It's Time

It's that time of the year, when everyone is trying to get back into their usual routine, especially after the new year holidays & much needed rest/break. Not so for an Indian cricket fan, I guess, who have been left in bad taste, of what has transpired in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. 

Nothing to take away from how Pat Cummins led his troops on the field, gave ultimate freedom to newbies on his team, never engaged in any verbal spats / confrontations whatsoever, stayed away from any theatrics on the field, allowed his batting, bowling & gamesmanship to do all the talking & strangled India, to let go of the coveted BGT after 10 years & fill a decade void that has been missing from Aussie victories memorabilia. 

Australian tours predominantly have never been easy for any touring team, let alone India, especially visiting there after a series whitewash 3-0 vs Kiwis at home. Some hope was rekindled after the first Perth test though, where I thought India surprised everyone, including themselves. But Australia knows how to claw back & that's what exactly they did in the remaining tests. The scoreline could have been 4-1, but for the rain in Brisbane, that could be thanked for. Melbourne was the test that India could have saved by applying themselves in, just like they had done on prior tours, but the Aussies looked more determined & clinical to win it. With all hopes pinned on the last Sydney test, albeit all of the captaincy & resting drama around rohit Sharma, it was an uphill task from there in my opinion. Its very easy to be critical in the hindsight, as the event has already occurred but the manner in which it was handled, was a bit baffling to me personally. It looked like a club game where the current captain was told to rest/ step down & Jasprit Bumrah was asked to lead. I would have preferred Rohit Sharma & Gautam Gambhir, the coach, to come out together in a press conference, well before the match & clear the air & then play with a clear, free mind with rest of the squad. What transpired instead helped no one. Let alone the players & the administrators, the general cricket loving people also questioned the manner in which all this outplayed, when series was on the line!

It's said that, events occuring in our lives, often come with initial indicators. One has to be open minded & willing to understand these signs, which are a sort of precursor to what's in store ahead. Following list in my opinion, ultimately led to the downfall & handing over the BGT to Australia, who were far better in bowling & fielding departments & more importantly had a fierce leader of the pack.

• Not looking beyond the so called super stars, who were woefully out of form, coming into the BGT series. There was a proper test playing pool available & is even today, but the reluctance of the Indian think tank to have totally separate teams for the longest version vs white ball team never seemed to exist.
• Rahane & Pujara were conveniently overlooked citing age / form concerns, when in fact they had worked wonderfully well in the last BGT. There were reports floating that Gautam wanted Pujara back for this series, but was turned down by the selectors.     
• It is no surprise that the former Indian Captain (read Rohit here) has never been a force to reckon in the longest version of the game. There are enough numbers already to back this fact. His absence in the first test in fact, was a blessing in disguise. The Indian think tank should not have called him back from his sabbatical leave. Jasprit had already proven his mettle in the first Perth test leading from the front. All the drama of resting Rohit in the last test could have been easily avoided, if Rohit were not to be called back to play. A pretty harsh decision to take, but time proved, how costly it was in the end. It would have worked well for Rohit as well to be with his newborn kid & the Indian Think tank would have had lesser questions to answer that way as well.
• Not having Ashwin in the playing 11, ultimately, had a devastating effect. He is known to polish off the tail & his batting average supposedly was better than Rohit's. Aussie tail wagged a lot in both innings of Melbourne & was missed sorely there.   
• It would have made sense to open with Gill ( with Rohit dropped ), who is a specialist opener to do the job. Traditionally, visiting teams in Aus lose their battle in the opening slot itself. Consistent failures of opening batsmen mean, direct exposure of middle order to the new swinging ball. Add to that the 3 skillful fast bowlers in the opposition & you have a perfect recipe for disaster at the top.
• Unlike Rohit in test matches, Virat was a force to reckon before his weakness was exploited by Boland not once, not twice but good 7-8 times this series. His trigger movement on the front foot made him commit even before the ball could seam off the pitch & led to his ultimate downfall. How contrast is this, with Sachin's 241 on the same SCG pitch, where he just refused to play any drives. Two men of almost equal caliber, having achieved so much at the international level, but the mindset & application made a huge difference in the outcomes. What happens hereon with Virat is best left for the time to answer, but it saddens me, that a cricketer of his caliber would fail so often with the same weakness consistently. Technical flaws can be & would be corrected but what about mental flaws? is it age? is it the lack of match practise? or is it the lack of skills required for the longer version? It's all combined unfortunately. The road ahead does not look promising. Aggression suits better when it's combined with a stellar performances on the field.  Only aggression by itself equates to theatrics & any sport by its own nature, demands performance first.
• Slip catching has always let India down, especially in the SENA countries- unless this issue is mitigated, we would keep missing chances,thus allowing comebacks by oppositions batsmen. There is a clear difference b/w how Aussie slip cordon stands with their hands down with a slightly bent back Vs Indian slip corden, who have hands on their knees. That split sec delay in getting to the ball/ reacting for a reflex catch, makes a world of difference in slip catching. 
• Not using a well directed bouncer enough to catch the batsman off-guard. Aussie bowlers executed this ploy very well to push the batter on the back foot & err in the shot, thereby producing edges at will.
• Australia were led by a very shrewd bowler who brought on himself & took that important wickets, time & again. Its was a clear cut case, like the saying : "An army of sheep, led by a LION is better than an army of LIONS, led by a SHEEP".
• Got to feel for Bumrah who always looked to manufacture a wicket at will, throughout the series but the support from the other end was lacking. He always bowled his heart out, every single time but it took a toll on his body eventually, when he was needed the most, for the series decider in SCG.
  

