...the Indian cricket fan! For being irrationally, unflinchingly brave and hopeful in loving his team and his cricketers, despite being beaten black and blue!
Yes, while the Red & White Bravery Awards are meant for displaying mental, social and physical fortitude and valor in life, I have coined a new set of Awards - the Black and Blue Awards!
Generally, one thinks of a reason/occasion to institute an award, does so, and then selects and awards the deserving. However, in the case of the Black & Blue, it's precisely the other way round. I have got the idea of the award only after having seen, witnessed and felt the plight of the awardee and then thought/conceptualised this award with the intent of recognising the awardee - the Indian Cricket Fan.
Yes, the Indian Cricket fan, who hopes for everything nice for Indian cricket (both inside and outside the field), yet gets beaten - black and blue (hence the name for the awards) - both inside and outside the field. Despite all that, time and time again, sticks his neck (and tongue and each lung) out to root for Indian cricket.
To an always practical, heartless mind, such behavior and irrational fixation might seem twice as foolish as it is brave, but make no mistake - it is brave nevertheless!
As if crashing out of an ICC event for the umpteenth time was not bad enough, the Indian cricket fan now has to also contend with speculative journalism - only causes needless anxiety. It's the last thing you want to experience after witnessing a string of disappointing losses.
And can someone explain to me who, in the holy name of Mpumelelo Mbangwa, gets and/or quotes these "sources". Yup, the same "sources" and "insiders", who provide easy fodder to speculative, trashy journalism even by the better-known publications in business.
Only to issue a self-correction and clarification from the horse's mouth this time, about the planted story a day or two later, except the small fact that in the meantime, speculation's gained ground among all quarters quicker than a Shaun Tait delivery.
The sad part is that this is not a one-off. We have often seen such baseless stories being planted, only to then be denied later.
Yes, I have no hesitation in calling such stories entirely planted - doesn't an editor of the nation's biggest publication owe it to his readers that they get informed, responsible news instead of being the unwilling audience for speculative, irresponsible journalism. (Though I agree, there are quite a few in our midst who would not be so unwilling to lap up rumours and fuel a fire that would never have been ignited in the first place).
Hasn't our journalism also fallen prey to the tabloid cult of sensation-selling (you can sell only when you have one and if you can't have one, create one) culture?
Now, who exactly are these sources and insiders in the first place? Even if one assumes they exist and did actually say anything to that effect, isn't it the responsbility of the publication to ensure that before making it a news item, the official version is taken into account from the actual decision-makers and the power-that-be?
Yes it is done - the official spokespersons do get to air their views - only, it is a couple of days later, in reaction to the 'insider' story.
When the same thing is done two days later after putting out the story, why can't we check first up before publishing any such stuff?
If this does not smack of planted stuff, I don't know what else does for you, or ever will.
Yes, a publication ain't a charity, it is a business, it has its readerships to cater to and increase, but at this cost? At any cost?
Amidst all this, the poor Indian cricket fan is subjected to additional, needless turmoil and anxiety. It is anyway difficult hoping against still lesser hope after watching one insipid display after another.
Nevertheless, the Indian cricket fan toils on, braves on, with the wish to see Indian cricket doing well, not only in its performance, but also in its conduct and administration.
As a related note though, I don't think we should get too knee-jerk in our reactions - MSD is still the best man for the job - a couple of tactical errors can be corrected, such as choice of playing eleven (even the squad at times - Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the likes of Irfan Pathan, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha - baffling!). Besides, what irks me is his propensity to bat at 3 or higher up the order (only) when the going's good.
All such disappointments surely call for a closed-door one-on-one chat and analysis, but it surely does not deem an axe, especially when he hasn't done much else wrong.
No, an Axe-effect ain't pleasant always.
What does need an axe is the useless, rumour-mongering and groupism/lobbying that speculative stories generate. Pronto.
And hope the Indian cricket fan, doesn't need to be a brave man to love and follow Indian cricket.
