To new times and fond remembrances!

Though all years have their own particular significance, the year 2013 will be remembered for many historic reasons.

It was the year that saw a paradigm shift in Indian polity, with the Aam Aadmi Party capturing a sizeable part of the imagination and votes from the people in Delhi.
In pretty much a year after it was formed, this party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has been sworn in to power. A fabulous metamorphosis from a grassroots person to the head of governance in the city.
The symbolism that the city also happens to be the nation's capital, should also not be lost on anyone.

From a cricketing standpoint, it was also an year where many greats left the game.
Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Graeme Swann, and Jacques Kallis - to name some of the truly great ones.

Of these, the last person to announce his retirement - Jacques Kallis - was someone truly special.
The most complete of cricketers of the modern era, and arguably the best all-rounder the game ever saw, besides Sir Garfield Sobers.
The remarkable thing with Kallis has been that he has been able to achieve such staggering numbers in not just batting, but also in bowling and fielding (catches) too.
They say, the best definition of a true-blue genuine, quality all-rounder is that apart from doing multiple things, he can walk into a team on the basis of any one ability itself.
That holds true for Jacques Kallis, in every possible way.
You take the numbers from batting, bowling or fielding (catching) - and he is right up there, with the very best.
And we are talking of numbers taht belong to the all-time list.
Highest number of matches, highest number of runs/centuries, maximum wickets, maximum catches - you name it, and he is spoken of in the same breath as the very best of all times.

As if this were not enough, just consider the fact that the guy has also played a sizeable numbers of One Dayers for his country, and other county/IPL stints too.
Take that workload into account, and what you get apart from a smorgasboard of awe-inspiring statistics, is also the disbelief that someone could do so much, so well, in so many things, and for so long!
Truly an all-time great, Jacques Kallis, you are a hero in every sense of the term - fare thee well!

Farewells apart, it is also a time to sit back and assess some of the performances of our young guns in South Africa. Especially two gentlemen by the names of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.
These two, along with Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, have been touted as the future of Indian cricket and the next Fab Four, after the originals - Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, and Laxman.

As is often rightly said, the true test of a cricketer, is outside of his natural zone - such as in a match situation where an attacking batsman might have to shelve his blitzkreig in favor of a more sedate and cautious approach for his team.
Also, the other obvious 'alien' territory is the territory itself - foreign shores, bouncy pitches for players from the subcontinent!
It is here that the performances of Pujara and Kohli have gladdened the heart the most.
Both have acquitted themselves very well in both the matches that India have played, and while the second innings of the last Test is still to be played as I write this, it is certain that the future of Indian cricket is in good hands.
Apart from the NFF - New Fab Four - combine the experience of Gambhir, the dash of Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, and a still young Mohammad Shami, and we have the solid nucleus of a team that can truly serve us well for the next decade or so.
The coming year(s) then, should truly be ones to cheer about and look forward to!
So here's to new times and fond remembrances, and a very happy new year 2014 to all!!

There will never be another Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

So, it has been the end of an era and all that.
It has taken me a few weeks (and I am still not done) just soaking up all I the good articles I could get to read, about a certain gentleman with Tendulkar as his surname.

Sure, there was this huge build-up to Sachin's final test series, right from October 10, when he announced his retirement, all building up to an incredible crescendo by the time he actually walked out in pads for the last time for India.

Followed by, yes you guessed it, his unanimously-loved farewell speech.

I am happy to share, before anything else, some wonderful articles that are truly worth reading, in understanding what people think and feel about Sachin:

Two of the best pieces I read, are here: one, by the wonderful Siddharth Vaidyanathan, and this is the very talented Ashish Shakya, entering tributes online.

And then, of course, there's Cricinfo - providing the most exhaustive coverage they'd ever have done on one man: brilliant, fascinating, engaging, excellent.
 
For me, there are quite a few abiding memories and lessons with which I shall remember Sachin:
Dignity, Humility and Impeccable Conduct

All these are qualities that have been oft-spoken and are so true that howsoever many times you hear them from anyone, they never seem cliched just because you know they are being spoken from the heart from each and every person who says so.