So, it's time for the Indian think tank to plan ahead & look beyond the non-performers, if they are to pose any threat to the opposition teams, especially in the longest version of the game.Its rightly called "The Test" for a reason. Some hard decisions would need to be taken for sure. Come Feb-March, winds of IPL would start flowing again, but on a personal note, I would not be even tempted to peek there. All out of form souls would suddenly find form & start plundering sixes & fours again.

There is a lot to learn from the debacle, provided we accept it & take measures to correct it. My salute to Pat Cummins, for leading from the front, never being aggressive in body language, but being fiercely aggressive with his tactics & field placings. He reminds me of the great West Indian team of the 80's - loads of talent, but never a word of aggression from the mouth, no pushing/ shoving or swearing/ sledging- only nerves of steel with dogging ruthless determination & clinical execution of plans.
Just plain hard cricket & that's all, that is needed to see yourself & your team through to the finish line.

Australia Decoded

As an ardent Indian cricket fan, who has been privileged to play at school, college, university & corporate level, I feel i'm entitled to give my opinion to the recently concluded series b/w India/ Australia. Although India managed to come back strong having been bundled out for a paltry 36 in the first test, they bounced back & won the series, thus retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy, that's not what this is all about. This is about the bullying of the Aussies, not playing in the spirit of the game & the umpires turning a blind eye to the consistent short-pitched bowling, to the extent that, more than half of the Indian team now have the series souvenirs on their bodies.

 Let’s take a step back into the history, the upbringing of these 2 cricket frenzy nations. Australia like India was colonized by the British & hence Cricket happens to be an integral part of the history of both nations. However, one of the main points of difference is the known version of "Down Under" abbreviation for Oz. Down Under for some means down & far below the  equator in the southern hemisphere. However the known version for this has been, the British people sending criminals & convicted persons "down under" to server punishments, how much of this is of any truth is still not known to me. But that brings an interesting point to the attitude & behavior of the Aussies. Add to that the vast & varied landscape, mostly arid in the center & you have the right mixture to make the people, we know as "ruff & tough". Australia has been graced with abundant nature & it’s the only continent that's also an island , how about that? India on the other hand, has been surrounded by its neighbors, with whom it has had a bittersweet relationship in the past & it was consistently looted by the Abdalis (Ahmed Shah Abdali), Ghouri's (Mohammed Ghouri) & the Moghuls & then it reeled under the British rule for 150 years. Traditionally, India has always been an oppressed entity, not that there were no fightback at all, but it has never been the first one to attack someone, unless provoked. This difference in nature & culture forms the basis of character that we see in our society today, more so in sportsmen, whom we idolize.

Now, coming back to cricket, Australia is known to play hard-nosed cricket from the time I have followed this game & earlier as well. The infamous "Body Line series", master minded by Douglas Jardine & impeccably executed by Harold Larwood ( to curb Sir Don's scoring spree) stands a testimony in the cricketing world. Greg Chappel & his partner in crime, his younger brother, Trevor Chappel are both still trying to exorcise that "Underarm bowling" incident ghost till this date. Greg Chappel has written an open letter to Tim Paine recently, offering his condolences for losing the Gabba fortress & has mentioned the above underarm incident & its ill-effects still at play to this day. It is noteworthy to mention the fact that, Greg (one of the shrewdest captains in Aus, if not the shrewdest one) calls it a "Brain fade"- an incident whose effects he did not foresee at that time. I clearly recollect Ricky Ponting saying "F%$^ OFF" to a concerned Javagal Srinath, after the latter bounced him with a short ball in 2003 series, if i'm not wrong. Micheal Slater sledging Rahul Dravid  after claiming a catch & adjudging him Out, when there were doubts of the catch itself & arguing with umpire Venkat Raghavan, who was an distinguished Indian player of his time & the umpire that time. Who can forget the "Sydney fiasco" & the "monkey-gate" of 2008 series in Aus."Sandpaper" controversy had almost finished careers of Steve Smith & his deputy David Warner. Head coach Darren Lehmann & proven guilty Bancroft are now nowhere seen in the cricket, at-least not known to me, as of this writing & rightly so. All the above incidents, have a common thread & its anyone to guess, yes it is "Cricket Australia". So what is it that drives Australia & its cricketers to think beyond the confines of law, rules & to win at all costs? Is winning at all costs so deeply rooted in Aussie blood that they stoop down to such shameful means, time & again & still afford to label themselves as "Champions"? Is it difficult to comprehend that youngsters look up to these players as their idols & Australia is setting a wrong example for their youth to follow?  

