The Doppelgangers – Part V

Nasser Hussain and Putin

Hammering I took to bring smiles to a billion faces!

It was the historical night of 2nd April, 2011. The venue was the Wankhede stadium of Mumbai and the occasion was the grandest of them all–The finals of the 2011 ICC cricket world cup. India was up against their neighbours Sri Lanka. Oh, by the way I forgot to introduce myself–Hi, I am the white, 5.5 ounce Kookaburra cricket ball which was the cynosure of a billion eyes during that night of 2nd April. The moment when the Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni walloped me for a mighty six over long on to win the world cup after 28 years has got etched in the minds of the cricket fans for decades to come and I am honoured to have been an integral part of the Indian cricket folklore.

I still remember, it was the 49th over of the second innings. India needed just 5 to win off the remaining 12 balls. There was tension all round; I could feel it. The Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara was juggling me in his hands. It was as if he knew that the end was imminent but he still wanted to delay the victory celebrations of a billion people. He was clearly in jeopardy. First he handed me over to the legendary spinner Muralitharan but it was not long before I quickly changed hands and was finally lying with pacer Nuwan Kulasekara. I could see that he was tensed. He was simply changing grips every time, clearly suggesting that he was in two minds. One minute he thought of bowling a toe crusher and the very next moment he wanted to send in a bouncer to surprise the batsman. Since those were the slog overs, I was clearly losing my shine, so the question of swing was out of contention.(Though reverse swing could have been an option). I was totally drenched with dew droplets which were making life hell for Kulasekara, but finally the pacer seemed to have arrived on a decision. Facing him was India’s batting mainstay Yuvraj Singh.

Honestly speaking, my heartbeats were increasing by leaps and bounds. I knew that sooner than later I was going to be a part of something special, a moment which I will savour throughout my life. The bowler was ready and so was the batsman–Kulasekara came charging in like a raging bull and surprisingly, pitched me on a fuller length outside off stump and I was, with great ease, squeezed out to point for a single. The scoreboard read- 4 needed of 11 with the Indian captain on strike. The heat inside the stadium was leaving the millions and millions of fans gasping for breath but the noise-Goshhhh..it was just amazing. It seemed the entire nation was up on its feet to witness “History In The Making”. Facing Kulasekara was captain cool MS Dhoni. In came Kulasekara and once again pitched me on a fuller length and finally the moment of joy arrived–MSD sent me flying over long on!
The shot was indeed awe-inspiring and more than anything else made me feel so proud.

Mahi Way

More than a million people had tracked my trajectory past the dark Mumbai skies which were minutes later going to explode into a kaleidoscope of colourful fireworks. My perpetrator MSD, adorned this historic shot with what will forever be a defining image of India’s victory: “The Twirl”. A shotgun swivel of his bat.

I was overwhelmed by the response I got in the stands–everyone out there wanted to have a feel of me. One minute I was lying in hands of a fan who, with a grinning face, mugged at the nearest TV camera and the very next moment, someone was giving me an affectionate rub against his jeans. I still remember, there was a young lad who took me in his hand and got a picture clicked by what seemed to be an Iphone. All the while, I was ecstatic-just ecstatic. After having been beaten all over the park by those powerful willows of the star batsmen, I was completely knackered but the love and affection of the die hard cricket fans pumped a breath of fresh air in me.

To be honest, MSD’s innings that night was just beyond words–An extra-ordinary sequence of shots where he pulled me, nudged me around and finally walloped me to get the team past the finishing line. It was the experience of a life-time. Not many get the chance to kiss the beautiful willow of Sachin Tendulkar, but I was lucky enough, though I was shattered when I became his nemesis. That said, the next morning the world woke up to a new World Champion team and the image of MSD hitting me over long on had embellished the front pages of every newspaper and brought to end an arduous wait of over 28 years. I had found a special place in the hearts of a billion cricket fans and that itself was a huge personal achievement.

And what happened to me after the 2nd April night? Well, I found a place in the coveted auction list of the ICC and was priced at a whopping rate of close to 21 Lakhs-(But I always felt I was priceless and am sure all of you would second my opinion-won’t you?). I was presented to the winning bidder in a beautiful timber presentation box accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from ICC. This was my journey–A journey which will forever be remembered for its sheer historic importance. Thank you MSD and team Indiaa for making me feel so special!

