When I wrote the last post, “India’s cricket world cup fiasco: sorting through the ashes”. One of the steps I had prescribed called for grater accountability from the advertisers. It looks like it is finally happening, with the reports that Pepsi along with Videocon and a few more consumer electronic companies are pulling the plug on the advertisements where cricketers were used. Here is what Times of India had to say about it:

Pepsi pulls out Rs 350 cr Blue Billion campaign

Pepsico India, which was betting big on the World Cup this summer has pulled Blue Billion campaign on which the company has spent Rs 350 crore. Even as the campaign has been yanked off air, the cola major is said to be applying finishing touches to another commercial which was in the works, if India lost in the World Cup.

“We are in the midst of making suitable adjustments to the campaign platform to make way for the reality of India’s loss,” confirmed a senior Pepsi official. JWT, the agency for Pepsi, one of the main sponsors of the World Cup, is “hurrying through with their new advertisement to counter India’s loss. The new ad will be on air soon,” said an advertising official.

Now this is what I call interesting, finally advertisers are realizing that if these “cricketing icons” do not perform well, they are not good for the image of the company.

Things don’t stop here, with the report surfacing that Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell wasn’t happy with the world cup squad, but was forced by the BCCI and “few senior players” to accept the team. This highlights the main points I had made earlier, that in case of BCCI, rapport matters more than performance, there is definitely a need to make the management more accountable and that political interference from the world of sports should cease to exist!

Now even after all the commotion is being made, I doubt that any concrete steps will be taken to fix the root causes. Instead the blame game has already started and in the coming days and weeks the mudslinging would only increase.

What does this means?

A. Greg Chappell will be removed from the post of Indian cricket teams coach.

B. Dravid would loose his captaincy and in an effort to save the face, Sachin Tandulkar would be asked to accept the job. Even though Sachin had stepped down as captain few years back, he will not turn down this request and would accept the “responsibility”. Which will have an impact on the last few years of cricket left in him.

C. Few seniors will be laid off for a while, but in all probability Virender Singh Sehwag would retain a place in the team despite his dismal showing in recent matches.

D. A fresh batch of politically backed individuals will be selected for the team. Who will do well in first few matches, but would return to the usual performance level of Indian team after winning their first series.

E. You, the Indian cricket fan would once again cheer the team hopping against all odds for them to win matches; companies will once again start accepting them in their commercials since you have begun to like the team once again.

F. Companies will find ways to ensure they are more secured against a fiasco of this sort, this was evident even in this world cup when the slogan had changed from India will win; to “Ladega to Jeetega” (if you fight you will win). I guess in the next world cup they will have the backup ads in place before the ones for promoting the idea for an Indian win.

In the end the ultimate looser will be the Indian population at large and our countries honor and pride!