The fake IPL Player blog has turned out to be just that — a fake. A silhouetted video grab of man and audio that could be machine generated was all that was kept of the promise to put a name and face to tell-all accounts from an ‘international cricketer’ on the day Kolkata Knight Riders played their last match.
Nothing is what it seems but Wednesday’s post confirmed what many believed — that he hasn’t played for any country. The blogger though claimed to be “intimately” involved with the IPL.
“It’s been 4 weeks, 43 posts, about 17, 000 comments till now,” he said. “Over 90% of the comments have actually been from one person, called anonymous. Who the hell’s this guy, anonymous? Actually, anonymous is me, and you, yes, both of us.”
FIP, as he came to be known, claimed to have “grown up on cricket” in New Delhi and worked all over India. He mentioned how he skipped an Indian Institute of Management entrance interview to watch India play Australia in Delhi (probably 1998).
Using anonymity, FIP continued to take digs at all. “From the Kings of Bollywood to the pimps of cricket and vice versa; from cricketers with oversized egos to journos that are so happy being in such august company, they forget to dig deep enough — I’ve seen them all,” he said. “Yes, I am an insider, I am the fly on the wall.”
FIP also claimed he has much to say. “I saw so much it’ll probably take me a book or two to spill it all in. But if I actually write a book, I’ll probably be history even if my book is not,” he said. “Still, it’s a story that has to be told and perhaps my anonymity now will be exchanged for some harsh limelight later.”
{{/usCountry}}FIP also claimed he has much to say. “I saw so much it’ll probably take me a book or two to spill it all in. But if I actually write a book, I’ll probably be history even if my book is not,” he said. “Still, it’s a story that has to be told and perhaps my anonymity now will be exchanged for some harsh limelight later.”
{{/usCountry}}Four days before IPL II ends, the blogger’s shadowy journey seems to have ended. That is, of course, assuming this is the last post.