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

The Dhoni Rollercoaster

Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The biggest name in Indian cricket bar Sachin Tendulkar. His rise to the top is nothing short of extraordinary, scaling heights in a manner that would make any rock climber blush. Literally he went from zero to the top in five years, and on the way acquiring magic powers that no other cricketer can boast:

• Choosing when to play (in order of revenue).
• Choosing where to bat (#3 if the score is 200-1, #7 otherwise for a guaranteed not-out).
• Halting a review system that the entire cricketing world embraced.
• Turning a god awful slap into a famous “helicopter shot”.
• Starting a hairstyle trend.
• Being immune to criticism and the axe.
• Being the only captain allowed to keep the same IPL team (hence winning).
• Getting umpires fired at will.

There is no denying one thing, Dhoni is a very shrewd character. With well thought out batting promotions, deadpan media interviews and a controversy free life outside cricket, he managed to climb his way to the very top of everybody’s praise list. Proudly he stands at the top of Everest while other more worthy cricketers tried and failed at hill tops.
Lets take a ride of the Dhoni Rollercoaster and experience the meteoric rise (and fall).

BANG!
Dhoni announces himself as a young buck with a mullet and a ferocious bat swing, clubbing a fun filled 148 off 123 deliveries, and that too against Pakistan. The very definition of raw batting, and being a wicket-keeper, that’s Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik in the dustbin.
The realist says: Hah check this guy out! If he really can keep wickets, then he’ll have a bright career as our own Mark Boucher. Good signs.

BANG!
That same year Dhoni makes mince of Vaas, Murali and friends with a bulldozing 183 off 145 deliveries, including an astonishing ten sixes. Tendulkar made 3 that day, his presence barely registering as Dhoni  scooped up the man of the series award and a contract with the BCCI. He’s here to stay.
The realist says: Hmm that was a double century beckoning, thwarted only by lack of runs for the chase. Maybe we have a serious limited overs weapon here, albeit an India-only one.

 Dhoni #1 in ODIs! 
After bashing around the Pakistani’s yet again, this time in lower order match winners, Dhoni marched onto the #1 ranking in one-day internationals. There is no looking back now for the wonder boy from Jharkhand.
The realist says: What the heck, how did that happen? Boy do these ICC rankings change quickly, suddenly he is a better batsman than Ponting! Lets just mention that out of his first 43 games, a convenient 5 were outside of the sub-continent batting friendly pitches. A few more overseas tours and things will level out.

 Captain Dhoni to the Rescue!
The young guns of India rally and defeat the very best of the twenty 20 world and take away their first world cup since the famous 1983 victory. Dhoni was the man in charge, and with the help of Yuvraj Singh’s bat, RP Singh’s swing and a ridiculously dumb Misbah-ul-Haq shot, a young India won in grand style. Dhoni was hailed a hero, and finally we have a captain!
The realist says: Whoa now hang on a minute, Dhoni contributed little to nothing with the bat, and took HUGE gambles which through sheer luck paid off (Joginder Sharma is rubbish). By a combination of injuries and selection woes, in other words, purely by process of elimination, he got the job. You can’t be serious about him taking over as captain? This is T20 cricket!

 Dhoni Defeats The Mighty Aussies!
For the first time, ever, India take home the CB series in Australia led by the inspirational Dhoni. He promoted himself on various occasions and chipped in with sensible singles, putting to bed the Dhoni of old who would try and blast the bowling into oblivion. Great maturity and class to help bring down the mighty cricketing empire, in their own back yard.
The realist says: Granted that Dhoni helped out here and there, it was Gambhir and Sachin who really played the crucial hands. This was an impressive landmark victory, but it had a lot to do with the ageing Australia contributing to their own downfall with a tired performance. Dhoni’s timing to become captain was truly immaculate, luck!

 Dhoni ICC ODI Player of the Year – For Two Years!
There is no better limited overs cricketer than Dhoni in 2008 and 2009, mastering the art of switching between dynamic aggression and controlled finishing, he has become the new Michael Bevan of cricket. Add to that a great test record including four centuries, truly our best wicket-keeper batsman in history!
The realist says: Here’s a fun fact, only around 30% of his ODI’s are played outside of the subcontinent, and less than half the test matches. Here’s another one, Dhoni has never scored a century outside Asia, in any format, ever. Definitely a decent player but bit of a stretch to call him number one in the world.

 Dhoni leads India to #1 Test Ranking!
For the first time ever India has a formidable test team. Actually managing to win a few overseas tests, they secured some important results in England, New Zealand and South Africa, and of course beating the Australians *once again* at home. Dhoni is the perfect captain with an unbeaten test record, and life is good.
The realist says: Lets not forget that the Australians are falling apart like a house made of hay. Admittedly the Indians are playing good test cricket and deserve their ranking, but the real heroes are the Laxman’s and Dravid’s who time and again have saved them from the dead. At one time there were four ex-captains in the team with Dhoni, who really is just a happy passenger.

