Some of us have no inclinations to win elections or secret desires to be the most popular guy around. (I am at my lowest ebb on that 2nd count at the present time.) But deep down we still would love to see our next generation kids, many hailing from families unable to afford pay channels, to absorb the anticipation in the air, the sudden bustle in the sporting discussions amongst the family elders and to witness live the thrills of their nation taking on its great rivals in the most popular sport of the land.

I find myself agreeing in letter to the SC ruling of allowing TEN sports to dictate the terms of agreement with DD. The judgement was fair, period. But the eventuality that a significant section of young boys and girls in India will now miss out on a chance to fall in love with a wonderful sport somehow weighs heavy on the eve of a potentially cracking and well-contested series.

After all millions of our kids will not be clapping to a Sehwag six, a Sachin four, a sharp Dravid catch or a successful Pathan appeal. Some of us might be bristling with excitement while rushing to a friend's house during the tea break to share the enjoyment of sure-to-be-thrilling last session of the 3rd and deciding Test while those children would play afternoon games of their own, oblivious of the drama getting enacted with their heroes playing principal parts.

All's therefore not fair even with an obvious statement of fairness. But then, so it is with life and cricket. Cannot complain at all. And after reigning in the emotions, even the imaginary picture described above looks much less depressing to people like me than the one Rahul paints in the last line of his 3rd para.

Another plus: Playing any game, as I imagined the kids to be doing there, is always better for young people than watching television. It makes them happy too - not for nothing do I continue to be amazed at the ease with which I could always get myself to switch off the live telecast of even the closest ODI final the moment I was called to the neighbourhood ground. [Confession: it had to be one sport, compulsorily. It still works!]

Enjoy the cricket, then. Thanks for listening.

don't worry my dear friends - if some people cannot watch it live, they are spared from the torture - crickete is a battle between bowlers and batsmen - it is not cricket actually.

Sandeepan I advice you not jump up to any premature conclusions if your reference was to the proceedings during the first test. The pitch is flat, no doubt, but we will not know if it's so flat it doesn't allow a proper contest between bat and ball until after Pakistan have bowled a few more overs.

If India get rolled over twice and lose the test by an innings, I will surely ask each and every Indian who says the pitch was too flat to allow any genuine contest between bat and ball.

For my reckoning, this Lahore pitch is no less or more flat then the three Pakistan played on against England, or the India defeated Pakistan on at Multan in 2004. If anything, that Multan surface might have been even flatter.

I am actually a little surprised at how little has been maid of the lack of consistency in India's bowling in the first innings. Yes, the wicket was flat, but if you dish up half volley, after half volley, ball after ball asked to being hit for four, then frankly you deserve nothing but to be spanked for 700 odd runs. The way India have bowled they would have conceded 700 runs on any pitch in the world. India's bowling has been under par and anyone putting the 700 runs conceded down to the just the pitch, is living in a fool's paradise.

Imran Khan refuted your comment and a widely expressed sentiment on day 2 regarding the pitch being as flat as during the England-Pakistan series.

He said that this is lifeless, one of the flattest wicket he has seen in the Ten Sports match show Straight Drive.

The first impression I got seeing the pitch was how slow it was off the surface on day 1. The moisture dries up as the match prgresses and the pitch gets slower. Also its winter and the cracks are not going to get as pronounced as in summers.

Despite a Shoaib (with his pace and variation), Rana Naved (with his variation) and Kaneria (with more assistance due to possible cracks), the pitch has been a factor in the match.

Zainub
I can delete your comment now if you so want. A look at the Indian scoreboard will help you make up your mind.