On March 24,
2008, the popular television show Dial C for Cricket made its first foray into
Indian television. Cricket is a sport that unites a diverse nation and Neo
Cricket (as it was known then) introduced this concept that aimed to empower
the genuine aficionados of the game. Fans from all over the country – or should
I say from all across the globe – were now given the opportunity to voice their
opinions on air and interact with some of the most cerebral cricketing minds.
I have been
lucky to be a part of Dial C as a fan and later as a journalist. Back in 2008,
I was fascinated by this new concept and there was an eagerness to learn more
about the game. The insights of the numerous cricketing experts helps one
understand the game better and pick some of the finer points. For a person who
hasn’t played at a very high level, the discussions enrich them with a better
cricketing sense.
A day before the
Mohali Test between India and England in 2008, Vinod Kambli was in the studio
and the bone of contention was Rahul Dravid’s position in the batting order.
The veteran had suffered a slump and many suggested that he swap positions with
VVS Laxman to allow the latter to come in at number three. I immediately dialed
the number and got through. The amiable Neo crew asked what I felt and put me
through to the studios. That was my first experience on Dial C – which was as a
fan.
As the years
went by, I continued to follow Dial C and learnt a lot from the arguments
presented. Perhaps, the most interesting discussions took place after an Indian
squad was announced as numerous callers would put forward different views. Some
would back a particular player to come good, while others would pick a potential candidate who was left out. Through all that, there has always been an exceptional
decorum during the show and a lot of the credit has to go to the hosts – RK and
Mikhail in particular.
The other great
concept introduced by Dial C came during some of the Indian Premier League
(IPL) editions. A diehard fan of a particular side would come forward and argue
the case for his team, while an expert would bring in a different perspective. It
was great to see the passion of a fan pitted against the calm of a cricketing
mind.
Back in 2008, I
had been a part on Dial C as a fan, but now my opportunity as a journalist was
coming. I had gone on to become a writer, analyst and an anchor for CricketCountry.com. During the ICC World T20 2012, I received
a call during one my shoots as to whether I was interested to appear on Dial C
live. The Neo team gave me a time and I made my way to the studios with a sense
of anticipation.
The topic of
discussion that day was about India’s chances in the Super Eights of the said
tournament. RK and I discussed various viewpoints and the possible permutations
and combinations. It was interesting to be on this side of the table as the
callers kept coming in and telling us their take of the matter. Although, I had
done a few videos prior to this experience, it was my first outing on live
television. It was a huge learning curve and I eased as the minutes went by.
Dial C has
always been a dynamic show and the team has done well to bring in new ideas to
make it better. The latest one i.e. the Skype calling is perhaps the best one
as the ex-cricketers, journalists and fans can now make their presence felt
even though they are miles away from the studios.
As the show completes five years, I wish the team tremendous success in the years ahead. It
is an unparalleled platform and there certainly is a lot to look forward to.
