I knew from the time that world cup finals were announced that I was going to be there to witness the finals irrespective of who would play in the finals.  As we were boarding the Mumbai flight from Dubai on 31st night, I told my husband  ”It’s the World Cup finals, my team is playing, it is at my favourite place Wankhede in my favourite city Mumbai; if we win this I think I’m okay to die“.

When MSD hit that six, Wankhede went into a frenzy – we were lucky to witness it. The stadium did not stop singing Vande Mataram , firecrackers did not stop bursting, and when the team carried Sachin on their shoulders – the whole stadium – the 33000 of them did not stop shouting “Sacchinnn Sacchinnn Saccchiiinnn” for long.

India was in a state of never before experienced euphoria – so was Silicon Valley, London, Toronto, Sydney, Dubai, New York. My friend ZenRooster shared this awesome video he shot at his workplace in USA

Click here to view the embedded video.

Worldwide MS Dhoni’s 6 brought the broadest smile to the faces of 1.2 Bn Indians that you will ever see.

I’m attempting to relive those memories through video clippings we took on our Nokia E71 and my facebook statuses and notes and some tweets.

2 Apr, 2011 – History was made, history was witnessed. Revisit it through my eyes.

 The Start of the World Cup

None of my friends except ZenRooster and NM believed that we would win the world cup from day 1 of the tournament. I had a gut feel we would make it this time – it just seemed so right.

First match Vs Bangladesh – Feb 19 

Go India – feeling nervous – so need to get this one right to wipe out the ghosts of 2007

When MSD lost the toss:

Dear MSD you do realize that someday you need to call it right You are sending the probability principles for a real toss.

After the India-England Tie

Cannot help but think that Eng seemed to have done worse than India – if you can’t be inspired and win after that stunning knock from your captain ; I dunno what can inspire you folks! Yes officially declare that am a huge Strauss fan – still cannot get over that knock! What an innings! Made me forget Sachin got a 100 too – speaks volumes of the impact Strauss’ knock had!

On the famous Ireland win over England

If you missed Ireland’s win today against the big Eng boys chasing 328 after being 111/5 and did not see Kevin O’ Brien’s 113 off 62 balls – you should go cry . What a freaking awesome match and what an in innings!!! 2 marvelous knocks in 2 days – am bowled over. Not gonna recover for a long time )

My two cents on those two knocks here

Loss to SA in the league

Sachin Tendulkar looks determined to win the cup – the rest 10 equally determined to mess it up! Forget Nehra – first someone explain to me the loss of 9 wickets for 29 runs in the last 10 overs! That for me ruined the match.

On India’s batting collapses during league matches

Dear Team India, I defend you everytime saying that you have a SPINE, but looks like you have developed a SLIP DISC problem and those lower vertebrae need some fixing ASAP!

When speculating the knock-out stage competitors

Revenge of #1996 or Revenge of #2003; India tell me what #youprefer ? #cwc2011

On Australia’s loss to Pakistan in Group A league stage

Life has come a full circle for Aus in the WC. Lost to #Pak in 1999 in the league & have ended their winning streak at the hands of #Pak

The Best match of the tournament: India-Australia Quarter Final Ahmedabad

On the eve of the match

Notes to Self: 1. Do not hype up tomorrow’s match. 2. Be calm in Office, on Facebook and on Twitter. 3. Do not deride people (especially ecstatic neighbors) who will scoff at the Men in Blue 4. Count to 10 before hurling abuses at anyone 5. Remember you love your work equally now – try to focus for those 9 hours in office so that you can get home in time for the 2nd innings.

I had acidity bouts in the morning, I could feel my stomach churning. So to calm the nerves I penned this short note.

Dear Team India,

Hope you all slept well and told the following to yourselves: 
MSD: must win toss, must bat first 
SRT : Need to score 90 today and on Wednesday – 100th 100 will be reserved for my homeground Mumbai. Owe them one 
ZAK: Must take revenge for #2003 thrashing 
HSP: Must resort to turbanator 2001 avatar 
YUVI: Need to win Man of the Series, for that need to ensure we hold the trophy on 2Apr 
VIRU:Need to fix that average of 22 Vs Aus today – am due for runs – need to deliver before Pup and Punter today 
Middle order : Must last 300 balls 
Bowlers : Must defend 14 runs off last over 
Entire Team: Need to reverse defeat trend against Aus in WC since 1992. Today 
Today is the day – go seal it!!!!