 Dhoni wins the World Cup!
Finally, undisputed champions of the ODI world! Dhoni’s place in the hall of fame is all but guaranteed as he lifted the World Cup for the second time in India’s history. The road to the final included beating defending champions Australia and the red hot Pakistani and Sri Lankan teams. There is no question that in the reins of Dhoni, life is a million bucks (literally). Bring on England!
The realist says: Apart from the final where he stole Yuvraj Singh’s job (another shrewd self promotion folks), his other major contributions to the cup was complaining about the DRS system and being the first guy to the podium. For goodness sake can we stop attributing *everything* to him!

CRASH
Dhoni leads an unfit and unprepared bunch to the English shores, chock full of opposition players brimming with skill and confidence, and a hunger to be number one. What followed as a 4-0 drubbing so ridiculous, so embarrassing that not one excuse washed with anybody, even the Indian media. There is a gentle hush around Indian cricket, suddenly Ravi Shastri has nothing to say and everyone sits back in suspended disbelief. All that build up for this massive anticlimax?
The realist says: Feeling the pinch of gravity are we?

What lies ahead?
After that fierce ride up, Indian cricket is zooming back down at breakneck speeds, Dhoni in the front seat. Will it rush back up and meeting more twists and corkscrews? Or will the rollercoaster continue to run its course and come to a crashing halt?
Dhoni is by no means a poor cricketer, he is at best a decent keeper with good temperament and the ability to play a useful innings in helpful batting conditions. Yet instead, he has propelled himself to all sorts of heights and achievements.

Luck my friends, and a lot of it. The true test of his rollercoaster ride is about to begin.

Contributed by : Varun Prasad
Original Post : The Cricket Musings

Cricket shots – where skills meet beauty!!

Harsha Bhogle once rightly remarked:

Cricket is a beautiful metaphor for life.

How true that is! Cricket is an art form that has beauty in every aspect of it. Whether it is a straight batted shot from the willow of the master blaster or an outrageous heave, you will always have something to admire about a cricket shot. I wonder what is it that makes these shots so enthralling to watch, so exhilarating to ponder on and so hard to forget. Is it the technicality that is involved in it or just the sheer power that the batsmen generate?

For instance, watching Rahul Dravid play that majestic cover drive is just a treat to the eyes but the hard work that goes in perfecting that shot is just immense. He drips buckets of sweat, seldom looks to be effortless hitting the ball and he never takes it easy. When he plays the cover drive, it is plain to see that he has practised the same shot in the nets on countless occasions. He is a perfectionist when it comes to the execution of cricket shots and that’s what adds to the beauty of his strokes. The hand and eye co-ordination that is involved in executing a cricket shot indeed amazes a layman.

Imagine Brett Lee charging in at you like a raging bull and hurling the red cherry at speeds of 150 kmph!! It hardly takes 0.7 seconds for the ball to reach the batsman after it pitches on the turf. In these 0.7 seconds, the batsman gets his body right behind the line of the ball, moves the front foot to the pitch of the ball, keeps the head standstill and the full face of the bat meets the ball sending the ball speeding past the bemused bowler with double the velocity he delivered. Aaahh… Pure pleasure, isn’t it?

And if you were wondering that only technical excellence can embellish a cricket shot, think twice because if ever you witness the helicopter shot of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, you would be awestruck by the power that is involved in panning out this shot. Dhoni makes use of the bottom hand and a huge backlift, thus sending the ball flying over long on. This has been his signature shot of late and he has put it to good effect as and when needed. It goes without saying that a cricket shot is an apt amalgamation of power and technical skills.

Mahi Way

But think about the bigger picture and you would be amazed to know the real essence of these shots. These are not just strokes coming out of the willows of batsmen, these are the means of providing unbound joy to millions and millions of fans. Remember Dhoni’s mighty six over long on which sealed India’s world cup win? For billions who witnessed it, it was a shot that took Indian cricket to a new level–a shot which fulfilled the dreams of an entire nation and epitomised the unbending desire to win back the world cup after an arduous wait of over 28 years! Shots like these sparkle our “flash-bulb” memory, those moments of towering historical importance or great emotional significance which people will always remember for the rest of their lives.

Something about a win in the game of cricket makes it about more than just a game and these shots are a mere reflection of those feelings. The skills matter but only as long as the players are on the field. The mass connect that cricket shots garner is immense. There is a lot to learn from everything we do in our day to day life. Cricket is no different—It perhaps teaches us some valuable traits. Imagine a young bowler steaming in and firing a bouncer or a toe crusher and the batsman taking up the challenge and counter attacking with an equally sublime shot. That’s the real essence of life, isn’t it? Facing challenges with grit and confidence. That is what makes cricket the most beautiful game on earth and a cricket shot a beautiful moment to savour!!