It is not that Australia has not contributed to cricket or that we now start to hate them. In fact, "Pajama Cricket" aka white ball cricket, World Series Cricket, Stump vision , Roving Eye, Flashing Stump Bails, etc were all first conceptualized & implemented in Australia & that revolutionized Cricket big time. Channel Nine's Richie Benaud & Bill Lawry were the best commentators that have graced this game. Unbiased, truthful, transparent & to the point with bare minimum words spoken were the hallmarks of my personal favorite, Richie Benaud.

It is for these reasons that, i still regard the  West Indies team of 70's-80's to be the best contender for the "Champions" tag. They owned it & earned it overtime but never boasted of it. Their line up consisted of lean, mean fast bowlers notably, (Wes) Hall, (Charlie) Griffith, (Andy) Roberts, (Micheal) Holding, (Colin) Croft and (Joel) Garner & later (Courtney) Walsh & (Curtly) Ambose. They were the most dangerous, lethal & meanest of all generations know in the cricketing history but i never ever, recollect any incident of even anyone of them uterring a single word to any batsmen. They hunted in pairs like wolves & were relentless, constantly asking you questions out that off stump. They liked to welcome the new batsmen with their famed "the perfume delivery" but were never ever abusive in their language, not one of them then. There used to be an occasional banter, yes very much like " Where did you learn your cricket maan, at Edgbaston?" or the famous one shared by Sunny himself wherein he came 1-down or 2-down for Zero instead of opening the batting & Sir Viv quipped from slips, "Hi maan, no matter where you bat, the score is still Zero!!".

It’s is high time we take notice & condemn this boorish, bullish behavior from the Aussies in the name of "mental disintegration" or "pressure tactics" or whatever the hell they call it, but it needs to stop big time now. Josh Hazelwood repeatedly bounced Pujara & then abused him on top of it, after being hit on his helmet, the on field & officiating umpires alike were all deaf & blind to all this, where they were in total authority to reprimand Hazelwood, per laws of the game. The entire world heard what was said to Ashwin by Tim Paine & still there is no punishment rendered to the accused. This callous attitude of Aussies should not be tolerated nor neglected. It is important to point then out that they do not own this game & no one is bigger than the sport itself! I would like the BCCI to take this further to ICC & possibly lodge a complaint.  In the end this instigation worked against the Aussies as the Indians stood their ground firm, took blows , weathered abuses & took us across the line to breach the impregnable Gabba finally, after 1988. There is a very thin line b/w banter & abuse & the moment that line is crossed, it should be deemed as a crime/ punishment. Play hard, play fair & then may the best team win, should be the lesson to learn hereafter. I do hope i have been able to do justice to bring out some glaring facts about the Aussie behavior with my limited but true knowledge of the facts, but it is now up-to the individual to follow it as a norm, else we will still see abuses hurled, bones broken , cheating done, but yet, one team will end up standing firm, on their ground amongst all this & will defeat the home team, lock stock & barrel, right in their own backyard !!! 

This series would go down in the annals of cricket as to how "Indian boys" conquered the "big mouth Aussie punks"!

P.S - The views/ opinions expressed here are entirely mine & i would leave it to my readers/ followers to deny, refute or rubbish it, as they deem fit.

-Truly yours,

Yogesh J.

 

Winds of change

This is my first take on Indian Politics - subject matter that i'm least interested in and hardly take notice of it anyways - however with recent political changes unfolding every given day - even as of this writing, cant stay away from it. Think it would be a welcome change to write on something apart from Sports - topic that has been covered in my previous 3 posts / blogs.

First mention of this word brings in front of us our "esteemed" politicians who have milked this country right from independence era, earned enough for maybe their next 10+ generations, enjoy every privilege one can think of but still yearn for more. Politics and acting i guess go hand-in-hand with politicians being real-life actors with immense talent and an uncanny zest to have still more. One saying that goes around suggests that "if you don't know / cant' succeed in anything else (i mean other fields such as Accountancy / Sports / Technology / Agriculture, etc.)- can cheat others at will, have no such thing called conscience and still put up a shameless face in public eye"- you are an ideal candidate for politics. Politics exists in our offices, sports, administration, well virtually omnipresent.

With Congress finding every single way of coming hard at Narendra Modi ("NaMo"), makes me wonder - how much can a person / party stoop down to gain power, despite knowing the fact, that the common man is frustrated and no longer cares for them or their stupid antics (read Congress here) - recent elections in Delhi have proved it & possibly will be the same in other states of India, very soon i hope. I'm not anti / Pro- Congress nor support BJP, as a matter of fact, but going by India's history, what have we achieved in the last 20 years? Compare that with Germany (who lost 2 world wars) and is still the most technologically advanced nation- even ahead of USA in many aspects if not all. Now its not easy and maybe not wise-enough / feasible enough to compare 2 diverse nations with different geographies/ cultures/ values/ backgrounds. But come to think of it, what is a country made up of? People - what is the society made up of ? People again!! So whats different in the  people across nations? Its the MINDSET and ATTITUDE.

