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[xiexie]

This is an off shoot from the Dada for commentator post-(I incidentally happen to think he would be rather great if he speaks his mind like say a Nasser Hussain does).

Ok coming to the topic itself.(My perspective is very India)

There was an era where a player (current or ex) was just that a player. If at all a player came into the commentators box it was as a expert and most often did a shoddy job of commentating even if the insights were amazing.

Then came the Aussie brigade with their channel 9 and their Richie Benaud's and Simon O'Donnell's etc who came and added colour and more importantly knowledge and insight to the commentary box which made a lot us who just loved the sport become a bit more knowledgeable.

But on the other hand professional commentators whose only vocation with respect to cricket was their passion, their knowledge of the game (real or assumed), verbal dexterity and an ability to create a scenario for all of us in front of the TV.

There is an additional aspect to all of this, which is the level of achievement or the lack thereof creates a sort of a doubt or if I may an inferiority complex of a some type when say a Arun Lal says something about opening the innings when talking about a Hayden Langer partnership or a Sivaramakrishnan making comments about say a Warne bowling etc etc.

As compared to this if a Harsha Bhogle or a Charu Sharma etc are commentating and they make observations about a certain aspect of the game, it is assumed to be without bias (there are many who may disagree about HB but I dont). So I feel the game needs a judicious mix of some professional commentators and some ex players who will add flavour to comm box with their insights and knowledge of what really goes on inside dressing rooms.

[jks61]

At a personal level, I hate this tribe of ex-cricketers assuming the commentators role (and almost taking it for granted, with any amount of nonsense they can dish out - well !! this is true for a vast majority of them)..they have completely extinguished the tribe of non-cricketer professional commentator, who used to make a living out of this - say a Anand Chatalwat or a Bobby Talyarakhan or Sureswarya (all in Radio of course..but Radio itself is dead and that is another topic all together)..

At a personal level, I gave up this as career after auditioning for it, since the tribe of professional commentators got finished, when the ex-cricketers came about.

To draw a parallel to American baseball, the great ESPN Sunday night baseball, still has one pro and one ex team for over a decadae and they have not done badly !!

[Cover Point]

Radio would be a great equalizer. You WOULD NEED professional commentators there since they have to paint a verbal picture of the events. Wish we could still get radio commentary. I love listening to baseball on the radio. they make you feel you are there!

[jks61]

At a personal level, I hate this tribe of ex-cricketers assuming the commentators role (and almost taking it for granted, with any amount of nonsense they can dish out - well !! this is true for a vast majority of them)..they have completely extinguished the tribe of non-cricketer professional commentator, who used to make a living out of this - say a Anand Chatalwat or a Bobby Talyarakhan or Sureswarya (all in Radio of course..but Radio itself is dead and that is another topic all together)..

At a personal level, I gave up this as career after auditioning for it, since the tribe of professional commentators got finished, when the ex-cricketers came about.

To draw a parallel to American baseball, the great ESPN Sunday night baseball, still has one pro and one ex player for over a decade and they have not done badly !!

[ramshorns]

At a personal level, I hate this tribe of ex-cricketers assuming the commentators role (and almost taking it for granted, with any amount of nonsense they can dish out - well !! this is true for a vast majority of them)..they have completely extinguished the tribe of non-cricketer professional commentator, who used to make a living out of this - say a Anand Chatalwat or a Bobby Talyarakhan or Sureswarya (all in Radio of course..but Radio itself is dead and that is another topic all together)..

At a personal level, I gave up this as career after auditioning for it, since the tribe of professional commentators got finished, when the ex-cricketers came about.

To draw a parallel to American baseball, the great ESPN Sunday night baseball, still has one pro and one ex team for over a decadae and they have not done badly !!

I agree most of the former players do not fit the bill of a commentator especially from the sub continent when most of the time they talk out of context and make not so subtle observations.   I think the Radio commentating teams of the yesteryears are in the league of their own and none of the present crop of former players from the sub-continent barring one or two will hold a candle to them.

[ramshorns]

Since you brought in ESPN Sunday Night baseball, Johnny Miller and Joe Morgan team is legendary.  It is like a breath of fresh air each time I listen to them.  I caught some of their commentary on Radio this past week driving back from work doing the NLDS and it was like out of the world.  To me that was better than watching it on TV the way they break it up pitch by pitch.  I mean their voice, humor and depth of the subject and analysis is something to be cherished.

[Cover Point]

Since you brought in ESPN Sunday Night baseball, Johnny Miller and Joe Morgan team is legendary.  It is like a breath of fresh air each time I listen to them.  I caught some of their commentary on Radio this past week driving back from work doing the NLDS and it was like out of the world.  To me that was better than watching it on TV the way they break it up pitch by pitch.  I mean their voice, humor and depth of the subject and analysis is something to be cherished.

John Miller is an EXCELLENT commentator. He does the SF Giants games and they have some lucky fans!

Morgan too is very insightful.

[ramshorns]

Since you brought in ESPN Sunday Night baseball, Johnny Miller and Joe Morgan team is legendary.  It is like a breath of fresh air each time I listen to them.  I caught some of their commentary on Radio this past week driving back from work doing the NLDS and it was like out of the world.  To me that was better than watching it on TV the way they break it up pitch by pitch.  I mean their voice, humor and depth of the subject and analysis is something to be cherished.

John Miller is an EXCELLENT commentator. He does the SF Giants games and they have some lucky fans!

Morgan too is very insightful.

Yes indeed.  You got that right.

[gouravk]

the problem is that the profession of commentary itself has stagnated. not a question of whether it is ex cricketers or not. commentary needs something new. some kind of breakthrough.

[vincent]

The analogy would be the difference in the commentary of football (soccer that is) and tennis. The tennis commentary has adapted to the TV era where they talk about everything else than just the game that is being played. In football they do still comment on every action (and not history of mankind) and then .....goooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!

[LosingNow]

Since you brought in ESPN Sunday Night baseball, Johnny Miller and Joe Morgan team is legendary.  It is like a breath of fresh air each time I listen to them.  I caught some of their commentary on Radio this past week driving back from work doing the NLDS and it was like out of the world.  To me that was better than watching it on TV the way they break it up pitch by pitch.  I mean their voice, humor and depth of the subject and analysis is something to be cherished.

John Miller is an EXCELLENT commentator. He does the SF Giants games and they have some lucky fans!

Morgan too is very insightful.

There are many excellent non-player commentators in pro-sports in US.
Miller is phenomenol. So is Al Michaels in football. Dick Enberg used to be great in football, basketball and even Tennis. Marv Albert is excellent. Joe Buck sr (not the current one), Vince Scully are all time greats.

I think cricket should encourage and use these non-player commentators ..because commentary is describing the action and painting the context while expert commentators (typically ex-players) are more effective providing depth and color.

I think this move to all ex-player commentator booths is not healthy.

--
BTW, jks ..I think you are referring to Suresh Saraiya from radio (never heard of Sureswarya).

[teamindia]

Navjot Singh Siddhu !!! I miss him as commentator. He can keep you interested even in a dull game. 

[jks61]

Yes Winningnow ..that was a typo...Suresh Saraiya's 'Back again..Bedi bowls'  line is ringing in my ears after 25 years