End of Aus innings:

Dear Team India just because Ponting did a #2003 repeat you are not obliged to return the favor.

India’s mini collapse  - Gambhir’s run outs/Kohli/ Dhoni out

WTF TEAM INDIA – You making me look like a complete idiot:-( For the first time in 5 weeks I’m losing hope – Kohli you getting out off a full toss and you Gauti for that mind-numbing idiotic display are responsible for it!

Cannot find the God damn hammer when I need it – NEED TO HAMMER GAMBHIR!!! NOWWWWW

Towards the end

Ok confession – I have absolutely admired Bret Lee since his debut – have you seen the way he has fielded today and that injury brought a tear to my eye!

Yuvraj I take back all my words:-) Raina Thank you!!!! GAUTI you you …damn you!!!! and GOD – Mumbai Awaits you!!!!!

South Africa’s loss to NZ in the quarters

I Choke You Choke We All Choke - SA get that as your tagline – it is freaking apt!!!

Before beginning of semis

2 out of 3 predictions true: Ind-Pak semifinal, WI/NZ upset. Come on Eng get me that 100%. Go on!

On SL making it to the finals:

OMG 50% boredom guaranteed on Saturday! Sigh dear Team India can you ensure that it does not amount to 100%

Mar 30: Pak Vs India – Semi Final, Mohali

Eve of the match

Dear Indian Media – please stop the circus around tomorrow’s match. You will really achieve the impossible – kill my interest in the game altogether!

In the morning 

What is wrong with me today – still no nerves ! Had a bit of acidity bout in the morning and I was glad that I was getting tensed but nothing after that – I’m terribly calm today and focussing fine at work!

When Younis Khan- Misbah were going strong during Pak chase

Dear Team India, am dying a slow death. Please find the Harry Potter amongst you who can get me the Elixir of Life!

Dear Team India doesn’t the thought of inflicting a SL-Pak WC final at Mumbai on your fans make you shudder? Motivation enough, right get going now!

When we won

WANKHEDE HERE WE COME….. And by we I don’t mean Team India Alone! Tryst with Destiny Beckons!

On the eve of the WC final

If you are going to play the cynic tomorrow – please refrain from commenting on my status or posting on my wall! I don’t need the negativity – you can keep all of it!

Checklist for tomorrow: Tickets, Tricolor Dupatta, 2 Large India Flags, The Indian Team Jersey! Next 18 hours – only restlessness!!!!

On the morning of April 2 before we headed out to the stadium

THIS IS IT…..You and I – Believe! GO INDIA!!!!

At the Stadium

The teams enter before the national anthem

Click here to view the embedded video.

The national anthem captured by @abhishekumar

Click here to view the embedded video.

Team India takes ground

Click here to view the embedded video.

These cheers were heard non-stop for the entire duration of the match

Click here to view the embedded video.

AFTER WE WON

Interviews

Click here to view the embedded video.

Victory Laps

Young guns carry Sachin on their shoulders

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We stalled the great West Indies Machine in 1983 and ended The Australian Era in 2011 at the WC. Now does it put our achievement in perspective?

Viv Richards will be such a happy man – no longer reruns of his catch held by Kapil Dev- Now only Dhoni’s 6:-)

Status message from my friend SK: “For all regional biased parties of maharashtra – match in mumbai, delhi batsmen scoring there, captain from ranchi,bowler a muslim, dedicating it to a marathi manoos and carrying him on their shoulders ! get a freaking clue ”

To my best buddy who had written to me: Good luck seeing Sanga lift the cup, I replied after the win:

My belief won, your cynicism lost – go choke on it

And more importantly what I felt at 22:49 IST 2 Apr,2011

Today I witnessed History but more importantly I witnessed what belief and faith can achieve. The memory will last a lifetime! THANK YOU TEAM INDIA!!!