Having lived in India for most part of my youth and childhood (27 yrs. approx.) - didn't really get on with it and hardly bothered about it- quite frankly. Have been in USA for almost 3+ yrs. now and the single-most difference that i observe in these 2 countries is again the mindset and attitude- both of politicians and public, in general. Law comes second in line and is equally applicable to both species here. Congress has played  a major part  in screwing up the Law on demand - most notable example is of "Robert Vadra" ("Jamai Bapu" of Democratic India) - He's neither an MP/ nor any official office bearer of the Government of India- yet he's immune to all Airport Security scans & enjoys a VIP maybe even a VVIP status and not to mention his involvement in various land scams / deals.  2G / 3G/ Fodder Scam / Telgi / Coal Gate/ Hawala / Bofors/ CWG -the list is quite exhaustive - hence putting a link instead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scandals_in_India - undoubtedly Congress tops all honors here - as expected. you name it / think of it - they got it - sort of reputation that Congress can boast of. Another feather in the cap is the "Babu" culture - developed and nurtured by Congress over a period of years.No work is done without bribing the officials - top to bottom.If not bribed, "work in progress" motto comes in indefinitely, until one succumbs to bribery. Government officials enjoy the privileges of a "Life-Long Job guarantee" (till 60 yrs.+ Pension till death) Plus ever assured "Extra Income" (read "chai-paani" for more clarity). Not to forget having working hours at will and whether to work / not entirely up-to ones' own discretion. Not to say that, every other Govt. employee is corrupt but if anyone is indeed offended by these facts- stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself the truth. If the answer is "Yes" you need not be offended at all- this does not apply to you- if not i would recommend some introspection and retrospection as well.

Comparatively BJP has not been in news for scams - or maybe am not updated on this OR might be they never got an opportunity as much - one might ridicule. That does not mean they have a clean-chit nor does this imply that, BJP is on par with / less than Congress. Must confess, i'm not easily impressed by anyone-that's probably my "Cancerian" trait - but having followed NaMo for a while now and the development activities implemented in Gujarat under his vigilant eyes, there is no other person more capable, more suitable and more feasible/viable at this very moment in India. He certainly deserves a chance when everyone else has disappointed time and over again.

Coming back to mindset and attitude,we,the "common man" are to blame as well. Despite of having the privilege to vote, we take it as just another holiday, relax - never turn up to vote the right candidate and in-turn blame the system, as a result the beneficiary party takes us for a ride for the next 4 yrs. The "Game-Plan" of Congress  has been "Divide and Rule"- they inherited this from departing Brits from India and must say, have enriched that legacy left behind. Another factor is "illiteracy"- votes are brought outright by giving "gifts" before voting - turning the tide in favor, as needed -poor illiterate souls vote as directed, without even bothering to get any know-how / work accomplished / history of the contesting candidate. Compare this with electing the President in USA- there are presidential debates in front of the public- the public directly votes the "Rulers" - unlike in India where people's representatives select/put forth "Rulers" - its like a thief supporting another one like himself. The electoral system is flawed at its root itself - but that's just my belief. Changing from Democracy to Capitalist / Socialist ideology or something in between just does not seem feasible for India. Democracy has its own positives / negatives and unfortunately, Indian politicians have a mastery of exploiting it all.

Following incidents recently showed how much was/is the desperation to come to power (by Congress).

1. NaMo has been accused of initiating and condoning the violence in Godhra riots (of 2002)

  Fact - One man cannot cause a riot all by himself and if so Mr. Sharad Pawar (then CM of Maharashtra during 1992 Mumbai riots - from Congress) is at fault too- However everywhere, even the media has made NaMo the "villain" here. Why is Mr. Sharad Pawar left then? Everyone knows the facts- "political reach" overcomes everything.

    2. Sachin' s felicitation and his induction in Congress

 Fact  - As i see it, what use is an International cricket player to Congress now? Well, it knows and fears that there is a chance of a total whitewash from politics- considering the people's initial response to NaMo. So to counter that, have the "Cricket God" himself on their side. Votes are guaranteed this way - hope people break this bubble. Not to question the credibility/greatness of the man- i'm an ardent fan myself (do read my blog on Sachin as a proof, if need be). The send-off test match in Mumbai was real icing on the cake. Sachin's name was misspelt and his wife - Anjali was addressed as "Mr. Anjali Tendulkar" in one of the electronic banners at the Eden Gardens- now if Sachin was so important why such stupid blunders in front of the entire country? Simply put - MCA / Trinamool Congress never cared / bothered about the details ( note here that one thing common in MCA and Congress [Nationalist Congress Party] is Mr. Pawar)- all they wanted, is to reassure the vote bank in forth-coming elections soon (in Feb.2014 i guess). I have no problem whatsoever in the felicitation of the "Run Machine / Master Blaster" but then, why were Dravid / Ganguly / Laxman simply ignored? They were not even given a chance to say"Good-Bye". Not that they can be compared to Sachin, but they were no less either, by their own standards.