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

Beyond the barbed defense – A tale of two nations

March 30-2011, PCA stadium, Mohali–The stage was set for the mother of all battles–The semi-finals of ICC cricket world cup 2011 where India locked horns with their arch rivals Pakistan in a bid to make it to the grand finale of the world cup. Work in India and Pakistan came to a grinding halt, streets wore a deserted look and billions of cricket fanatics remained glued to the TV sets as the arch foes, with a bitter political past, made for a fascinating cricketing rivalry on field which ignites the passion and emotions on both sides of the border more often than not.

The match had all the makings of a cracker–An initial Indian blitz from the openers, a Pakistani comeback, crowd pondering over the prospects of a possible Indian batting collapse, followed by a blazing start by the Pakistani batsmen, resurgent comeback by Indian bowlers and the cherry on the cake–The victory moment which put India en route to Mumbai. Add to this some brilliant individual performances–Tendulkar scoring runs, catches being dropped, few peach deliveries and some controversial DRS calls and one would say that the match lived up to its hype. Though India wrapped up the fixture with ease, the match was surely not devoid of those “tensed” moments. Emotions reached a crescendo as India registered one of its greatest victories, a victory which will be remembered for decades to come.

One look at the bigger picture and you might realise the real essence of this clash of titans. It was not just cricket, it was a medium of bridging the gap that was created between the two neighbours after the infamous 26/11 attacks. If ever there was a platform where you could have the privilege of seeing an Indian join hands with a Pakistani counterpart, this was it. Cricket, for decades, has been the binding force for these two nations. It is indeed difficult to exaggerate the excitement that builds up on both sides of the border whenever these two teams clash on the cricket field. Millions remain glued to the TV sets with absenteeism at work reaching an all time high. Such is the aura of the game that people forget about their bitter past and unite just to enjoy the exciting present. In context of Indo-Pak relations, the Mohali match was of prime importance. It came at a time when the political ties between the two nations had hit an all time low. There was suspicion in the air, talks of suspending all cricket ties were doing rounds. In such a dreadful scenario, the semi-final clash pumped a breath of fresh air in the relations of these two Asian giants.

The heads held high to the mesmerizing tunes of ‘VANDE-MATARAM’, the beating of a million hearts during the re-plays, Pakistani fans praying for their team’s victory, commentators screaming with anticipation. The political honchos, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, making their presence felt by sharing the victory moments with the spectators, the latter throwing up her hands at the fall of last wicket. The bollywood brigade, led by Mr.perfectionist Aamir Khan, cheering for team India. And finally, the two Prime Ministers shaking hands after the match ended.

Everything had its own significance. Never before were such minor happenings taken to heart. But then, this was not just ‘any’ occasion, it was a world cup semi-final between India and Pakistan. Though the picture perfect moment came much before the victory. And it was well and truly better than those scripted hair-raising moments and it came when the two teams walked out draped in their signature colours holding the hands of young kids in white. The mere presence of these young kids swathed in white attire was underlining the importance of this match–It wasn’t a battle for supremacy. It was an attempt to restore peace between the two nations.

As the PMs walked out on the field together to shake hands with the players, you could feel that sense of unity. It all seemed to be a part of the fairy-tale script. Who would have imagined this after 26/11? But it happened and when it happened, it taught us some real lessons of life.

It was a testimony to the fact that as wounded (wounded by terrorism and corruption) nations, we can walk hand in hand in times of distress and above all, we can be the messiahs of peace and unity even though our pasts are burdened with enmity, anger and above all the seeds of distrust.

Leave aside the political aspect and you might well come to terms with the love and respect the people of two nations share. If cricket can bring us close, then so be it. Yes, there is no denial to the fact that when these two teams face each other on the field, it is no more a cricket match. It is a battle, a battle for survival, a battle to avenge the past losses and prove something to each other.

And then there is the drama of raw emotion on the field as well and to be honest it really doesn’t matter whether you are a cricket fan or not, because it is impossible to stay indifferent from the agony, excitement and unbound joy that these matches generate.

Frankly speaking, there is a very thin line of difference between India and Pakistan. Both nations are living through layers of corruption and have been dismantled by heinous acts of terrorism. Amidst all such chaos, cricket is a medium for these two nations to exhibit their patriotism, a chance to free themselves from the deadly gallows of all the mess that is lying around them and feel the unity which more often than not gets overshadowed by the dark clouds of skepticism.