And finally, to summarize those memories of 6 weeks: here is the note I wrote for all my friends who tolerated my constant updates on Facebook. A friend left me a message the moment India lifted the cup - her words will stayed with me for long.

India has won the world cup and you – my crazy wonderful friends are posting on my wall/commenting on my status like I had something to do with the victory:-) So thank you for tolerating my madness, for loving it, for missing my match updates and status, for eagerly waiting for my post on my experience yesterday. I will write – I have to.

The Indian Team may not even know I exist – but you all have made me feel like Sachin must be feeling right now. World cup win after 21 years of playing – me eagerly waiting for a WC win after 19 years of watching the game:-)

The Indian Team made it special – and you all made it doubly special for me! So thank you all and thank you Facebook – I wouldn’t have cherished and loved this moment if it wasn’t for you folks – all of you – the eternal optimists and the irritating cynics.

I cannot end this note without sharing a wonderful message I saw first when I logged onto Facebook after returning from the match – the euphoria around me was mind-boggling and nothing had sunk in. I read this message from a lady I’ve known for a very short time and whom I admire immensely. Thank you VS – I’ve never received such a lovely message praising my cricket fandom – this will be going in my cricket collection. This little note of yours will stay in memory forever to go along with India’s World Cup win yesterday.

“Minal, I dedicate this win to you! To your passion, to your perseverence, to your fulltoos faith, to your sleepless nights, to your deep breathing, to your no-cynics please warning, to your undiluted love for cricket! Congratulations and give us all the gloss of the magic if you manage to break away from Wankhede!”

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1. World Cup Memories This post cross-published on HoldingWilley This is my 20th season...

The brilliant Devanshu of Deep Backward Point and an Editorial Member at The Sight Screen contributed to the brilliant music for the podcast – read about it on his blog

The tribute features two of my favourite writers – and even more when it comes to writing about Dravid: Sriram & Siddhartha.

There is the budding writer (I often keep dictionary.com open when I’m reading his posts) Rohit who is also on the editorial board of The Sight Screen shares a memory that blew my mind off. I will envy him for life now.

Then there is superb Samir Chopra from Eye-on-Cricket and the hilarious, super intelligent Jarrod Kimber from Cricket With Balls.

There is Nicole with whom I had bonded on twitter mainly thanks to her killer DP of Rahul Dravid

There is Dilip  – also an editorial member at The Sight Screen. He is a huge Dravid fan and an ardent Aussie supporter – 2 reasons enough to converse with him for hours.

And lastly, yours truly is also one of the lucky folks to have been part of this. I may sound like a nervous kid, but I’m forgiven  - given that I was asked to speak about Dravid when I’m still not over his retirement

If you are a Dravid fan this is a must listen, even if you are not I suggest you still listen and get to know how much he is admired, respected and loved .

Go LISTEN

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1. My favourite 10 tons from ‘Ton’dulkar I’m going to do the impossible – pick my favourite...

I write rarely, because I cannot get beyond a few lines. But then sometimes, a rare incident occurs and I try to pen down a little more than a few lines.

Food exploration and photography is a passion for me. MDW (my dear wifey) goes absolutely crazy when we go to restaurants and I stop her just before she is about to have her first bite – to capture the dish that has just arrived.

Indian families usually have a set pattern of food during a week. There will be a few vegetables, maybe fish, chicken, meat on a few days, biryani, just soup and salads for the health freaks. Oh yes, on weekends or on days we are tired, we will order or eat out and try something really fancy and exotic. But there is usually this one dish, which we will not do away with no matter what. After a long tiring day, after a trip abroad (rather even on a trip abroad), when we are unwell, when staying abroad reminds us of our folks back home and on many such innumerable occasions this simple, humble dish comes to mind and the mere sight of it leaves us with a smile on our face and divine content to our hungry souls – “The Daal-Rice”.

That is exactly what Rahul Sharad Dravid was to Indian Cricket – the simple, humble, unassuming, always around, the quintessential, the go-to “dish” of Indian Cricket.

I could perhaps compare other players to some other dishes – Laxman the delicious biryani, Sehwag the spicy Indian curry (doesn’t go down well with everyone), Sachin the important bread (chapaati, roti) – but that isn’t the point here. I am sure others will come up with much better comparisons.