The current voter turnout was almost 70% in Delhi- that just suggests change is in the air - How much this change will hold good for India (as elections are pending in other states)- only time will tell. But for sure, there is a sense of hope/ responsibility towards BJP and NaMo in particular- how they go about doing it, is yet to be seen. Its now up-to each one of us to keep our eyes / ears open, exercise our voting right to the right candidate - winds of change are here already and seemingly are here to stay, we just have to take a step forward to implement it. Although about 8000+ miles away from India, wish the very best for this country- for these are my roots, this is where i came from and probably there is still a special place left in my heart for it. I'm an inseparable part of it and like countess others who have wandered to various corners of the world away from their motherland, however-so they may prefer to be in denial. Some memories in life are just not meant to fade away with the sands of time...!!!

Sachin – through my eyes

There have been numerous articles by now about Sachin – each one putting forth his own side of the story, as to why they love this “Legend”, now that he has retired from One Day internationals. I’m putting forth my side of the story here, as i see him through my eyes...

It seems just couple of years back that I saw this icon throwing Abdul Qadir for huge sixes at will – though I must admit it’s now more than 2 decades past that incident. When “Sunny” was about to retire, everyone including myself at that time maybe was frantically trying to find that “Next Gavaskar”. ‘Who after Sunny?’ was the probably the question of the Nation at that time. God had already answered that question for us; it was only a matter of time to be “enlightened” with him!! . Sachin has probably every record in his name for his batting. Sachin it’s been told, during his early cricketing days nurtured a passion for fast bowling. He underwent a Bowling camp in Chennai @ MRF Pace foundation under the watchful eyes of the “Australian Fast Bowling Menace” –aka Dennis Lillie. Dennis Lillie not so long ago claimed that the did his part in persuading the “Master Blaster” to give up dreams of becoming a bowler & instead focus on becoming every Bowler’s nightmare… and Sachin did very much oblige for almost 23 years consistently.

Everyone has a “Role Model” to look up to – He / She maybe of a very diverse field (totally unrelated to what one maybe doing in Life) but subconsciously we idolize him, worship him, adore him, admire him, follow him. Cricket never was, nor is & never will be only a “Sport” atleast in India – It’s what the people of India eat, think, talk, gossip, ridicule, debate and to some extremes even dream about Cricket– I being no exception to this unwritten rule. I watched & learned about Cricket from my father, like most other children do via Inheritance. In India, especially Mumbai (being partial here to Mumbai courtesy of a fact that if you could get in the Mumbai Team in ’70 / ’80s, doors of International Cricket were a bit easy to open in those days), one may / may not get money / property / advice in Inheritance but he does get the knowledge, know-how & basic skills / technique of Cricket from his father – It’s probably in the nature of the soil there. Cricket is one bond that compels you to play with your enemies-maybe, people you may not like, people you don’t want to see - but mostly with friends, sometimes with cousins, & in rare cases even with girls sometimes – because it’s a Team Game, so you need someone to bowl at you (if it’s your Bat then you are Batting first Rule comes into picture here), or someone to fetch that whacked ball from the boundary!!

Time & Age does not wait for anyone – as time went by I followed Sachin through numerous Tours, 2 World Cups (’92 & ‘96) and through other possible social media like every other Indian / Mumbaikar. Then came 1999 World Cup that defined in true sense what the Champion was really made up of. There is a time in everyone’s lifetime when, you are required to answer some bitter questions – there’s no escaping, there are no proxies available and there is no turning back – You just have to face  it in the best possible way, you think you can / you could & ride the storm out. 1999 was in fact my life’s worst possible year both – personally (as being the only Son – I was the loved & pampered one with a perfect childhood) & academically (which otherwise was excellent till then with either a Distinction or nothing less than a First Class Grade). I had just lost my father in ’99 Mar & in May-June we had the World Cup in England. Myself, barely 20, I think it was an intense emotional battle that I was waging on for about 2+ months – blood shot eyes (as a result of not having a sound sleep for an extended period) and me failing in my engineering exams didn’t do any better – but compounded the matter from bad to worse, to the worst phase of life I’ve ever been. I had lost focus in my life & it was as if I was living for the sake of it – I still then had & do still have my Mother beside me always whenever I needed her– but I knew from inside, that I was waging a losing battle against my emotions, my thoughts, my sentiments. Self- doubt is a bit like alcohol – it clouds your thinking but still gives an impression of being absolutely fine – term we know as being “high” & I was fully drenched in it, head to toe. It was one heck of a period that sends shivers down my spine even now, when I dare look back, sometimes. I needed some miracle to help me pull out of this emotional Hell – but just didn’t know how & where to start – who to look up to, whom to approach. I was vulnerable, stupid, naïve, shaken to the core & defeated within. The answer to this was that magical innings from Sachin vs. Kenya @ Bristol on 23^rd May 1999 (World Cup) that taught me what Life is all about & how to go fighting about it.

