Bowling googlies on the political pitch

While on the campaign trail in Bhopal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi likened Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Sachin Tendulkar, but with a shade of difference: while the star cricketer was known as a ‘run-making machine’, the CM could be described as an ‘announcement-making machine’ who has made “21,000 announcements… while the state has emerged number one in corruption, offences against women…and malnutrition”.

However, proving that he himself was no slouch in the announcement-making field, the Congressman went on to say that if his party came into power at the Centre next year, it would roll back GST and grant all farmers a loan waiver.

Cricket and politics are replete with glorious uncertainty, competing teams try to queer each other’s pitch and stump out the opposition. Both have become prime-time spectator sport, for which India has developed an all-consuming passion.


Again, while both are known for sledging and other forms of underhand tactics, cricket has an umpire to keep things in control, while politics has its Election Commission. However, such commonalities cover a basic divergence: while cricket is best played with a straight bat, the political game of thrones is all too often played by electioneering baat that deviates from the straight and narrow.