The Daal-Rice is an inseparable constituent of an Indian diet. It is one of the simplest dishes to conjure, some very basic ingredients, is ready in a matter of minutes, can be had by itself, anytime of the day, anywhere. Very few hate this dish. Most would die to have it. Oh and there are varieties to it – the daal tadka-rice, the daal-makhani rice, the maharashtrian “varan-bhaat”, the “rassam-rice” and so many more.

This is what Dravid was/is as an individual and to Indian cricket. His simplicity reflected in every action of his – on and off field. His calm demeanor made it hard for anyone to hate him. When the team was “ill” he did his job. When other dishes were preferred, he stood aside calmly and waited for him to be called on.

They wanted him for “starters” (to open) and he was around, they wanted him as main course (no.3) and he came to the rescue, oh and times they wanted him as a side dish (a wicketkeeper) and there he was.  The “Daal-Rice” of Indian cricket was always around.

And miss him we did. The number of times we said “Oh where is Dravid?’, “Oh who will get us out of this mess? – do we even have a count of that.

Present him with the toughest of situations and we would come up trumps. No one appreciates the Daal-Rice till you really need it and crave for it. And just like when an Indian tours a foreign country, his craving for this dish grows, so was our need for Dravid on foreign tours.  I am no genius at statistics but his away record stands tall across various other “dishes”.

His impeccable square cuts, the flicks to midwicket, the textbook correct cover drives, the small nudges and solid blocks were his variants of the Daal-Rice.

I have been one of the few exceptions to not like “Daal-Rice” (I mean the real dish). But now that the “Daal-Rice” will not be on the Indian cricket menu anymore, I realize what I have missed. Perhaps I will start having Daal-Rice; perhaps I will now admire it rather than hate it.

But one thing for sure, the “moving on” of “Daal-Rice” has left me in mourning – Don’t ask me for how long. Perhaps a part of me will always be. When I see a bat, a cricket ball, a cricket field I will mourn; and yet smile, because someone, even as he left made me fall in love with this game all over again.

Sir Rahul Dravid you showed me what true love is. Thank you.

No related posts.

I married the nice guy, my best friends are the nicest blokes you will ever meet, my childhood idol has been the nice guy – Harsha Bhogle and all my cricketing life I’ve only admired the nice guy  – you dear Rahul Dravid.

Lords ’96, I was hoping my then favourite cricketer would redeem himself but he was injured and you a 23- year old walked in at number 7. 20 runs into your innings my father and I were discussing if India had finally found her number 3 – that defence, that look, that impeccable judgement of your off-stump, that lovely square-cut but most of all that assurance in your batting. The assurance, the comfort of “Dravid is yet to bat, Dravid is still batting”, that assurance defined your entire career for me and the assurance was felt from the moment you stepped in to bat the first time. I rued you missing your century on debut, on making history with the other debutant centurion, but I did not brood over it for long – and you did not brood over it at all.

You went on to make many more – 36 of them if I’m not mistaken; you finally made up for that missed chance in 1996 by getting it in your last match at Lords in the final season of what had been a remarkable career – most players would be happy if they could achieve half of what you have.

On that day in ’96 at Lords – I had found my teenage hero, that day also marked the beginning of the innumerable arguments, endless debates and fights that would follow with friends – reasoning out why you deserved to be among the best in the business, on why you would be the key to India’s fortunes and the pivot around which the rest of the famed, naturally-gifted, talented batting line-up would evolve. 16 years on and I’m still debating and arguing on why you are among the best in the business – you who stands at #2 among the best test batsmen in the world.

I have mini-posters of you – from the Pepsi adverts you did in your early days – looking highly uncomfortable doing those funny antics. They are stuck to the inside of the door of my small cupboard – the one that stores my cricket collection over the years.I open that door every time I visit home – there are memories of teenage crushes and fandom, I need to revisit those to discover my lost self.

This poster of you adorned the huge softboard (that papa had put up on one of the walls in my room) for long. It was placed alongside a Calvin poster – he my favourite brat, and you my favourite nice guy.

