Sharad Yadav wants ban on Cricket, says it threatens diplomatic relations between nations.

Cricket has become a tool of market forces and it is hurting diplomatic relations, said JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav, who demanded a ban on the sport.

Media is creating a frenzy about the game. They are popularising it and giving unnecessary attention. "Disputes between sportstars are blown out of proportion and it is dangerous to link them to national honour as it can lead to major diplomatic crises".

Also, to save other sports, Cricket Must be Banned, thundered the former Socialist leader. What Yadav has said is nothing new. Long back Mahatma Gandhi also wanted a ban on cricket in India. He felt that the Bombay Pentangular caused communalism as teams of Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and the Rest played it, which was divisive.

A game played for five days was not at all healthy for a nation like India and it was meant for British imperialists who had brought the game to their Dominions and had the leisure to play it, he felt. Later also some leaders issued such statements, as cricket is said to be responsible for killing other sports.

Yadav's demand may be termed unrealistic. But it is true that cricket gets unnecessary hype and news channels waste hours over debates regarding cricket starts and analysing each and every bowl & batting shot.

This is damaging. But the nation is crazy about cricket. Millions of man hours are lost during matches. And nobody can do anything unless public itself gets bored of this cricket tamasha and media mania. After all, at Hindustaniat also we can't resist writing about cricket.