Six matches in four days is not the kind of sample any self-respecting scientist would rely upon to draw Nobel-prize-winning conclusions, but the Spin is not a self-respecting scientist and its Nobel can wait. So far, the Indian Premier League has supplied two truly outstanding innings (Brendon McCullum and Mike Hussey), one world-class opening ceremony, one last-over finish (and even then the Bangalore Royal Challengers only needed two off six balls to beat the Mumbai Indians), one floodlight failure and at least one minor lathi charge (the Spin was almost caught up in the stampede outside the Wankhede on Sunday night but bravely fought its way out of trouble/stepped neatly to the side).
The fiasco at Eden Gardens, where the embarrassment over the temporary darkness was made worse by a minefield of a pitch, has been the one obvious clanger. But you do not have to delve too far beneath the surface to discern more subtle discord. Top of the agenda in some quarters is the extent to which the IPL is in thrall to celebrities and politicians, who regularly dominate the front pages every morning simply because they were good enough to make an appearance at the game the night before.
There was a telling comment from Greg Chappell in the commentary box at yesterday's match between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab after the camera had zoomed in for the umpteenth time these past few days on the Kings XI co-owner and movie star Preity Zinta. Chappell asked in all seriousness how the "owners are going to hold up" as the tournament progresses, as if travelling around India in first-class looking beautiful were a gruelling competition in itself.
Actually, the Spin exaggerates. An article in one of the Mumbai tabloids yesterday revealed how Shah Rukh Khan - the only person who has proved capable on a regular basis of stealing Preity's limelight - travelled to Kolkata the other day not in first class but with the hoi polloi. Apparently, there was a bit of a rush on seats in first, mainly because of the extraordinary entourage that accompanies Shah Rukh wherever he goes, but it seems he was good enough to take one for the team and knuckle down in cattle class. Said one breathless observer: "Shah Rukh even ate the food served in the economy class without any objections."
On one level, the Indian public laps up this stuff. Crowds go mad for SRK and one bloke even fell out of a stand at Eden Gardens on Sunday because he was straining so far to catch a glimpse of the great man. But not everyone is convinced. "What is seen in IPL is nothing less than hardcore commercialisation of Indian cricket at the behest of Bollywood stars, mighty industrialists, liquor barons etc, which reminds one of a masala super star Bollywood movie," read a letter in the Deccan Herald.
Equally appalled by this tendency to report SRK's every sniff and fart, one senior Indian journalist emailed the Spin yesterday to ask: "Did you notice how EVERY newspaper today had on their front page photos of the Gandhi-Nehru family with SRK at the Eden? If this is a sign of things to come, heaven help us."
The Spin fears it is a sign of the way things already are. Even taking into account India's love of the grand gesture and its veneration of superstars, there must be a concern that the IPL will turn into a plaything of the rich and famous first, and a playground for the cricketers second. Another Deccan Herald green-inker rages: "Our Bollywood stars are trying to make cricket into fun. Or, are they making fun of cricket? Is it right thinking and good for the future of Indian cricket?"
If that's a little po-faced, then there is a good point struggling to get out. Surely the Indian people will tire of another seven weeks of front-page pictures showing SRK grinning and Preity cheering. What this tournament needs is a couple of last-ball finishes with one of the Indian icon cricketers sealing victory with a six. Until then, look out for more exclusives on what SRK had for breakfast.
Extract taken from the Spin, guardian.co.uk's weekly take on the world of cricket
