just like that

It’s been over a month now since that memorable Saturday evening. The 2^nd of April will now take its place as the most important date in Indian cricket displacing the 28-year reign of June 25^th. For me, personally, it was the greatest moment of my life. It gave me joy that I had never felt before. Before I go further, I would like to dedicate this victory to two people:

1) Sachin Tendulkar – The person who has inspired me the most in my life. The entire team rightfully dedicated the WC to him but as one of his true fans, I would once again like to do the same. We won it for you, Sachin! There wasn’t nothing much left for you to achieve but this is one cup we wanted to see you lift. A loss wouldn’t have reduced you in my eyes in anyway but the win just makes the world so much more perfect.

2) The cricket fan – The cup may belong to all the people in India but there are some who deserve more credit than the others. This win truly belongs to

a. that fan who stood for hours in the sun to buy a ticket for any test-match/ODI

b. that fan who never gave-up on his team when they were eight down and needed 52 off 34 balls.

c. that fan who did not say “This team is a bunch of losers” just because it was the fashionable thing to say

d. that fan who defended Sachin resolutely when some half-baked guy said random stuff about him not winning enough matches for India

e. that fan who woke up at unearthly hours to catch live action of a test match.

f. that Indian who never gave up on India, in sport or otherwise.

I have always loved cricket because it excites me in a way no other sport does. But on April 2^nd, I actually felt what we have all known all along – that cricket is more than just a sport. On the streets, there was a celebration like never before. Everyone met on the street was greeted like a long lost friend. For once, the marathis and the Punjabis and the tamilians were gone - there were only Indians.

Now, as the dust settles and we return to our corrupt politicians, desperate news channels and an ordinary IPL, I have a small request for all of you. Most of us lead routine lives which could do with a little more inspiration. I hope all of us could rejig our thoughts once in a while to the night of 2^nd April and derive hope and energy from that to do something better –it could be standing behind Anna Hazare or it could be starting that fitness regime you have been putting off – something that will make you better than what you are. Think about it!

Just didnt want the blog to become inactive again. So reproducing an earlier post I wrote as a guest blogger for Mrunal's new blog.



Cricket versus T20

Along with over-arm bowling, Kerry Packer and the third umpire, T20 will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the few things that changed the game forever. Like all those changes, the impact of T20 was not immediate – Two years and an Indian win in the inaugural World cup was what it took to capture India’s, and thus, the cricketing world’s, imagination. Smartly, Lalit Modi & Co stepped in. A few cash-rich corporates, some of the world’s best players, a borrowed concept and a booming economy (on second thoughts, just a growing economy) took care of the rest. No one even remembers poor Subash Chandra now.

Well, with IPL2 ready to rock South African audiences and Indian televisions, I thought about why IPL1 didn’t fascinate me as much as it should have. Surely, if not for all the glitz and glamour, atleast the big names and the cricket on display should have had me. First and foremost, I guess it was the city-based teams’ concept. I really didn’t feel that passionate about supporting my city, or any city for that matter. And when Mathew Hayden, Joginder Sharma and Andy Morkel turn out for Chennai SuperKings, whatever little you felt is also gone. On the other hand, when Team India is playing, it’s a totally different ball game. The ecstasy that an Indian win brings is truly unmatched and so is the disappointment at a narrow loss.

The second thing that doesn’t work for me is the whole T20 concept itself. Sure, it gets over in three hours and fits television audiences perfectly but for a serious cricket fan, the cricket on view is not as pleasing as Test or one-day cricket. I remember seeing the inaugural T20 WC and truth be told, I fell for it. What nail-biting excitement it provided and of course, India kept winning. Two years on, the format has not evolved as much as it should have with the result that we keep seeing batsmen trying to hit every ball for a six. Swing and seam are gone; Flight and loop have been forgotten and it’s all about getting the Yorker length.

There is no doubt that T20 has given an exciting twist to the gentleman’s game. As Richie Benaud famously remarked “Test cricket is what parents take their kids to and T20 is what kids bring their parents to” (or some such thing). It has got a whole new generation of people hooked onto cricket. It has got more money into the game and for a cash-strapped ICC, it’s a huge opportunity. But let this opportunity not lead us to the demise of the game. Let it not turn cricket into some fast-paced action thriller where power and purpose take control over skill and strategy. The Dhonis and Gambhirs of today were brought up on Sachin’s Sharjah-like innings. Let Yuvaraj’s six sixes in an over not be the role model for tomorrow’s cricketing princes. Let T20 be what it is - the fun-filled, relaxed form of the game.

It’s a tribute to the game that Test cricket is still considered the pinnacle by its players and fans. And it’s a tribute to its administrators that they have maintained the balance between all the three formats. Undoubtedly, the big challenge will be to sustain the same in the coming years. Let’s maintain IPL as what it is – a cleverly packaged entertainment show with cricket as its anchor. Let it stay as the format where Buchnan tries out his multi-captaincy theories and Modi his time-out commercials. But let’s not take it beyond that.

Sourav Ganguly, after completing his first century in his homeground, Eden Gardens. Go on Dada!

Pic courtesy - Cricinfo

After all the months of hype and hoopla, the cricket world cup is finally here. I have been looking forward to this for nearly a year now. Just like every other Indian fan who thinks with his heart rather than his head, Iam expecting India to win the world cup. This World cup is the first time sixteen teams will be playing. It is the first time it will be played in the West Indies and also the longest in terms of the duration of the competition. More than anything, I guess this is the most open World cup we have had in nearly a decade. The recent bad form of Australia and the good performance of other teams makes it a very interesting world cup. While the associate members are given a chance to prove themselves in the league stage, I believe the real excitement will begin in the Super eights. Not even a single game could be missed here. Atleast that’s what I thought before the World cup begun.

Noone could have predicted the way things have gone in the first week. Going by this one week alone, this World cup might well be remembered for the rise of the minnows. Ireland first tied with Zimbabwe and went on to topple Pakistan. That easily is the biggest upset of all times. The loss means that Pakistan is out of the competition. And they have angry fans waiting back home. Things with India aren’t looking exactly rosy either. The shock loss to Bangladesh might serve as a wake-up call but there is a strong possibility that we might get knocked out of the World cup even if we win the next two matches against Bermuda and Srilanka.If Srilanka manage to beat Bangladesh, the latter going into the last game against Bermuda will know exactly the margin by which it would need to win to qualify for the super-eights. The odds are indeed stacked against India at this moment. However, as a start, they can concentrate on winning against Bermuda by as big a margin as possible. Then probably they can think of the game against Lanka, try to win there and then leave everything else to the Gods.

It will be indeed sad if India does not make it to the super-eights but irrespective of that, the fans in India need a reality check. Making them heroes every time they win and pelting stones in their houses every time they lose is not going to get us anywhere. Its one thing to cheer your team for victory and entirely another to accept a loss and move on. I guess it will be difficult for an emotional fan to understand this but the sooner we all realize it’s just a sport, the better for all of us.

End note:

Even as I was writing this post, news of Bob Woolmer passing away filtered in much to the shock of many cricket fans around the world. He was arguably one of the best coaches in the world and brought in great innovations to the game. It is indeed a sad day for cricket. May his soul rest in peace.