In the days of expensive internet and mobile (no mobile internet) my cricket memories are bound together by my paper collection – magazines & paper cuttings. The key moments in my cricketing fandom are stocked up there.

I dug up the archives today –

The first interview in Sportstar after the successful England tour ‘96,

The tons in 2 innings of the same test NZ ’99

The Kolkata ‘01 win – yes that jump in the air,

 The Adelaide ‘03 raising of the bat, arms and cap,

The Rawalpindi double in ’04 and first series victory in Pak

The two chases with Kaif to seal the ODI series Vs Pak 04

 Then there are the innumerable scorecards in newspapers from the 90s – the ones where you were on that frustrating run of getting scores of 80s and 90s but no 100s until you got your first 100 in Johannesburg 1996.

I don’t know why I don’t have the cuttings from some of my favourite moments in your cricketing life before 2004 (my collections end there – then internet took over). The Headingley 148, the Oval double – I had a bet with my friends India would not lose the ‘02 series, you ensured I won, that 6 off Donald – I wanted to come down and  abuse Donald for you but you taught me the better answer, the Taunton 145 – those 3 fours you struck in the 5th over after the fall of the first wicket in the first over – those are etched in memory forever. My engineering exams were on and my luck was good that India’s matches were on the off-days between papers, I did well in those semesters despite the distraction of watching you bat beautifully in that World Cup.

Over the years I’ve watched you – the grim look, the constant struggle, the art of defiance, the ability to play on the worst of the pitches in the worst of the conditions and still succeed. My own personal struggles started a year after your debut. Often when I felt totally beaten up and gutted by life, I sought some inspiration from your battles on the field. Your willingness and selflessness to fit into any role for the team – opening, batting down the order, even wicket-keeping, your ability to adapt – to not let the ego get the better of the ability to focus. You are the reason for my belief that with a little bit of talent accompanied by tons of hardwork and determination – one can compete at the highest levels in one’s field and even win.

Nice guys finish last they always told me – you changed that equation. Isn’t there a book by that name The Nice Guy who Finished First as well on you? In the list of my favourite cricketers you will always lead the pack. What a fabulous pack I grew up watching; I can only imagine how much you enjoyed playing with that bunch. Tendulkar, Saurav, Srinath, Kumble, and VVS – Aha the partnerships with him. You two blokes made me bunk college and office a lot of times and I ran out of excuses in front of my professors and bosses.

I wanted to walk up to you the innumerable times I watched you from the Pavilion Stands at Wankhede, but hey I’m not like those silly girls who chase their cricketing heroes; I’m the serious kind – the one who loves the game. I’ll take watching you bat for hours rather than waste those hours chasing to catch a glimpse of you. But I was tempted at times, like the time when I came to Bangalore in my final year engineering industrial visit – I harboured thoughts of breaking away from the gang, catching a rickshaw and taking it to your house in Indranagar.

My first job post MBA was in Bangalore, I was tempted again and then unknowingly I got the chance. You were being felicitated at Maharastra Mandal and my friends called me over. You spoke in your bits and pieces Marathi over the Sachin declaration controversy – remember?

“Sachin and me Marathit bolun sagla clear kela” (Sachin and I sorted out the issue in Marathi).

I could not stop smiling. Later I even got onto the stage and took your autograph, and that is only because my to-be sister-in-law had pestered the hell out of me to get one for her. It is my biggest sacrifice till date, giving that treasure to her but she has kept it lovingly even today.

And this final memory from the MTV Bakra – it is also one of my favourites – “How old are you? Usko bolo concentrate on studies,Yeh shaadi ka khayal chod de”. (ask her to concentrate on studies and forget this marriage thought)

The Mr. Nice Guy even then, even now.

Memories – no one can take them away, however the one memory I want someone take away is my most feared memory – of this day. I knew it would come one day the moment you had stepped out to bat at Lords in 1996 at number 7. It is the inevitable fact of a sporting life – our heroes take birth and then they leave. They are never going to be around forever; we know this truth from the moment we see them take their first steps. And yet like many things in life even though we know the inevitability of it all – we can never prepare ourselves for the conclusion to the colossus career, the final chapter, the last act, the last moment – The END.