But apart from these, there is another thing that I would like to add:
There are many people who are talented and precocious.
There are many who will plunder runs and ravage the best of bowling attacks consistently.

However, the reason why there will never be another Sachin Tendulkar, is because:

Sachin never knew which 16 year-old to look up to, when he played for India at 16.

Sachin never knew who could understand exactly what it felt to be the pulse of a billion people each and every time he walked out onto the ground (or, better still, just walked out, anywhere!)

Sachin never knew who to be like, when he was adored and worshipped like crazy for 24+ years

Many people can bat and play well amazingly.
Who knows, there will be someone who will bat like Sachin, but they will have a shining example right in front of them - not only on how to play well, not only on how to react to adoring fans and overnight success, superstardom, the constant weight of expectations.
For every such thing, they will have a Sachin Tendulkar's life and conduct to look up to.

Thanks you Sachin, for all the memories, all the lessons.
Fare thee well, Little Master - you are truly Bharat's Ratna!

A void called 2-down

November 15, 1989 : For the uninitiated, here are the oft-shared stats on the 'where-were-you-when-Sachin-made-his debut' question:

When 16-year old Sachin Tendulkar faced his first ball in Test cricket from Pakistan's Waqar Younis: 

• The Berlin Wall was still standing
• Saddam and Osama were still US allies 
• Oil was $19 per barrel 
• The Sensex was under 750 points
• Maruti 800 was a bold young challenger to the Ambassador and Fiat
• The internet and mobile phones hadn't come to India, and 
• Doordarshan was the only TV channel.

Eight Indian Prime Ministers and a mountain of mind-boggling statistics later, he will retire as arguably the greatest batsman and unarguably one of the finest gentlemen to ever grace a cricket field.

Yes, there have been people who have thought he left it for too late, but then, let's just say, for once, he showed he too was human, and must have had a goal in his mind which made him play on.
We have also heard him speak of playing as long as he was still enjoying the game.

Late or not, the fact is, that there will be a void in the Indian Test team at the #4 position. Two down, in comes Sachin - this has been the standard template since the last 24 years.
To not see Sachin very soon at all in any form of cricket, is without doubt, going to be tough.

An immortal, by the name of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Dear Sachin, we can only wish you the very best and thank you for all the wonderful memories you have bestowed us with, thanks to your craft, impeccable conduct, genuine humility, and unflinching commitment towards the game.

You will be missed, big time.

Thank you for letting us see you live, exhibiting your skills and your conduct.

Thank you for making us forget all our troubles by the sheer enjoyment and delight you provided with your uninhibited strokeplay.

Thank you for teaching us that good guys can also finish first!

Thanks a lot, and God bless!!!

Does 'Papa' know everything?

'My Papa knows everything'.

This is generally what most kids generally tend to believe (well, atleast in their formative years), before they are 9-10.

Before I proceed any further, I'd like you to go through this wonderful, insightful post by the extremely readable Prem Panicker.

Many a time, when we think of a more gender-equitable society, we think of simply ensuring that our women are not raped, looted or abused.
Well, it's like, if I am not a thief, it means I am a good man.
Sorry. Not necessarily.

If I am not a thief, all it means is that I am not a thief. Period.
To be a good man, I need to do many other things that a good person should do.

On the same lines, if we'd like to see a more equitable society that's respectful to our womenfolk (and that too, is also a critical benchmark that any truly 'developed' society/country must pass), even stopping all physical assaults against them does not suffice.

It means only physical assaults have stopped (though that too, seems a far cry away, as of now).
To be truly developed, sane and caring towards the respect and care our women need, they should also be cared for, and respected accordingly.

No demeaning language, no condescending attitude, no trivialisation - that's as important as anything else.
Let's strive to achieve this too, apart from just the physical security.

Till the time we make our women secure, confident and honored (both physically as well as emotionally), Papa will not know everything.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara

No, this post is not a film review, (lest you get deluded by this post's headline) about the movie that goes by the same name.
Actually, this is not just for the second time ('Dobara'), but for the umpteenth time that such a terrible incident has happened in Mumbai.

