While for an English cricket fan nothing will match an Ashes series with Australia, England - which once sent B teams to India, captained by players who had never before played for their country - now sends its best teams to India. It also loves India to visit the UK.
This is a historic turnaround. While there were only 13 Indian tours to England in 64 years between 1932 and 1996, there have been eight since 2002. The reason is an Indian tour generates more money by selling rights to Indian television than an Australian tour does, money vital to sustaining cricket in the UK.
This takeover of an international sport by a non-white country is unique. The vast amount of Saudi money pouring into sport has shaken up golf, football and many other sports but, while Saudis will sit at the top table, the actual running of these sports and their formats will remain the preserve of the traditional white powers of Europe and the US. Not so with India and cricket.
This story is from the February 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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This story is from the February 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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