Dark Side 1; Shiny Star 0

Many weeks ago I published a post regarding the Dark Lord's loss to the Dark Side. Now allow me to educate you about the Shiny Star's loss to the Dark Side. The Shiny star in question is our very own Dhingra - another stalwart of H-Mezz who also has succumbed to the Dark Side. When he got married he was carrying this ecstatic expression. Little was he to know that he was now about to fall to the Dark Side.

This is a true incident which occurred in the state/city of Delhi in the presence of the one and only 123 Kid (Well he insists that he be called Sid - one never knows why - but for all practical purposes we shall refer to him as the Kid or sometimes merely as Kid). So there was this time when I was in Delhi hawking some tea (again) and we decided that the 3 of us would meet for dinner - an event that was planned three days in advance and confirmed 2 hours before the decided meeting time. But it was then that the Dark Side struck! Dhingra in all his naivety committed to meeting us without actually seeking permission from the Dark Side. And then about 30 mins to the rendezvous time - he had to pull out because he was not feeling well. One could have believed that had he not used the excuse of having an "headache". What actually clinched the deal is that he actually then decided to visit us for 15 minutes at the restaurant - obviously in a tearing hurry because he had been allowed the 15 mins with a curfew imposed.

So Dhingra came - he smiled - he talked and then he ran off citing ill health and the headache no doubt! But it was clear that we had sadly lost him to the Dark Side!

With 2 H-Mezz stalwarts having been lost to the Dark Side, one wonder what the result would be when Kid gets married eventually (well the child marriage laws might just be ammended - you never know!

Sigh! Life can throw so many twists that its actually scary.

Welcome back

Its been long since I came this way - mostly because life has been quite packed over the last month or so. Also because there has been almost no inclination to blog. Even this is going to be one forced post. But when India has been playing cricket - there cant not be a post from my side.

While the series is been seen as a pointless one - it should have been one, actually all matches played in the month of May in the subcontinent are by default pointless - it actually has thrown up one positive - or rather reinforced a positive. Dinesh Karthick is here and hopefully to stay. Confident, assured and mature - he is what India needs. Also the matches have shown that Dhoni is all about the brains and not just about the hard hits.
Well I always claimed that this blog was one of positive reviews for Indian Cricket - so you can hardly expect me to crib about the quality of opposition right?

Amongst other news - Sachin and Saurav have scored centuries - always good news. Lets hope they reprise that achievement in England and then Australia.

Dark Side 1 : Dark Lord 0

To those from IIMB, there needs to be no introduction to the Dark Lord. For those who dont know him, he spouts his depressing stuff here.
For those confused about what the Dark Side means - all you need to know is that he got married last month.

So I couldnt attend his marriage on account of hawking tea in the Desert and could only meet him on my return. I had unexpectedly landed in Bandra and gave him a call - asked him if he was free to meet - a moments thought and he agreed. We met - over a cup of coffee. We talked for a while. There was that slight embarrased smile on his face as he answered all questions about the newness in his life. It was like the old times - except till that time when he received a call. The expressions changed from confident and suave to worried and petrified. Then he started glancing at his watch and towards the door. I asked the obvious question - was it your wife, are u required home immediately. He mumbled. Then loudly said that not to worry we could sit. I took it at face value - the glancing at the watch became staring at the watch.

Soon he asked if we should leave. Without mentioning a drink or an evening session (For context everytime we met, he would ask if we should go drink and I would refuse). Then he got up - a spring in his step, a marked hurry. And then he was gone, sucumbed to the all pervasive phone call.

And thus was one lost to the dark side

Using the rod

Imagine a kid who has just failed in his examinations and has his report card reviewed by his parents. The parents - naturally angry at his poor performance - decide to clamp down on the kid in order to straighten him up. The easiest way they believe is to deprive the kid of all his priveleges and they think that the longing for them will make him do better next time around. So off goes his allowance and his free time - he gets grounded. But they ignore that maybe a systemic change might have been better off.

So similarly what does our cricket board do when it reviews the performance of our players? It decides to show them who their daddy is and clamps down on the players. While I can see the intention behind the moves, I have issues with the way the board has tried to implement it.

For example if the logic is that due to endorsements, the players dont get enough time to focus on the game - there was no need to undemocratically limit the number of endorsements for the players. Simply increase the number of mandatory camps the players must attend. Increase the number of domestic matches the players have to play compulsorily to be selected to the team. Create blackout periods where only training and cricket is focussed on but allow the players a specified time where they can go earn money from endorsements to the highest of their capabilites. Market forces will anyway ensure that money earned is proportional to performance on field.

