FIFA can have cricket-like rule for fake injuries

Representational images. Pic/iStock

Watching some of the World Cup football games once again affirmed that the beautiful game is no longer the game of skill it was in the '70s and '80s and is now more that of fake and foul one. Speaking of fake, in cricket a few years back, a playing condition was brought in that penalised a fielder for faking to have the ball in his hands. His team would be penalised five runs for doing that. Cricket is a game where there's plenty of deception involved when a bowler is trying to deceive the batsman who in turn is looking to outsmart the bowler by sometimes moving this way and that or even changing the grip and playing the switch hit.

The bowlers and batters are never penalised for that because its accepted that that's the name of the game so why penalise a fielder if the batsmen at the crease are stupid not to be watching the ball?

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If FIFA were to bring a similar fake fielding rule for all the fake injuries that simply waste time and spoil the flow and rhythm of the game then maybe we would have fewer such time stoppages. That just about every time the player is seemingly writhing in pain on the ground and the doctors and physios run on with the medical bag all those around, as well as watching from the stands or TV, know that it's acting and is now par for the course. Once the physio uses the magic spray, the player is up and running as if nothing had ever happened to him. One of the awards for the best acting on the football field should be decided by the viewers and that would truly be one that will get the most votes and be even more closely decided than the best goal of the tournament.

I must confess that I am not a huge football fan and so don't know the nuances of a game that has over the years become more and more physical and less and less skilful. The constant shirt-pulling or elbowing the opposition or trying to push and shove is not the football that was seen in the '70s and '80s. That was pure sublime football where the ball would be dribbled by the feet and the players hardly ever tried to foul each other nor faked injuries every two minutes.

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Injuries bring us to the one suffered by Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in the second ODI. He didn't field after that as he went to the hospital for scans and there was no certainty whether he would be able to bat at all. However, he came down the order and played an astonishing innings to almost take India home. If he had managed to hit that final ball for the winning runs, he would have given India one of its most memorable victories.

By the way, his injury is genuine as he has missed the next game and not the fake ones we have seen in Doha over the last few weeks. May cricket never go the football way and while there will always be the odd instance of chicanery, the spirit of the game is still one to cherish and admire.

Professional Management Group