Childhood Cricket: Of Innovative Formats and Playfulness

Picture Source: Lakshit Singhal/Cricket Field Chronicles

Cricket's deep-rootedness in Indian culture is the reason why it became an indigenous sport, played religiously in every nook and corner of the country. It's flexible nature has driven the innovation and creation of multiple formats by the players of the game. My tryst with the game is a long, evolving and fascinating journey reflected through different formats in which I played the game. We all have developed our own unique cricket format. This story is about mine.

Even though playing is a highly trivialized activity in an Indian household meant only for recreation, I always considered it serious enough to constitute an integral part of my growing childhood. After a point of time, playfulness became a state of mind - to be creative, experimental and solution-oriented. Perhaps that propounded the idea and gave wings to my creativity.

Credit also goes to members of my playing group for their assistance in carving out a functional playing format and modifying it over time with their sheer imagination. The flock of cricketers I played with came from diverse backgrounds but shared mutual admiration for the game. We had our usual academic and homely duties to care of but always managed to find time for a game or two. Living in close proximity to each other also helped.

Unlike today, where urbanization has aggressively taken over all the empty spaces, playgrounds were in abundance back in our times. The neighborhood playground used to be our second home. Small, Secluded and well enclosed on all sides, the ground resembled nothing like a regular cricket field.

The playing area was dusty and a little uneven with tiny patches of grass. It is here where new game formats were invented and played with utmost enthusiasm. The limitation in size of the playground was a significant factor leading to tinkering with the rules and carving out a new playing format.

There were other factors involved too. School took up most of our day and hence time was always a constraint. A regular 10 over game involving 8-10 players was time-consuming and not enough to satisfy our souls. There was also the lack of opportunities to play. Better performing players were invariably in control of all the three departments while others had to wait for their chance. So came into being the lifeline of our childhood days.

Picture Source: Lakshit Singhal/Cricket Field Chronicles

Now onto the central character of my story - the format. I would categorize it somewhere between Gully cricket and regular cricket. The scoring rules and ways of getting out were fine tuned but still not as fancy as in Gully cricket.

In addition to the regular ways of getting out, a direct hit outside the park or in a neighbor's house was made a mode of dismissal. This rule was specifically framed to keep the stock of tennis balls intact, even though playing equipment was never in scarcity. Pitch was the regular 22 yards. There was only off-side play, to cut on the natural tendency of leg side slogging and avoid losing balls. 

The artful cover drives, reverse sweeps and cut shots by the technically superior batters were a spectators delight. Walls and trees of the playground acted as boundaries, which were all within a range of 20-40 meters. Such close proximity ensured quick gameplay as well as thrilling close catching and direct hit run out.

Bowling was to be affected over-arm but with minimal run-up. Anybody with acute knowledge of spin variations was the most preferred choice as a bowler in the team, as use of speed was out of proportion. This truncated version of the game meant that we could have three to four proper ten over games in the evening with everybody getting ample opportunity to express themselves and experience the hidden value in playing.

As our proficiency grew, we started organizing annual tournaments in this format which attracted participation from players of other localities as well. The spirit, or the integrity, of the game was maintained at all times except during crunch situations of the match. The stakes used to be high due to neighborhood dynamics, ultimately resulting in matches being of high quality, sometimes at par with a regular cricket match.

One thing that stood between us and the game was the dynamic Delhi weather. The long and extreme stretches of summer and winter severely impacted our playing duration. But our group was so tightly knit that we managed through all seasons, except Monsoon. 

With Monsoon, it was a love-hate relationship. The onslaught of Monsoon relieved us of the burning summer heat. But it also meant that the playground was rendered wet and unplayable for most days. Also, it took an extra effort in convincing our families, for whom playing in such conditions was an invitation to fall sick.

What was so special in this format that made me fall in love with it? To begin with, I started to take play seriously and made it an inalienable part of my life. With no or little pressure to fail, there was unparalleled joy in enjoying the game. Secondly, our very own developed format respected my freedom of expression, inculcated a culture of creativity within me and shaped my admiration for cricket. So, look for a dear friend, arrange your cricket equipment, find a playground and experience the pleasure of playing again. Preferably, in a format you devised in your childhood.

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