Not just in Mumbai, but also in Mumbai, apart from every other major or minor city that you can think of.

Incidents like these bring to the fore, the sad and chilling reality that for all the howling, protests, legislation after the December 16 case, nothing, absolutely nothing has changed.

I had written earlier in the year, when the Nirbhaya case had seemed to be a watershed moment in generating mass indignation and mobilizing a public movement - not just in Delhi, but throughout the country and even overseas.

I wrote last month about the trials, tribulations and trauma that rape victims (and even her family) go through, that might not be possible for anyone else to completely comprehend.

And I write today again, on much the same topic, with much the same sadness, wrench, angst, and anguish.

What then, is it that you and me - the proverbial and much-abused (pun intended) mango people - can do, in such times?

Only one thing, in my humble opinion: Let's simply take care of our conduct towards anyone we meet (and women in particular).

Let's just ensure that the conduct of anyone too that we see - in our family, among our relatives, in our offices, on the roads, in the metros - in short, anywhere and everywhere we are, watching/witnessing people interacting with each other, remains above-board and impeccable.

If each one of us is respectful towards our womenfolk, and vigilant against any miscreants, our society shall be a better place to live in.

That's my only appeal/request/wish - manliness is not in dishonoring a lady by force, deceit and physical power.

Manliness is in making sure our women look up to the men around them, and walk/talk freely, secure in the knowledge that they are comfortable and respected in the midst of real (gentle)men.


  

R.A.P.E.: Repeated At Police (Stations) and Elsewhere

Before anything else, first and foremost, I'd like to say just this:
Ms. Suzette Jordan, Ms. Bilkis Bano, Ms. Santasree Chaudhari (and all such ladies): RESPECT!!

When the much-publicised (and now-forgotten) December 16 case had made news, I had written earlier this year about the state-of-affairs in our country and how things have remained pretty much the same even thereafter.

Well, turns out, things are just as bad (if not worse) even now.

Sample this from the article on Suzette (link available later within this post), for the contribution of the police in her (and surely, many others') case:

"Later, as they listened to her horrific story, the policeman asked one another if they too were going to go for a drink that night. Then they laughed, looking lewdly at Suzette; one of them said, “Who knows, we could get lucky tonight.”

“I had seen this happen in Hindi movies. Trust me,” says Suzette, “reality is much worse.”

Can there be anything worse than having cheap fun at the expense of an already troubled soul? That too, by those who are supposed to be our custodians?

And it's not just the police for that matter: it's everywhere.
It's all of us who need to share the blame.

Here's the 'society' doing its bit:

"Every day brought fresh ‘stories’, new horrors. Bengali society wanted an explanation for why that ‘Park Street woman’ had been drinking, or why she had gone out late, or why she had agreed to take a lift from a stranger – as if doing any of those things meant giving all the men of Kolkata permission to rape her.

In gossip-loving Calcutta, people quickly found out who she was. Some heard, others guessed based on her TV silhouettes. From potential landlords to job interviewers, nobody wanted anything to do with the Park Street Rape Victim.

“It wasn't just me who suffered,” recalls Suzette. “It was my sister, my brother, my dad who were discriminated against because of me.”

When her sister was looking for a job at another call centre they told her, “We know you are the sister of that rape victim. We don’t want to be associated with the Park Street case in any way.”

Leave aside the rapists, for a moment. I wonder if we are any different from those perverts who committed the act for a duration of time and left.

We - from the police to all around us, as a society - through such attitudes as mentioned above, not only maim the victims but even the family of the victim(s), for the rest of their lives!
Now, who is the bigger perpetrator?
Are we ourselves not just as culpable, if not more, than the rapists?
Are we not guilty of an even bigger sin than the rapists?

Unfortunately, changing everyone's attitude, reaction and behavior is not in our hands.

What, for sure, is in our hands, is our actions - both pre-emptive as well as (God forbid, but if befalls), reactive.

I strongly urge everyone to read these two must-reads - which are factual, informative, helpful and poignant - all rolled together.
The first article talks about the courage of 'victims' such as Ms. Suzette and Ms. Bilkis Bano, and also of Ms. Santasree Chaudhari - the kind of person this world dearly needs more of.

