New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- Cricket, once celebrated as the "gentleman's game," has undergone a fundamental transformation. The rise and growth of franchise cricket and different T20 leagues around the world, power-hitting, televised match schedules and advertisement have not only changed the game on the ground, but also how it is played and perceived by its fans and followers. The emphasis today seems to be less on competition and more on earning money and entertainment.

Flat pitches, short boundaries, and heavy bats engineered for six-hitting have reduced bowlers to mere participants in one sided competitions. Cricket matches, especially the T20 games often resemble batting feasts, where skill, patience, and strategy are sacrificed at the c...