The fact is that we have no bench strength and it can only be built through ensuring competetive domestic matches - which means that international players have to be routinely involved in these matches. How else will we know just how good a player really is? India A and U19 tours abroad hopefully will also help the cause. Finally I do hope the BCCI actually implements fast green pitches in as many locations as possible for domestic cricket - so that we have players who can actually play. Having said that as long as Kumble still plays test cricket, please have spinning beauties for Home test matches. No one wants to see a Nagpur green pitch while playing against the Aussies - the word i think is suicide.

The board might do well to realise that they support cricket which includes the players. Having anti-player diktats just smells of appeasement politics - hardly a surprise given that politicians run BCCI anyway. Maybe we can have control handed over to the players yeah?

They say that to spare the rod is to spoil the child. But to use the rod excessively is to have a child who will kick the parents out when its his turn.

One year on

Wuhooo! This blog celebrates its first birthday today. For a blog that promised to die and fizzle out, this is more than what I bargained for. Ofcourse the blog is a resounding failure but that can not be a detterent. So what if there are no readers or commentators - we shall live on and perhaps some day even celebrate our Independence day.

Ah well! Its all pointless! Happy BDay Blog!

Confronting Reality

Its extremely funny how we cant handle a touch of mortality from the guys we attribute "Godhood" (?) or greatness too. We want Sachin to retire not because he isnt good enough to be in the team anymore (he definitely is) but because he isnt living up to the mental image we have of him. Because he isnt doing his ordained job of fulfilling our wet dreams. And now when he speaks out - in what is a completely rare occassion - about someone questioning his commitment to the team - mind you his commitment is questioned not form or capability and I would imagine that his commitment was one thing beyond any question - the moment he shows that he is a mortal too - we are saddened and shocked by his behavior.

Maybe the fault lies not just in the team/players/board/media/coach but also us? Is that worth a consideration?

No Sun - No Fun!

I am supposed to be in a Desert. Its supposed to be hot here - so hot that you should be drinking water to keep yourself from fainting. So hot that you should probably wear a cap and sunglasses all the time - just so you dont get sick due to the heat.

Its a farce - a huge farce this desert business. Well - atleast in these months. On odd days it does get hot and they throw up a sand storm to convince you about the existence of the desert but for most part the weather is pleasant here. Evenings - some have been chilly too.

But I was willing to live with pleasant weather - thinking nice bonus and what not. Plus I was always told that deserts have extreme weathers - hot by day, cold by night.

But today has been a shocker - its RAINING here! Raining! Desert Rain! The weather is actually gloomy and grey and dark at 10.30 in the morning - its DARK out there. So depressingly gloomy.

Apparently this is the weather they have in Cal - gleeful fellow trainees tell me - That explains a lot of things about bongs i suppose!

No Sun - No Fun! is all I have to say.

Against the Flow

This is the 3rd consecutive post on the same theme – the theme that asks for supporters and not fans. Every time I feel disappointed with the Indian team’s performance – the coverage on the news channels (alright – I get just Sahara Samay here, and its bad but I am sure its representative of the kind of coverage that goes on) and the kind of reactions expressed, just drive me to want to support the Indian team.

Cricket is a sport – a game. Its not a question of life and death. We as fans/supporters have every right to feel cheated/disappointed/angry with the team’s performance. We however have no right to abuse their personal space and their families. The police having to spend resources to protect the houses of our players is ridiculous – not for the action – but for the need arising to do it.

The players are not in the game to fulfill our fantasies and dreams. That we make them our heros and our messiahs is our own problem. It’s a career for them. Its what gives them their daily bread and luxuries. They can make money only over a limited timeframe – a shelf life shall we say? It is absolutely valid for them to earn money from other avenues like promotions and advertisements. To suggest that their advertisements are the cause of their poor performance is sheer stupidity. Does your work get affected by your dealing on the stock market or investing your money in banks? Or for that matter by your working for your local Rotary Club or heck even by your watching a movie? The board and the coach arrange for sufficient matches and training camps. As long as the players attend these – we have no right to cry foul.

Saying that the players should be banned from advertisements is completely unfair – as is suggesting that their performance should dictate the amount they get paid for advertisements. It’s a statement unfair not only to the players but also to the companies they represent in the ads. Let the market decide what they should pay whom. Also next time we read a report saying that a player’s sex life affects quality of performance on the sports field – will we go ahead and regulate his sex life too?

The players DO NOT work on tax-payers money. We do not pay him his salary. Just like we don’t demand that Amitabh Bacchan should only be paid if we like the movie, we have no right to demand that the player should only be paid if we like what he does on the ground.

