Strangely, while the performance graph of the Indian cricket team has dipped, the sales graphs of companies cashing in on cricket has soared. That the phenomenal marketability of the demi-gods is not performance-driven is proved by the commercial overkill.

However, being positive is one thing, being realistic is something else. The distinction is subtle, but important nevertheless.The hype merchants are leading the less discerning in a nation of cricket fanatics to believe that India will bring the Cup back home. Needless to say, the tone of their cheer songs is perfectly tuned to their sales pitch.

So, in the six days between their landing from and Sharjah and flying off for the Cup, the stars will have slugged it out on various promotional drives with Ajay Jadeja launching his own fan club; Azhar getting appointed as `the first Indian ambassador' for Tissot watches and unveiling a replica of the Cup at a Pepsi/MTV-sponsored concert attended by, among others, Bollywood stars; and Saurav Ganguly getting his Fiat Sienna for his performance in the Pepsi-ODI series.

The lifespan of a sportsperson in the market is brief. So one should welcome if there are more money-spinners like Michael Jordan or Evander Holyfield. But what has been left to be questioned is the timing and the priority. The BCCI could have put an embargo on all commercial ventures involving the Indian probables60 days ahead of the World Cup. The focus thus could have been on World Cup and the players would have been spared of the commercial pressures. Energies could have been channelised in training, which could have been done at a place where even media pressures are limited to the barest minimum.

Azhar's men could well have done without the burden of unrealistic expectations of hyper-emotional orators and marketing whiz-kids.

Says Ajay Jadeja: ``I think there are too many people talking about cricket without knowing much about it. One good game and you are put on a pedestal and the next moment they bring you down if you have a bad match. I don't see anything wrong in it though...''

The happy-go-lucky Jadeja reasons out why he quite accepts the situation. ``We have no choice,'' says the heart-throb of teenyboppers.

Skipper Azhar is more philosophical about the manner in which the corporates have tried to cash in on the Indian team before the World Cup. ``Chalti gaadi hai, sab chad jaate hain. Ruki huiho to koi nahi dekhta (It's a running train, everyone wants to get on to it. If it was not in motion, nobody would look at it).'' Azhar, however, admitted that commercial campaigns are an inspiration.

Raj Singh Dungarpur, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, feels promotional activities are an off-shoot of modern cricket. ``Most of the players in the Indian team are seasoned campaigners and they don't mind it. After all these campaigns convey much goodwill.''

``If the team had won any of the last two triangular tournaments, the confidence of the team would have been that much higher. But there is no need to over-react. There have been instances when the Indian team have overcome such reverses and gone to do well in their next campaigns.''

And Indian cricket fans would have reasons to cheer up if they are reasonably aware of the happening around the cricketing world. A couple of months back, bookmakers placed India behind South Africa and Australia as favourites to win theWorld Cup. But since then, New Zealand almost beat South Africa at home and Australia are struggling against the West Indies. India, on the other hand, have suffered a series of dents to their confidence -- mainly by the upbeat Pakistanis. The results are a pointer to the tight contests in the World Cup.

The hype and the hoopla before the team's departure is coming to a end. The public have affixed their signatures on the spate of `best of luck' wishes around the country. It's now the turn of the cricketers to leave their mark on the English soil. And their imprint on the World Cup.

Run-up to the World Cup