The second one is about the steps and actions that every woman (and all her family members, friends, well-wishers) must know and help with, if at all (God forbid!) things some to such a pass.


Do read and share.

Hopefully, the actions that we take, the courage, perseverance, help (in any which way) and gumption we provide for all such 'victims' - will stand all of us in good stead., and lead to a better India.

Champion of Champions!!

There was a time when I used to wonder what Ricky Ponting would want to achieve.
After all, he had won the World Cup (including hitting a defining knock in its Final in 2003), been a leader of the undisputed Numero Uno team in Test Cricket, and had also laid his hands on the Twenty20 World Cup.

These World-conquering were things that even an Indian demi-god who had Sachin Ramesh as his first and middle names, had only aspired to achieve, but never could (till then).

However, there was one thing that even Ponting had failed to do: win the Champions Trophy.

Cut to circa 2013:

Happy Days are here again! (Pic Courtesy: Cricinfo)

At the post-match presentation after India won the Champions Trophy, Nasser Hussain asked MSD about what else he thought was left for him to achieve, Dhoni could only smile and offer a platitude about every match being crucial and that his focus was only on the next match that he'd play.

Well, he could surely have answered Nasser's question with Ranji Trophy as his answer!
For, there is now absolutely no world tourney whose trophy does not adorn his cabinet. He has shouldered the onerous task of being the captain of the country where fans are not only the most demanding, most adulatory, and most idolizing, but also the most fickle.

It is no mean feat to achieve World # 1 ranking in Tests, be a World Cup winner in both ODIs and T20, and also be a Champion of Champions, just by itself - simply because no one else (including Ponting) has ever achieved it, with the best of teams too.
Add to this, the fact that he has done so with both experienced personnel (read legends) in his team (WC 2011 and Test # 1), as well as a fledgling, new unit with loads of youngsters (T20 and Champions Trophy).
And then, there is also the small matter of winning the IPL as well as the Champions League trophies too.

Oh, and before I forget, the guy bats and keeps too, with aplomb and adeptness.
Sure, he is not perfect, has his weaknesses (defensive captaincy in Tests, not as dangerous a batsman outside of the subcontinent against quality attacks) but then who ever was or will be?!

The ever-loyal, enthusiastic and passionate Indian cricket fan has had a tough time of late - on the field due to the 0-8 drubbings in England and Australia, and even worse, losing the Test series to England on home soil, and off-field due to the IPL and fixing shenanigans.

This win is all the more special, therefore, in that it might be some sort of a salve for the disillusioned fans who have had little to celebrate

Hopefully, the good times are here to stay now, much longer than ever before...Three Cheers MS, India, and Indian cricket! More power to thee!!!

In a Spot

Much has transpired over the last few days and weeks.
Most probably, we are currently at the cliched tip-of-the-iceberg moment.
The Bollywood connection has been unearthed, so too (allegedly) the role of team owners.

Amidst all the muck and heart-break, I have only the following thoughts that I'd like to share:

The Why
Ever since all this happened, not for a moment have I been able to stop thinking about why - just why, things would have come to such a pass.

When the Pakistani spot-fixing scandal came to light, there was a school of thought that said this happened only because the accused were from very modest backgrounds, not highly educated, and got entrapped in the glitz of instant success and hedonistic pleasures.

Well, as it turns out, our desi firebrands have shown that such an assumption was all hogwash.
If there is one thing that the tainted trio has irrevocably proven by their misdemeanor, it is that there is no such thing as 'enough' - money, girls, cash, greed - call it what you will.


The Why Now
For all its brave posturing now, the BCCI has a few uncomfortable facts and questions staring in its face:

Despite having had a precedent in 2000, the still-recent Pakistani spot-fixing saga, and the open secret of IPL being too unreal to consistently dish out last-minute qualifications and thrilling, unexpected results, why were the players and the franchises monitored properly?

Scandal or no scandal, what business has N Srinivasan ever had to continue being at Chennai Super Kings as well as in the BCCI top brass? So much for transparency and prevention of conflict of interest?!

