Ultimately, the losers in this ego battle of the BCCI's ego mandarins and their success in hacking down a marquee series are going to be the players, the sport and the fans. A two-Test series between South Africa and India is as good as no series; if the series is being ruthlessly hacked down, the limited-overs formats should have been done away with to accommodate a four-Test series. A day after the BCCI turned the FTP inside out and knocked the winds out of CSA's sails, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that India will play five Tests in England for the first time since 1959 during next year's tour. The five Tests, however, would be played in just over a month. Such a tight schedule certainly isn't in the players' interest, but if it suits the BCCI's, nothing else really assumes prime importance. Dictating terms, throwing its financial wealth around, diluting the FTP for its own interests, might well work just fine in the fish bowl world that the BCCI exists in. The reality, however, is that while it is cricket's economic powerhouse, there may come a time (or not) when other ICC member boards have had enough of the BCCI's high-handed attitude; especially when its own house is far from being in order. The BCCI and its officials would do themselves and world cricket a huge favour if they accept the spirit of the Spider-Man phrase "with great power comes great responsibility"; and finally realise that they are meant to serve the game and its stakeholders and not vice-versa.