Many years ago, there was this cruel barbaric system called slavery. Remember the movie Gladiator? Do you recall the way Russell Crowe gets auctioned as a slave to fight as a gladiator?

Today, I get a similar feeling when I read and watch the happenings in the world of cricket. The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction reminds me of this very system. World class players are being auctioned for green dollar notes!

I'm not sure how this really will work out (for the game of cricket), but I'm goocertain that the game of cricket is losing its erstwhile charm. The Twenty20 format itself, I feel, has dented the spirit of one day cricket.