Sachin too had just lost his father, but he came back to serve his nation in their quest for the World Cup. Winning / Losing was insignificant, given the timing of his century there, considering that he had just attended his father’s funeral barely a week back. This to me was mesmerizing, nothing short of a miracle – a defining moment in my life that Sachin scripted that day. Pitch, Weather, Bounce, Opposition & many more factors were just rendered insignificant by him on that day & Kenya was at the receiving end of it. How I wish that day, the opponent should have been Australia or even Pakistan instead. I’m sure he might have ended a couple of bowlers’ career in the bargain – had it been Pakistan or might have triggered early retirement plans for Shane Warne / Glenn McGrath – had it been Australia, but it was not to be. He just disdainfully butchered each & every bowler of the opposition to almost every corner of the ground & ended up being 140* (not out) along with Rahul Dravid who also scored a century. I regard that century of his the most ruthless and daring performance ever by any cricketer, let alone in India, but neither in Cricket world over, nor in any other sport that I know or recollect of.  It seemed as if he knew all the answers asked by all the bowlers collectively, at a time when he must have been battling his emotions as well.  No words of compassion or for that matter nothing else in this world can replace a lost dear one. The feeling that you no longer can see the person you lost and that you just do meet him occasionally only in your dreams and by-gone sweet memories is a kind of spooky. It must have been an excruciating emotional pain to wage that battle and am sure he must be exhausted as never before – but he did not fail at all. He dedicated that century to his late father.  I’m too small a person when compared to him in every sense & I rightly admit so – but that day he exhibited it what it takes to overcome your fear, emotions, abject dejection and face life with your head high, to whatever it throws at you and just do it gracefully to emerge out as a winner. He did play many more memorable innings before that and even after that, however that innings just elevated him above everyone else – be in Cricket or any other Sport for that matter.

So when he was criticized for being selfish (be it for scoring a century or delaying his retirement) – thought to myself whether it is right at all to hold him guilty? Well if you ask me, if he was selfish at all, so be it – it was still for scoring runs, winning matches for India. Why don’t we question our politicians, our bureaucrats’, cricket selectors, including ourselves, whom we know are selfish as well? He’s a human after all, & it’s alright to possess some assets of human nature in required moderation. He’s been through some lean patches in his career, so what the hell? Do we know of any person on this planet who has always been successful?  Readers should pardon my knowledge about such a person or the lack of it. For I know, we all know, surely there is no such soul in flesh and bone. We fail ourselves but don’t / can’t bear Sachin failing!! That’s reaching the zenith of hypocrisy and being insanely judgmental both at the same time, despite of knowing the fact that, here’s a man who is very well equipped to handle both success and failure equally well.  He just takes everything in his stride remarkably well – for which unfortunately I do not seem to find words to explain. In a country that's battling with socio-economic issues such as ever exploding population, rape, faulty education system, pathetic infrastructure, pollution, dowry deaths, farmer suicides on one side and corruption, bribery, ever increasing inflation & bureaucracy on another, this man has been bringing smiles to the "Common Man" with his deeds - both on and off the field consistently for 23 yrs. now.  How the hell does he handle that pressure so well & for that long is still a question that i ask myself without having any answer till date. One cannot help admitting the fact that he's the sole reason for happiness a midst all the problems stated above. 

Today, 14^th Jan – happens to be my father’s birthday, as I return back to writing after a long gap of 4 years (it’s one of the things that I love doing, though I’m not consistent) - it is only befitting that I wholeheartedly thank God for associating 2 men, who made me the person I am today – my father who gave me this wonderful life and second – Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar – who exhibited, what life is all about and how to make it worth living by pursuing your passion, no matter what the conditions, no matter what the situation…

Some blessed souls are not only inspired themselves but have that uncanny ability to change many other lives as well, unknowingly. Don’t know whether to label him as ‘Godly Human’ or ‘Humanly God’. So when Life puts you in a situation, looks at you in the eye and asks: “Ok Son, tell me what you’ve got?” – Look no further than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar & that innings he played against Kenya, you’ll get your answer, I’ve got mine ever since then & I must confess, am not doing bad at all thereafter – Well,some things in Life are just meant to be ………

This just ain’t Cricket!!…

What is the similarity between Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Imran Khan & Wasim Akram?? . Apart from the fact that, these all are Asians, is the bitter truth that, all these stalwarts have been at the receiving end of the public wrath & apathy, in spite of their selfless contributions to their respective countries & to the game of cricket, in particular.