Also while a loss in the first round is shameful and unexpected – it does not mean that the team is shit. TV channels seem thrilled to get opinions from viewers that literally use these words about them. It means that our performance was not good enough this time around. If we have doubts about the quality of their performance – we have the option to stop watching their games altogether – without wanting them stoned/burnt or worse killed.

“India Great” when we win a match and “India Worst” when we lose a match – and have these emotions swing wildly every match is not a done thing. Just like everyone else, the players too will appreciate stability of emotions. Either hate the team and do not follow them or support them and bear the low performances. Do not be like the creepy friend who only sticks to you when you have the money to spend on him. No one wants the wild swinging between Havans and prayers and then effigy burning and stoning.

The MPs and MLAs demanding a probe into the performance will be better off allowing the CBI to conduct the probes into them in a free and fair manner. And would you mind being not corrupt for a change please? And minding some slightly more important business about running the country?

Can the channels and people concentrate their efforts on tracking down real villans and criminals rather than attack the soft targets that the players are?
Finally what are we really pissed about – the fact that we crashed out of the WC or the fact that rich cricketers crashed out of the WC ?

I know I have repeated my points over and over again but then so do the newschannels.

The end of a dream.

WC 2003. We had a dream. Ponting had a bigger dream.
WC 2007. We had a dream. We woke up too soon.

Yesterday we crashed out of the world cup. We might still make it if Bermuda beat Bangla - but we rather not make it that way. We are out.

While I was quite ok with the Bangladesh loss - we were surprised and they did play quite well, the match against Lanka was a disaster. 255 was chaseable through the strategy of batting out 50. Did not happen and thus ended the World Cup for Team India. And in all probabilities the last WC match for Sachin, Ganguly and Dravid. The big 3 have bowed out of the cup with only one man having put up a fight. Sure Sachin got a ripper of a ball - but this was one match where he shouldnt have been ripped. Dada - I dont know what the hell he was thinking. Yuvraj ???

*Sigh* Its all ended in a heap. Now we will witness old unsuccesful fat players play the sharp critic, news channels will have a field day and the players will be generally made to believe they shouldnt have been born.

Dravid will probably lose captaincy. Greg will go. Maybe Uthappa will have signed a resignation letter with his shot. All this desirable? Maybe not. Any other option? Sadly sanity will not prevail.

Lets just remember that the players are humans too. They did not want to lose either. They are breadwinners for their families (sure the bread is made of gold but that shouldnt matter). They have a right to make millions from Advertisements. If they do not perform - the market forces will take care of that. We have no right to grudge them their earnings. They dont get paid taxpayers money. The MPs and MLAs do. Do we ransack their houses when they get caught for scams or dont work?

Dreams do get shattered every now and then. But its always the pursuit of the next dream that eggs us on.

Cheers
Pushkar
A Team India loyalist
Shaken, stirred but still a loyalist.

Wanted: Supporters not Fans

Cricket is a religion in India. The players are treated like Gods.Perhaps true - When we attack temples and mosques that represent the real Gods - why would the treatment be any different for the sporting Gods?

We are a country of hype - no one would ever deny that. We are a country of extremes - no one would deny that either. But it seems that we are a country of fanatics too. For who gave us the right to attack a cricketers house? Who gave us the right to pelt stones at the their families? Who told us that we owned the cricketers and we could treat them anywhich way we wanted?

Cricket may be a religion, it may be a passion, it may be a first love for many - but why do we insist on forgetting that above all else it is still a sport. Not a battle of life and death. A sport in which victory and loss are fickle guests for every team. A sport which is made exciting by its cliched but true glorious uncertainties and twists and turns. If everything went to plan and the stronger team were to win all the time - not only would the game be no fun - India wouldnt ever have been the World Champions in 1983.

The Indian team has plenty of fans - nay fanatics but seemingly just a handful of supporters. Its almost as if an army of Team India -Baiters (News Channels, Ex-Cricketers and Fanatics) just wait for a chance to start abusing the players and to push them off the pedestal they stand on. But hold on a minute - who put them on the pedestal? For the life of me, I cant remember a Sachin or a Rahul proclaiming that they were sporting Gods and should be worshipped as such? That their place was on a pedestal? If we put them on the pedestal - lets atleast respect their personal lifes just that little bit.

Criticism? Sure but let it involve a balanced view. Disappointment? Ofcourse! Frustration? That our right. Attacks? Hell no.

But amongst all the rambling - my expression of thoughts is not even a patch on Rudyard Kipling's classic - "And if you can face Triumph and Disaster - and treat those two imposters just the same - you will be a man my son!"

About time - we accepted the lows of Indian cricket with the highs.