The 'tactical time out' is a commercial opportunity dressed up as cricket

The 'tactical time out' is purely a commercial opportunity dressed up as cricket strategy

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi must be a disciple of P T Barnum, the shrewd American show man from the late 1800's. If Modi thinks he can sell the "tactical time-out" as having any cricketing benefit then he must live by the Barnum creed; "There's a sucker born every minute."

The "time out" is packaged as an opportunity for players to talk tactics at the half-way point of an innings so there'll be less time spent discussing strategy during and in-between overs. By taking this approach officials hope it will ensure the overs are completed on time and if they aren't large fines will apply.

The "tactical time out" is purely a commercial opportunity dressed up as cricket strategy.

Paisa
Both the ICC and IPL pride themselves on the vast amounts of money they accumulate from television rights.

Whilst it looks good in the balance sheet and is lauded by the ICC for helping the game at the grass roots level and appeasing the IPL franchise owners, there's a downside. Having outlaid huge amounts for the rights, television companies then have to sell so much advertising to recoup their investment it's becoming intrusive on the coverage of the game.u00a0u00a0

It's hard to fault the television executives for trying to recoup their investment. However, the cricket officials need to look at treading the fine line between a healthy balance sheet and the health of the game.

If people are eventually turned off by intrusive ads it won't help cricket.u00a0u00a0u00a0

Cricket has a rhythm that should be allowed to flow as much as possible.

How does a seven and a half minute break enhance the game when it follows Yuvraj Singh's six sixes or a probing Anil Kumble over?

At that point the players want the game to continue so they can either maintain momentum or redeem themselves. The fans are in a frenzy and only want to see more exhilarating cricket, not listen to a rock band.

This innovation could well have been devised to further entrench the coaching role. However, captaincy by committee doesn't work; when a side loses the skipper will receive the kick in the backside.u00a0 The good captains like to control their own destiny; they aren't suckers and there's also not one born every minute.