It’s true that in Asian countries, cricket is more than just a game/sport. It’s a religion & those who play it at the highest level are no less than the God’s residing in the Heavens above. There are always two sides of a coin, it’s said. Apart from the name, fame, glory these cricketing celebrities wage a relentless battle against public criticism, constant fear of failure, loneliness (especially on long tours), rejection, frustration (being away from family for months together ) & much-much more than we, as common people can even think of…

However, one may argue, that, all of the above all needs to be taken for granted once u r a Professional, be it in any profession, especially so, when u deal not in lakhs, but in multiples of crores of rupees!!!. It’s no wonder, that, Sachin Tendulkar has been a subject of constant & abject criticism for his “Tennis elbow” & much awaited comeback. It’s nothing new for a child prodigy who began his international career against our arch rivals - Pakistan in 1989 at Faizlabad (Pakistan) at a tender age of 16 yrs., facing the likes of Imran khan in his prime & devastating form as usual, Wasim Akram who was fast emerging as the ‘Sultan of Swing’ & another debutant Waqar Younis who incidentally ruthlessly bounced him. But he was unruffled. There’s a wonderful one -liner in one of the Bond movies (Pierce Brosnan’s enacted - ‘Die another day’) which aptly sums up how sachin was on that tour of Pakistan. It say’s: “Shaken but not stirred”. His name itself inspires confidence; his mere presence on the field reassures victory, one that lifts sagging spirits and all this apart, from being the most devastating batsman India & the entire cricketing fraternity has seen till date after the Greatest “Sir Don Bradman” himself.

However, public memory is short lived, they say. He has been showered upon with undue criticism as being more ‘Individualistic’ rather than a ‘Team Man’. His elbow injury has raised many eyebrows, all of whom trying to put across their own view point & get much acclaimed recognition in the process. Recently, on getting out cheaply in Mumbai he was booed by the crowd! But this is not the first time that such an incident has occurred with a Mumbai lad. Sunil Gavaskar & Dilip Vengsarkar have been thro’ this, as well. How can we forget that famous Port-Of-Spain (West Indies) chase sculpted by ‘Sunny?’ or the 221 at Oval against England, 1979, that weren’t enough to see India home? How many of us remember that Dilip Vengsarkar till date holds the record for being the only person to score 3 consecutive hundred’s at the Mecca of cricket, the Lord’s?? How can we even think of side lining Sachin’s 148* (not out) against Australia in WACA, Perth (which is considered to be a batsman’s nightmare due to its steep bounce & venomous pace off the pitch) against Mervin Hughes/Craig McDermott or the back to back 143, 134 against Australia in Sharjah 1998 or 136 in Chennai Vs. Pakistan in 1998-99, that India lost by a narrow margin of just 13 runs!!.

This criticism has not even spared our neighbors, rather our arch rivals - Pakistan! Those who follow cricket closely in Asia cannot forget the spells of Doom that Paki bowlers had, notably against India. Imran Khan for his 11 for 69 vs. India at Karachi 1982-83, 11 for 180 & 117 at Faisalabad (Pak), 1982-83 & 12 for 165 vs. Australia in 1976-77. Wasim Akram for his 6 for 62 vs. Australia in Melbourne,1989-90 & Waqar Younis for his 12 for 130 vs. New Zealand in Faisalabad (Pak), 1990-91. In spite of all this & more, how were they treated? Same as we treated our heroes!! Wasim’s house was stoned immediately after their loss to India in world cup quarters in 1996, after he pulled out of that match 10 mins. before the toss, due to injury. Imran was at the receiving end of heavy & unjustified criticism after their heavy loss to India in 1979-80 series in India. The saga does not end here. The Waugh brothers’ (Steve & Mark) were forced unceremonious & untimely exits in spite of performing consistently in both versions of the game, time and over again.

It’s high time that, we as avid sport lovers, read cricket lovers, show some patience, respect & dignity to our heroes. After all, they too are humans’ with their share of sorrows, frustrations, dejections & emotions & personal life! By the time this article is out, maybe Sachin would be back to what he’s known to do best or rather expected to do, by his fans all over the world – score runs at will against the best, in all testing & trying conditions. ‘Easier said than done’, we fail to understand or accept the fact that, Sachin is no longer that 16 yr. Old lad that used to plunder runs, hook , pull or cream the most fiercest of bowlers at ease. He may be 30+, but with
so much cricket, starting at such a tender age & that too, at the highest level is sure to take its toll on his body. But still he isn’t just finished, there’s a lot more in store. By the time he decides to hang up his boots, he would have broken many records, reached many unsurpassable milestones & yet be so humble & down to earth. What more do we expect from such a great player & a gem of a person?

Not all are as fortunate, as most of us are, for having played cricket at Galli/Club level, having experienced the technicalities, the highs, the lows & intricacies of the game, I, like some few fortunate souls was lucky enough to learn & play cricket at Shivaji Park, the place which witnessed some of the greats of Indian Cricket such as: Sandeep Patil, Suresh Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Rohan Kanhai, Pravin Amre, Ravi Shastri, Farookh Engineer… & greatest of them all – Sachin Tendulkar. Of all the people in the world, why should cricketers be booed? If at all anyone deserves booing or probably much more than that, are the corrupt politicians/officials who so called run/ manage this ‘Gentleman’s Game’, without having played the game, themselves!!

