Cricket and rummy are the two most popular games in the Indian subcontinent. People go extremely crazy about both of these games. More than being just a game, Cricket is now considered as a religion in India. It is not unusual to see players worshipped as demigods and fans indulging in wild practices like tonsuring their heads as a wish for their dear players to succeed. Similarly, rummy games have delved deep into our families with the game being played on all festive occasions or even during family get-togethers.
History
Cricket is a game created during Saxon or Norman times by children living in the Weald of southeast England that lies across Kent and Sussex. Experts believe cricket originated from the game called bowls, where the batsman has to stop the ball from reaching its target by hitting it away. Some believe cricket as an extension of the ancient Indian game Gilli Danda with origins over 2500 years ago. It is a game that is played with two sticks: a large one called a danda, which is used to hit a smaller one, the gilli. Experts call it as a precursor to the modern day games like cricket, baseball, and softball.
There are many theories surrounding the origins of rummy. Some widely discussed origins of rummy are from Conquian, Egyptian, Chinese, American and Hungarian. However, in reality, there has been a common consensus that the modern day rules are an amalgamation of various forms of rummy games.
The Game
Cricket involves two teams with 11 players on each side where the objective is to win the match either by defending the total you have scored or by either chasing the target posed by the opponent team. Rummy is a card game often played with two or more decks, in which the players try to form sets and sequences of cards. The main objective of the game is to arrange all the 13 cards dealt into sets or sequences. In order to win, you must have at least 2 sequences out of which one must be a pure sequence (without including joker) and the remaining cards must be arranged in sets or sequences.
Similarities
Both these games have lots of similarities than one can imagine. Modern day Cricket has 3 formats of the game such as T20, ODI and Test matches. Similarly Modern day Rummy has 3 popular formats: Points rummy, pool rummy and Deals Rummy.
In T20 format, each innings lasts for only 20 overs. In this format both the teams play aggressively by either piling up a big total or shooting their opponents out for a paltry total. This is considered as the fastest form of modern day cricket and is also considered as the most preferred form of cricket these days. The growing number of premier leagues and the huge prize money for them are an ample indication of its wide reach.
Points Rummy is the fastest form of Indian Rummy and it offers a good chance to win lots of money. Points rummy games are games in which the monetary value associated with each point is preset at the beginning. Just like T20, this remains as the most preferred rummy variant by the online rummy players due to the fast nature of the game. There are many points rummy games that get over at a blink of an eye especially when the players are dealt good starting hand. Jokers in this variant can be considered as an equivalent to a power play in cricket, which gives the batsman a license to go for the carnage.
The ODI format in cricket can be compared with Deals rummy as the timeframe is limited in each format. Each team is given 50 overs to play in which they try to outplay their opponents by restricting/chasing the target. In Deals rummy, the number of deals (game rounds) is preset at the beginning. The player with the least number of points at the end of all the deals is the winner of the game. The idea behind both the games is to restrict your opponents. After the advent of the much more faster and engaging T20, ODIs have lost some sheen. There are many cricketers who are abandoning their international cricketing career just to be part of the lucrative T20 leagues that are conducted around the world. Similarly, most people prefer to play the faster version of online rummy ie Points rummy when compared to Deals rummy.
Pool Rummy is best matched with Test match format of Cricket. Test match is often termed as a test of endurance for the cricket players. They will have to toil hard in the scorching heat for 5 days at a minimum of 90 overs per day. The two teams of 11 players play a four-innings match, which may last up to 5 days. The gruelling battle that happens over 5 days is a test of team’s playing ability and survival instincts. Though T20s and ODIs have overshadowed it in the recent past, Purists still prefer test cricket and consider it as an ideal form of cricket.
Pool rummy is an exciting variant where the upper limit (101/201) for the points is preset at the beginning. Unlike Deals/Points rummy, pool rummy goes on for an infinite number of rounds. Similar to test matches where you have a chance to win even though you performed badly in the first innings, pool rummy presents you an excellent opportunity to make amends for the earlier mistakes that you could have done. For example, when you have dealt a bad starting hand while playing deals/points rummy you don’t have any other option other than to drop out from the game whereas in pool rummy you can strut around while waiting for the perfect hand. Just like the second innings during a test match provides an opportunity to regain momentum and take control, subsequent rounds in pool rummy helps you to regain momentum provided you are strong in rummy strategies.
These similarities have revealed that cricket and Rummy have deeper connections between them. The truth is it cricket or rummy, skill holds the key to succeeding.