By Qaiser Mohammad Ali,IANS
New Delhi : Television may have added glamour to cricket but radio still enjoys the widest reach in India, as millions in the cricket crazy country listen to the live commentary of the ongoing first India-Pakistan Test match being played here.
With the advent of FM stations, the number of radio listeners has gone up manifold in the four metropolitan cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta and Chennai – where most people prefer watching matches on television. But once they get into their cars they switch on to the radio commentary.
Praveen Chand, AIR programme executive in-charge of the commentary of the ongoing Test, told IANS the radio commentary is also closely followed in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Carribean.
“The running commentary over the All India Radio (AIR) is reaching about 80 percent of the country’s total population, or about 90 crore (900 million) people, in addition to the FM stations in the four metropolitan cities and in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Caribbean countries.
“The commentary is being broadcast by close to 300 radio stations in India, giving the medium the widest reach. Plus, many on the wheels (in cars) in the four metros are also hooked on to the commentary,” he said.
That AIR has made it mandatory for some of its “identified stations” to relay the commentary has also helped millions to follow the Indian team’s fortunes.
“There are 65 identified stations in India that have to broadcast the commentary compulsorily, and there are many relay stations attached to them that also transmit the commentary,” said Chand at Feroze Shah Kotla during the India-Pakistan Test.
Iftikhar Ahmed, who is commentating for over 28 years, swears by the reach of radio commentary and its originality.
The Allahabad-based commentator gives an example of how people from all walks of life, cricketers included, have been mesmerised by radio commentary, especially after the advent of the FM stations.
“On the first day of this match, we had invited a journalist to talk about Anil Kumble’s 10-wicket-in-an-innings haul against Pakistan at this very ground (Kotla) in 1999. He (the journalist) mentioned that Mohammed Azharuddin first wrongly asked Kumble to bowl from the Delhi Gate end and later from the end from which he took all 10 wickets,” Ahmed said.
“The journalist told us later that 15 minutes after he had made that comment, Azharuddin called him up and jokingly told him that he should stop criticising him now that he has retired. Azharuddin must have heard the comment while driving,” said Ahmed.