In a nutshell, 30th march was a glittering example of the possibilities that can come up if the nations meet each other over a cricket match leaving aside all the political jargon. It was a stage for the aam-janta to express their thoughts–a stage where there was no political intervention. Cricket was the real winner.

With Pakistan scheduled to play a bilateral series in India in 2012 for the first time after the infamous terror strikes, we hope that the cricketing ties between the two nations play a pivotal role in embellishing their ever so charming relations. The people have clearly understood that:

Cricket to sirf bahana hai do ruthe dosto ko milane ka.

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

India’s World Cup win–The bigger picture!!

Mumbai- A city which never sleeps – A city which is all about noise -Noise of car honking, drift of vehicles and common man but this all came to absolute standstill on that historic night of 2nd April, 2011 when India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the finals of 2011 world cup at Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. After a gruelling battle of close to 7 hours, the entire nation broke into a frenzy–India were crowned the World champions.

The dark skies of Mumbai exploded into a kaleidoscope of colourful fireworks–It was a night of drum beats and celebrations. The light of a billion ecstatic souls probably lit up India like sunlight on April 2, 2011. We had regained the world cup after an arduous wait of close to 28 years. History was made in the “City Of Dreams”.

The crowds had gone berserk. They desperately wanted to show the world what this victory meant to them. For the Indian media, it was an affirmation–an affirmation of India’s rising dominance in the field of sports and especially cricket. In our country there is no denial to the fact that the game of cricket is more an apologue than sport and is often a stage where people exhibit their patriotism and aspirations.

It is indeed hard for a common man to remain indifferent from the ever so increasing metaphors that the gentleman’s game has thrown up. But after this historic victory, a bigger question looms over India. Will this win adorn the nation’s image as a developing nation on the whole? Will the administrators of this country draw any inspiration from this win and try to take India to the pinnacles of success in every field?

It goes without saying that this victory has pumped a breath of fresh air in the lives of a billion people who were otherwise drowning in the deep waters of corruption, scams and heinous acts of terrorism. But the people need to realise that if cricket is a larger story of India as a nation, then it only speaks ambiguously. The question is :

Will this massive win be able to eradicate the other challenges that the nation confronts?
To be up and running as a developed nation, we need to have holistic growth and success in all arenas and not just cricket.
The WC win won’t quench the thirst of a hungry girl on the road side–For thousands of poor people residing in those endless streak of slums, this won’t give rise to a ray of new hope. This won’t pacify the hearts of a billion people residing in a nation which has every now and then been wounded by the abhorrent acts of terrorism and above all, this win won’t make India a super-power.

Then why are we going gaga over this win? What is its significance? Well, for a cricket watching audience which today hardly excludes a handful of Indians, this victory is just not the victory of team India-Its a victory of a nation–A nation which has succeeded in establishing its stranglehold in a field where it was long battling to survive. This win and euphoria thereafter, certainly has indicated something more, which our national leaders must not miss out on.

The celebrations and pride that the common man has experienced after the glorious WC campaign is a harbinger of the fact that, we as the common man of India want to see our nation dominate every field. We love seeing India’s progress at a lightening pace, we feel proud to be associated with a nation which brings us glory. The win has in true sense kick started a renaissance. This has sent across the message in a more assertive manner if not anything else. And yes, undoubtedly we have developed as a nation by leaps and bounds in the last decade. Yes, more millionaires in Mumbai than ever before, but the harder work — breaking caste discrimination, upgrading infrastructure, better health care for all — remains to be done. The roots of corruption need to be uprooted forever. It is hard but not impossible from any stretch of imagination. If Dhoni can reach super stardom after coming from Ranchi—India’s hinterland, if Sreesanth who hails from the economic backwaters of Kerala can startle the cricketing fraternity by portraying the image of “angry young man”, then why can’t a nation of billions fight it’s way to glory–Why can’t we wage a battle against all odds and win it emphatically just like team India?

If the presumptuous youth can guide India to the top of the world in cricket, it can also shoulder the responsibilities of bettering the image of India as a nation in the world map. If , we as cricket crazy nation interpret cricket’s WC victory metaphorically, then we need to be open to all interpretations. Those who rule the nation need to understand that a young country can’t wait for long to see its ambition fulfilled–So wake up and start working for a better future–a better India. At present, the bright days of glory have deserted team India but the dark nights of defeat have certainly thrown light on obscure flaws in the system. The quicker we identify and solve it, the better it will be for Indian cricket’s future. The same applies for India in all fields and not just cricket. The quicker we spot the loopholes and work on it, the better it will be for the future of our country.

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen