Cinevistaas Creative producer Siddhart Malhotra, he fended off the bouncer and rotated the strike to his partner. In stepped Cinevistaas' Senior Creative director Sharad Raj and like Rahul Dravid he too played with a straight bat.
"This initiative has been taken in anticipation of our victory in Australia. It will be a token of appreciation from us to the Indian cricket team" said Sharad.
But if the Indian team were to have a poor run in Australia, would they be glad to receive such token straight upon their return to India? Wouldn't it be bit annoying for the cricketers? Sharad replies, "On the contrary, I think it will come as a pleasant surprise for them. Often our cricketers receive brickbats when they return home from a poor tour. Their effigies are burnt, houses are painted black. It will be heart-warming for our cricketers.'
A token of appreciation is fine but from the look of it, this gesture is likely to hold more value to the show than the Indian cricket team? Sharad retorts "Upon their return from Australia, if we were to get a single bite from a cricketer offering his best wishes for our show, it gives us a mileage."
A point well taken sir, but a cynical mind can't help but thinking as to how our elite cricketers will react to receiving a bat which bears the initials of Tellywood's rookie cricketers. And after their poor performance on the second day of the first test in Melbourne, an autographed cricket bat will be the last thing on their mind.
Nevertheless, here's wishing success to both team India and team Jersey No.10.