To not see you in whites again

To not see you come out at one down again

To not see you in that blue cap again

To not see you take a stance again

To not see you grind on the pitch again

To not see you put up the dead bat for hours and hours and wear out the bowlers again

To not see you leave the deliveries outside the off and yell “well left” again

To not see you take those catches out of thin air again

To not call mom and ask her just check if Dravid’s still batting again

To not see the shy smile again

To not debate with the friends on why you top the list of my best batsmen again

To not hammer the bloke who calls you a slow poke and dour batsman

To not see you raise your cap, hands, bat and run down the track celebrating the victory again

To not see you jump in the air – point your bat at your detractors and say “TAKE THAT” again

To just NOT SEE YOU play cricket again

Rahul Dravid do you have any idea how much this is going to hurt the teenager who bored her father talking about you after that 95 you got on debut, while he tried to remind her that another player had got a 100 on debut and yet, all she could do was talk about you.

You were full of humility today – as always

“I’m moving on because the youngsters need to come in. 16-17 years from now you will be at a press conference of one of these players would have done better than Rahul Dravid.”

Yes, that could be a possibility and yes I’ll probably witness it. But none of them would have been my teenage hero and and none of them would be teaching me patience, belief, humility, modesty, sincerity – oh all those “Niceties” that you taught me!

So I don’t want to say goodbye and thank you for the memories, you needed to be immortal, playing this game till I died – that faith built over the years is going to take a hit now. I’m not getting over today – the day you bid adieu to the game and to us, I’ve the right to not get over. There are certain things in life where none of you folks are allowed to tell me to get over and move on.

There will be No Moving On from Rahul Dravid for me.

P.S: The pictures scanned from my collection of Sportstar and Newspaper cuttings over the years. A million thanks to the nice guy in my life – my dearest hubby for scanning them while I was putting this post up)

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The gist of the post was that the Indian Cricket Team was made up of a bunch of idiots who had put up a horrendous show, proved their detractors right and worst believed that they stood no chance to get to the CB series final. But we fans were the bigger idiots – who continued to believe that despite these huge failures this team would bounce back.

On away tours – starting from the WI tour in June 2011, India has crossed the 300+ total in tests twice(347 Vs WI and 400 Vs Aus) in 22 innings while  they got to 300 (Vs Eng) once .

Post the World Cup we have played 14 ODIs abroad and got to 300 or more only once. We lost that match thanks to D/L and rain

I don’t recollect that last time we chased down a target of 300+ at 8 R.P.O in a pressure game of a major league.

To me the NatWest Final 2002 remains the ultimate chase (The World Cup 2011 win is different – we were clinical and despite a horrendous start of 0/1 never got ourselves into a losing position) At the NatWest final – half way down the mark we were 146/5; all bigwigs gone and 2 relatively unknown inexperienced youngsters Yuvraj and Kaif chased down 326 in 50 overs. That chase was unreal and still gives me goose bumps.

The second one that comes to mind was the Independence Cup Final in Dhaka, 1998. We were the first team to chase a score of 300+ in ODIs and we got the winning runs in dark. After a superlative start by Sachin and Dada, Kanitkar’s 4 remained etched in memory forever.

Sharjah 1998 – The sandstorms that hit Australia  – both the real one and the Sachin one. They would’ve taken  the former cause the latter wrecked them for good. The league match where we needed to get ahead of NZ on run-rate, when Sachin began to go for a win and not just the run-rate target. That one. But the pressure was different – we could afford to lose and qualify and the total was under 300.

Benoni 1997 – Tendulkar, Robin Singh-Jadeja scripted a famous chase getting to the target of 240 under 40 overs – but again the run-rate required was 6 R.P.O

Today we needed 321 off 40 overs. This when we had failed to chase 250+ in 50 overs in last 3 matches and failed to get to 200 in 2 of them. Previous match we messed up the chase to tie with SL and the 2 wins before that we huffed and puffed our way to the target – never getting a crucial bonus point while gifting them away to Aus/SL in their wins against us.

