India - World Cup calls again.

Comfortable Instincts over-ruled, Presence Required

    Having first toured the ‘old India’ as far back as 1994 when the country was a very different place to the new India in the 21^st century, you might have thought it would be an ‘old-hand’ prospect having fitted in another dozen tours since then. But it’s not. It’s as exciting and intimidating now as it ever was, in equal measure. And for the same, and different reasons, also in equal measure.

    The remarkable extent of South Africa’s change of form and fortunes in the series against Australia, the confidence and dominance of their victories in the final three games to come back from a flacid 2-0 to win 3-2 has cursed me with another bout of late-onset optimism. They might be contenders after all.

    As I wrote two columns ago, they have very little ‘insurance’ in their set-up with a dearth of all rounders and few bowlers who can bat. But they came back from 103-4 to post 315-9 in the decider against Australia at the Wanderers and won by 122-runs. Winning the final three games by over 100 runs each time was commanding.  

    Insurance works in two ways. It either gives you the license to drive like a maniac, or exercise due caution to avoid an accident. Somehow, South Africa have managed to combine the two approaches thanks to the skill and experience of the top six. Specifically Aiden Markram and David Miller although the most destructive white-ball batsman in the world at the moment also batted within himself at times, not that Heinrich Klaasen’s numbers would suggest that.

    Having wavered for months about the viability and even the ‘point’ of travelling to India again for the ninth World Cup since re-admission, I’m committed. I’ll be there, in a return to my old days of ‘pure freelancing’ in which there is insufficient guaranteed to even cover costs but the prospect of work to come, with a competitive Proteas team.

   But it’s a double beat. My wonderful working relationship with TalkSport over the last six years means I will be hopping between fixtures, and doubling the logistical stress. And believe me, it is stress. I get two bites at the apple. Defending champions and increasingly fancied outsiders. Home advantage is not what it was in 2011 although India, of course, will start as favourites.

    Since I tentatively introduced the option of paid subscriptions for this column, the first pledges equated almost exactly to the price of the air-ticket to Mumbai. It was a sign. Well, it wasn’t really, just a coincidence, but it was an excuse. All those years ago I stayed in lodgings indulgent in their unapologetic sparsity. Nobody was checking on hygiene and kitchen standards and travellers took what they got.

    In the new India there are thousands of fresh, budget hotels. Most of the airports have been upgraded to cater for the millions of passengers who can now afford to fly and the budget airlines which have emerged to accommodate them. The delays and cancellations have also increased from the old days of Air India which often appeared to operate on a ‘fly when full’ basis, like South African taxis.

    I am still in the process of booking rooms but some are already confirmed as old style. ‘Colonial Era’ usually means high ceiling fans, a dark brown interior and room corners which should not be inspected closely. There is a shared bathroom in the Pune hotel for the New Zealand match, which is often interesting.

    A couple of months ago the option of covering the World Cup from the comfort of my study was a no-brainer. And easier. For all its faults and failings, the ICC is a magnificent organiser of events. It should be – it is its primary function, after all. Pre and post-match interviews are available on its website to appropriate media to make the journalists job as smooth as possible. It is, of course, sanitised. Not deliberately, but naturally. Transcribed quotes don’t show raised eyebrows or curled lips.

    I am convinced that ‘personal media’ will grow to challenge ‘mainstream media’ in the years and decades to come. Mainstream media will always prevail – I can’t imagine I will stop watching CNN or the BBC – but for niche events I suspect that many followers in future will prefer to rely on independent reporters for fix. That they trust.

    If the sights, smells, tastes and logistical challenges of the World Cup are not on your travel calendar, but you’re curious to share mine – as well as a bit of cricket opinion and analysis – then you’ll get in abundance, seeing as you’re already a subscriber.

    If you’re a free subscriber, good on you! Hopefully I provide a few minutes of thought and perhaps even a smile once a week. But if you can afford the modest monthly or annual subscription fee, it would be very greatly appreciated. You want to know what my room in Pune looks like, don’t you? And the continental breakfast? I’ll give you that – and how the team are shaping up. I’m doing this for you. (And me!)