India - the scourge on the game of cricket

Cricket, the game as we know it, is changing at a faster pace than ever before. But have all of these changes been to the benefit of the game? Or are we seeing a mudding of the waters that was once called the gentleman's game?

The DRS (decision review system) was introduced in 2009 and 2011 for test and ODI (one day international) matches respectively. The ICC (International Cricket Council) first made the system mandatory, then later opted for optional use i.e. both teams had to agree for the system to be used. Effectively a massive veto card. Currently all countries bar India make use of the system when playing each other. 

It is said that Sachin Tendulkar make a number of wrong calls when the system was first introduced, and India has since given DRS a thumbs down for every series. They are not convinced that the system works 100%. This is the country that has one of the biggest pool of engineers, software developers, programmers and IT experts in the world. This is the country with the cheapest and successful first attempt at a Mars mission. Surely, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), could have improved the system if it so wished.

Rightly or wrongly, other team supporters will always throw the bad umpiring decisions into the same ring as match-fixing, when tight games are won/lost. Without the ICC putting it's foot down, the game stands to lose in the long run. 

The IPL (Indian Premier League) T20 competition draws in the big names with big payouts. Other similar competitions have mushroomed in other countries. The T20 format may draw in the crowds and money, but it has diluted the game. Players no longer place playing for the country as the top honour of their career. Big names such as Chris Gayle have unofficially retired from certain formats "due to injury" to follow the money. The IPL has been mired in a number of match-fixing / spot-fixing debacles. 

The current match fixing scandal in South African cricket (along with past indiscretions), sees it's roots in India. Gulam Bodi has been banded for 20 years (5 of which is suspended). Other names thrown around by the media in the same investigation are:

• Thami Tsolekile;
• Wayne Parnel (unconfirmed).

Every team supposedly creates wickets that favour the home team. A lot has been said about the dirt bowls India prepares for tests that favour their spinners. Compare the stats of Ravichandran Ashwin 
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to Saeed Ajmal by host country:

Ashwin's figures are definitely skewed. No matter what arguments Indian fans have against pace wickets, other quality spinners have far more consistent figures all around the cricket-playing world.

Does India really make a solid positive contribution to the game of cricket, or are we on a one way ticket to destruction of the values cricket once stood for?