Tell me how was I supposed to believe (despite my strong faith in this team) that they would pull off the impossible today? I know they have done the impossible in the past; and hence I have still hung onto them – hoping for a turnaround. But Sunday chase brought out the hidden cynical me. I just stopped hoping. Their meek surrenders over the last 8 months have hurt more than the losses itself and so believing today was beyond me – I had no strength today to garner my hope and then see it being crushed, especially since I was recovering from a 2 week illness.

So I did not believe we would win today and what did these XI buggers do? They chased 321 not in 40 but 36.4 overs. Sachin-Sehwag pulled off their Centurion 2003 act. Gambhir aided Kohli ably despite the couple of heart-attacks he gave us where Kohli almost got run-out if not for the dives he took to get into the crease ( Gavaskar must’ve experienced ecstasy seeing Kohli dive today).

After Gambhir got out – it was all Kohli. Raina pitched in with a fine 40(24) – a lovely drive in the V on the off and then a superb flick 6 on the on-side reminding me of Dada a bit; but it was all Kohli today.

133* off 86 balls – 16 fours – 2 sixes. Last 9 deliveries of Malinga that he faced he hammered 33 runs – one single, one 2s, one 6 and six 4s! He finished the match off in a jiffy not waiting to get to the 40th over.

I have to say this – Kohli’s attack on Malinga was orgasmic and for India’s stunning victory given the horrendous tour, I have no words to describe it cause it has still not sunk in!

This team is going to screw my health – they have the most impossible wins in history of cricket and the worst losses. It impacts me a lot – I cannot cope up or fathom the improbable wins and the losses hurt so bad that the head gets all messed up!

These buggers are beyond my belief and despite the heart-breaks and heart-attacks rendered till date – I have to admit I still love them to death!

No related posts.

Watch  the video at 10:20 and listen to Sanjay Manjrekar speak “Hopefully no swear words” when Kohli gets to his 100:

That’s what my mother as every good mother advises her kid would advise me – Minu easy on the abusing please – no swear words.

Manjrekar is therefore the new mom of Virat Kohli – and now to fulfil his newly found maternal needs he can go mother Rohit and PK after watching this video

P.S: Manjrekar was my favourite batsman when I started watching cricket as a kid – I now admit I was definitely messed up in the head then!

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Here is the problem though. Ganguly retired in 2008. Mukund, M Vijay, Pujara, Raina, Kohli, Badri all made their tests debuts post Ganguly’s retirement. Barring M Vijay who debuted in 2008, the rest made their debuts 2010 onwards.

Rohit made his ODI debut in 2007; among the above, only Raina hit the ODI scene before him. Kohli made his debut after Rohit and cemented his place in the ODI squad first. He then became the obvious choice for No6 bat in tests when Yuvi and Raina failed to make it their own and Pujara got injured.

There is this huge talk about how grave injustice has been done by not giving Rohit a single test chance when others have got a lot more chances and about how ODI performance should not determine a test place – I agree to the latter not the former. Why was Rohit overlooked in that period when 4 middle-order bats were tried out?

The problem was - With the big 4 hogging the middle order for over a decade how was one supposed to announce his arrival? The only way to show you were ready to take their place was by performing at an international level. “A” tours would’ve been ideal – but the reality was that they were not held enough.  So what should’ve have been your next move? Grab every opportunity you get , cause unfortunately and whether you like it or not – how you performed in the ODIs (that you got to play when you were not getting a breakthrough in tests) would’ve have helped in some manner  to build the confidence of selectors and team management in you.

Rohit wasted 3 crucial years cementing his place in the ODI squad ( he still hasn’t) and as a result did not earn a WC place – a place that should have been rightfully his.

Every time Rohit comes to bat I feel he is going to get a big score but somewhere I know the lad is going to bring out his  Mr. “Inconsistent” Hyde and gift his wicket. Every time Virat starts with a strike rate of 50, I think he looks edgy but deep down I know he is going to build his innings and play it out till the end like he has done in the last 2 years.

In my opinion along with his inconsistency Rohit suffers with a perception management problem. He gives his management the impression that he is just plain lazy, that he does not know how to grind it out in the middle and take responsibility despite being the most gifted.

