Decoding the art of cricket commentary
Cricket is not only watched but is heard too. The 'thud' sound produced when Sachin Tendulkar kisses the ball with his willow, accompanied by the magical words from Harsha Bhogle, makes you fall in love with the game again and again. You just sit back and decide on what to admire first - the shot, the sound it produced or its summarization.
The commentary is one of the most quintessential parts of our game. So let’s decode some of the most important aspects of it.
#1 Precise and apt use of words
The commentary is not always about the usage of exaggerated words or display of shining vocabulary, rather it is an art of stitching together simple words in an exciting manner.
What distinguishes a certain Richie Benaud or Harsha Bhogle from the rest of the crop is their ability to say the right words at the right moment in such a flawless manner that you are left with no choice but to appreciate the genius of these storytellers who are a blessing to our game.
For instance, remember Harsha Bhogle calling that Kumble ton “The most romantic moment in Indian cricket history”? It’s all about following the basics and describing the game in a simple yet glorified manner.