Not so while ago, Mr. Sanjay Manjrekar sparked off a row by some controversial statements about Sachin’s come back & his injury, in particular. What he said or meant to say is still unclear, but with all due respects to Mr. Manjrekar for whatever he has done & been doing for the game, this was least expected from a person, who first happens to be a Mumbai Lad, second has played with Sachin & last but not the least, had been a mentor to Sachin on his debut series in Pakistan in 1989. Especially considering Manjrekar’s heroics in ’89 Pak tour amassing 569 runs with an average 94.83 against a hostile Imran, wily Wasim & the ‘Burrewala Bomber’ Waqar on his debut was bowling toe-crunching Yorkers at a blistering pace. Differences/rifts in the dressing room must remain within the walls of the dressing room & should not be brought out in the open & definitely not in this manner. Offending/hurting Sachin may not be his motive, but this episode is definitely going to leave behind sore relations & bitter hearts. To boo any sports- person, let alone our own sons of the soil, does not auger well for us, Mumbaikar’s. Let us show some resilience & faith in our heroes & let them perform to their level best in every sport, particularly cricket & vow that such a thing won’t be repeated ever after again…..

With best regards,



Yogesh Jamkhindikar

Fate!! Is it Invincible??...

Life is a game, they say, coz it’s packed with all the melodrama that one could ever think of.
It has drama, suspense, emotion, thrill, excitement, failure, frustration, rejection, dejection, esctacy, grit & much more…all rolled into a period called lifetime.

Being an avid lover of Games (Cricket/Football/Tennis, in particular) couldn’t help myself sharing my views/observations on the same.
It was the FA Cup Semi-final between Chelsea Vs. Liverpool at Manchester (Old Trafford - England) on April 22,2006, 10.30pm – courtesy Star Sports.

My memory dates back 3-4 months, when these very teams met in Anfield (Home ground of Chelsea). It was a league game & Chelsea literally drubbed Liverpool by 4-1 in a span of a little over 90 mins. The margin of defeat was insignificant, but the manner in which Chelsea inflicted this humiliating defeat was soul shattering for Liverpool fans, both home & away.

Strange are the ways of Fate; it takes one to the zenith of success, glory, name & fame & just when things seem to be going all right, there’s this unexpected chain of events, which puts one into deep dungeons of failure, agony, bitter allegations & relegations.

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea Coach) apparently declared even before the match that, his team would be the undisputed winners of this clash. But, Fate had some other ideas!!!
It was none, but of course Fate, else who & why would anyone deny John Terry (Chelsea Captain), a seemingly fair goal, Joe Cole (Chelsea striker) missing out on the simplest of all chances in the dying minutes of the game, hardly a couple of feet away in Liverpool’s goal area & finally losing the game 2-1 to Liverpool!!!!

Raphael Banitez (Liverpool Coach), on the other hand, was eyeing this opportunity to avenge the earlier defeat at Anfield. And how he & his boys did it, was worth appreciating! It’s a little while from now that; Liverpool would once again be crowned FA Cup winners, or there is another twist in the tale, only time will tell & but of course, the Fate of both teams competing.

There will always be inspiring men, who alter the course of destiny just by their sheer brilliance, grit & dogging ruthless determination. Don’t believe me?? Here’s a list of some men who have done just that, not just once, but time & over again!!
Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Zaheer Abbas, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, Gundappa Vishwanath, Syed Kirmani, Anshuman Gaekwad, Tiger Pataudi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Farookh Engineer, Eknath Solkar, Venkatraghavan, Sir Garfield Sobers, Brian Lara, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott, Wes Hall, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Clive Lloyd, Richie Benaud, Sidney Barnes, Dean Jones, Steven Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Sir Don Bradman, Dennis Lillie, Shane Warne, Allan Border, Ian Healy, Martin Crowe, Chris Cairns, Sir Richard Hadlee, Michael Atherton, Darren Gough,
David Gower, Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald, Platini, Pele, Maradona, Sir Bobby Charlton, Dunga, Allan Shearer, Micheal Owen, Frank Lampard, Herman Crespo, Ronaldo, Peter Schmicheal, Dida, Veron, Thierry Henry, Allesandro DelPeiro, Roberto Carlos, Steven Gerrard, Jens Lehmann, Juergen Klinsmann, Raul, Franz Beckenbauer, Roberto Baggio, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg, Lance Armstrong, Matts Biondi, Mohammed Ali, Micheal Schumacher,Aryten Senna, Tiger Woods, … the list is endless!!!

Though the favorite’s lost, I couldn’t help myself appreciating the strength of character displayed by Liverpool’s men – courtesy Raphael Banitez.
Raphael Banitez, I, guess on April 22,2006, re-emphasized on an important a lesson to be learned in life:
‘Always give your best, expect the worst, believe in Fate, but keep trying; success is just around the corner.’


With best regards,



Yogesh Jamkhindikar