Kohli on the other hand knows he is not half as talented as Rohit is; but has built up a perception to his management that he is their go-to-guy and he will do the task no matter what.

When faced with the same challenges and given their talent or capabilities – we all know Rohit should be excelling and getting the promotions on the job, but the fact is that he is not.

And that is not Kohli’s problem, it is Rohit’s!

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It is also the impending reality for VVS, RD and SRT.

I cannot describe how much it hurts to see people around me call for their heads – no respect left for them – they must be sacked. They are old, they are worn out. They did a lot of great things for India, but now they need to be asked to go if they will not go out on their own.

It takes me back to what Sunil Gavaskar always said ( he having practiced this bit that he has always preached) – Leave at a time so that people ask why now and not why not?

But I also get why VVS/SRT/RD did not want to leave – they probably wanted that elusive Aus series win – the last feather in their cap. It wasn’t greed, it was a fair desire – they had earned the right to dream of it.

If it hurts me so much, if it hurts you so much by being just a fan – just spare a thought for the trio in this mayhem and imagine how much it must be hurting them to leave the stage they owned on such a low – just keep all the cribbings aside for a moment and think for them – just give them a moment, they’ve earned that moment from you.

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“Life always balances out! Always – This was to be a fantastic year but it ended on a somber note.”

I was talking about my personal year above not reviewing the year of the Indian cricket team in one sentence, but how apt it seems now! . They started the year by drawing the series in SA 1-1 after being bowled out for 136 in the first test, winning a test in Durban and Sachin playing that awesome knock in Capetown. Then came the pinnacle - the WC win. It was so exhilarating that I can never forget that mind-blowing experience of having watched it live. Then it all slipped – First Dominica – it left me uneasy, and then England – injuries, weakened team - I tried to hold my chin up, and then Aus happened, all seemed fine till that 4th day in MCG, then the Clarke-Ponting-Hussey partnerships ruined it further at SCG. I took it all in my stride, believing in positive vibes, not cursing the team ( can never curse this team – they have given me 10 years of my best cricketing memories) , still believing that we will bounce back; but today Warner dealt the final nail in my faith’s coffin – 104 off 80 balls when India managed only 161.

2011 ended on a sorry note with that MCG loss and 2012 has begun in far worse manner than I had ever imagined. I can’t even explain what has gone wrong – I know what has gone wrong, I can’t explain the reasons for this shambolic performance. I can’t, I’m so gutted – I haven’t felt so miserable since 99-00 Season ( 5 straight losses to Aus away and SA at home in that 99-00 season). This team had made me forget that feeling and now it’s the very team that is bringing back the horrors of 90s and the nightmares along with it.

And in all this mayhem how the hell is the cricket fan in me supposed to stick to my new year resolution:

“This year I make another promise – to be happy, to smile more no matter what and to believe in myself.”

From where do I find a reason to smile when the team is in absolute disarray. From where do I find my belief and faith in this team? It hurts so much that I can’t even find the anger in me to vent it all out. This crap that I’m seeing since Lords 2011 is making me die a slow death.

I’m afraid I may switch off like I did from ODIs post WC2007 and that is scaring the hell out of me right now!

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The Gritty Gambhir – last seen fighting bravely the pace of Steyn/Morkel in SA in Jan2011 . Please can you find him and  return him to the Indian team in Aus

The Fiery Sehwag – last seen thrashing New Zealand in Ahmedabad in Nov2010. He has got lost in the land of Gandhi. We need our  Machine Gun back not this Gandhian we are seeing currently in Aus.

The Solid Dravid – last seen saving India the blemishes at the Oval in England 2011. England please build your own Wall to compete with China, we need ours back to bounce off the Aussie pace.

The Elegant VVS – last seen relishing WI in WI and at Eden Gardens, Kolkatta. Aus is already here, someone please remind VVS he loves Aus and not WI – he cannot breakup with Aus after an affair of 10+ years.

Batsman at No6 – Missing in action since Saurav retired in 2008. Rohit/Kohli one of you please take charge and make it your own now!

The above people have been missing for long now, their fans are worried. If anyone of you happens to see them – please can you mail us at the following address:

Hope [at] IndianCricketFan[dot]com

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