How could we ever encourage post-match parties where every 'well-connected' anyone, could walk in to any gathering of cricketers, and have free access to every murky wheeling-dealing?

If you could never stop this till now, why the fake brouhaha over transparency and code of conduct and BCCI's compliance to such standards, only now? Spare us the moral high-horse, please. The cricket-playing public ain't no fool.

The What Now
The players got their moolah, the bookies got their due too - who is the biggest loser in all this?
Yes sir, you got it spot on! (pun intended) - of course, the foolish, tax-paying cricket fan - who invested his hard-earned money after saving for the IPL ticket, who fought with family to eke out time to attend or watch the match, who labored extra hours at work, just so that he could watch the 'thrilling' contests on display.
Well, all I can say is, next time a bowler concedes extra runs or a fielder spills a sitter, even a genuine case would raise eyebrows.

The joke is on us, who have been robbed of the joy of watching a sport.
The tragic part is that even a genuinely thrilling match would seem contrived.
Even an inadvertent no-ball/wide would seem full of conspiracy.
Even a small gesture towards the pavilion would seem ungainly.

I wish it had not come to this.
I wish the game - my very first love, would have remained a game of glorious uncertainties, and not fixed scripts.
It's just a spectacle now, and a scripted one at that.
I still love you cricket. Alas, it's the players you are up with, who have robbed you of your charm and innocence now.

15 years later...

15 years ago, the entire nation was in raptures, celebrating two back-to-back masterpieces, by the one and only Little Master.

15 years ago, the indomitable Aussies, comprising the likes of Steve Waugh, Michael Kasprowicz, and Shane Warne, had been tamed into submission.

Celebrating his 25th birthday that day in the course of his second knock, Sachin tore into the bowlers and mesmerized cricket lovers one more time - not for the first time, nor for the last time either (thankfully).

15 years later, we have news of him not really being in the zone these days, in the IPL, and even in the series against  England and Australia, in the last few months.

Yes, he has been dormant and not at his best.
Yes, he has been getting out too soon (considering the guy's sheer class and pedigree), too often.

However, if I may, allow me to say without any bias towards him, that it would be very very naive to jettison such a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer, at this juncture.
15 years later, as the chorus for Sachin not being the same batsman grows, we continue expecting him to simply ravish bowling attacks black and blue the same way he did, back then.

As an avid cricket follower, I would humbly like to state that it's time we just let him be.
It's time we let him enjoy and play the way he deems best.
He knows better than anyone else, what his game is, how best he can contribute (and he sure can guide and contribute to the team, in Tests, for at least a couple more years).
Let us just wish the batsman many years of health and happiness, as he has turned 40, and hope he bows out on a high, in a couple of years from now, if not later.
Happy Birthday Sachin!!

It's elementary, Watson!

One of the better examples of an inspiring and rousing speech in a Hindi movie is the one where Abhishek Bachchan (as Gurubhai) exhorts the audience at his company's Annual General Meeting with a now-famous 'Banna chahte ho duniya ki sabse badi company?!!' speech.

It is hard to resist a chuckle imagining Mickey Arthur exhibiting the same expressions, tone and tenor while issuing directives to the Aussie squad. However, what happened to the delinquent members of that meeting, has shown that Messrs Arthur and Clarke certainly meant business.
They might not have had the same intonation as a movie star, but the intent (and intensity) was pretty much the same.
While Watson (and any of the others) might or might not have found the Axe Effect to his liking, what is worth admiring is the seriousness and no-nonsense approach taken by the touring team.

It's a divided house when it comes to public perception about the decision, but full marks to the touring party for not brooking any high-handedness from the star cricketers. It's a lesson for us forever star-struck, star-worshipping people.

While it's a good time to celebrate our dominance over the Aussies (at least on home ground), it would also be nice if we can pick a thing or two in terms of taking a fair, dispassionate stand when required, even if it comes at the cost of having to be ruthless or unpopular.

And if we need to learn about accepting one's mistake gracefully and positively, sample this from James Pattinson:
"People talk about it as a harsh punishment but looking deeply into it you realise probably it's not. If you want to be part of the Australian cricket team you have to do everything right. It's not acceptable. I believe it's the right punishment."


A real lesson on not being diffident or reluctant when confronted with a mistake - as with any other mistake, the first step towards correcting it lies in first acknowledging it.

I know there will be enough conspiracy theorists reading too much into this axing.
However, I'd still like to believe that there is only sincerity and professionalism behind this.

So credit where due - well done, Aussie team management - for your professional attitude in creating an example where most would have shied away from it. As well as to players like James Pattinson, for understanding their mistake and taking it so positively and constructively.

It's a good stepping stone and an already-exhibited show of intent, for sure, for Mickey Arthur and Michael Clarke to now start their next team meeting with 'Banna chahte ho duniya ki best .team?!'

Let the games begin!

Welcome to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, ladies and gentlemen!
It's a new series, a new test, and a new round of engrossing duels between two good teams.

In what has been an appalling year and a half for the Indian cricket fan, right since August 2011, one hopes that the Indian team will turn the corner and come up trumps, against an Aussie side that is short on match experience in Indian conditions.

A tough test beckons the Aussies against an embattled Indian side, whose batsmen have been found wanting in the recent past.
The good thing for the Indians, though, is that the Aussie spin attack does not look anywhere near as formidable as the English one, which had Panesar and Swann.
The pace quartet of Pattinson, Starc, Henriques, and Siddle would still be a handful, even on Indian dustbowls.

I am glad that the Indians have made the right selections, with the long-due Gautam Gambhir being told to get back in form if intends to don national colors again.
Virender Sehwag must also have been sounded out, and one hopes it is not only his lenses which have been corrected this time, but also his attitude, which can be less cavalier, at least in the initial part of his innings.
India needs such outstanding talent to stay longer in the middle, and shine brighter instead of just glittering for a few moments before fading into oblivion and mediocrity.

Harbhajan Singh is another cricketer to watch out for, coming as he is on a second wind. There's much to look out for, as Chennai beckons us in the curtain raiser to a potentially exciting and well-contested series.

In the interest of Indian cricket, hopefully we are in for a good time...let the games begin!!

Happy(?) New(?) Year?

So it's a new year, I believe.
Yes, the calendars have changed.
Yes, the annual ritual of creating New Year resolutions and by now, breaking them, might also have been done away with.

However, aside from the difference in writing the dates (where the year column has changed from 12 to 13), is there anything else that is new or has really changed, especially for the better?

We were crying ourselves hoarse about the horrific gang rape of December 16 last year (which, by the way, was also not the first such incident). Probably, its brutality and the easy identification with the hapless victim that it could have been any of us or our very own mother/sister/spouse) is what set that apart from other such equally detestable and heinous crimes.

However, as I skimmed through the news over the last few days, I have rarely seen any day where such reports have abated.
Somewhere or the other, someone or the other, has been ravished and dishonored by some or the other pervert, insensitive lustful beast(s).

I have read about Hisar, Chandigarh, Mumbai, and what not - this, after December 16.
If some of us cannot control our testosterone levels even after such a hue and cry has been made, God save us!

Dear ladies of the Indian republic,
I am sorry.
I am sorry because simply  blaming others or the favorite punching bag - our system - is not going to  help.
I am sorry because I should be able to do a lot more apart from just bemoaning the sorry state of affairs, and getting on with my life.
I am sorry because perhaps it's the silence of the docile and genuine folks like me whenever a woman is harassed, which is meant to connote passive collusion or apathy for the perpetrators of such crimes.
I am sorry because I have learned to live with such incidents as a part of life.

But enough, is enough.
If this is to truly be a new year, the least I can and must do, is to ensure that I do all that is possible is in my hands to honor, respect and protect women.
I will not be a silent, impassive spectator whenever a woman is being harassed.
I will not look the other way when I find someone passing lewd comments against anyone.
I will not remain glued to my urgent/important tasks when someone's modesty could be in question.

That done, perhaps, shall make for a better (if not happier) New Year.
I'd like to wish all of you too, a similar, Happy New Year!