To a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous 2018 and to our till-date best version of ourselves!!

It's that time of the year again, when we meet another new calendar, reflect on another year gone by, and make resolutions for yet another time :)

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of this year and ushers in a 2018 which brings about peace, happiness, positivity, good health, prosperity, and joy to everyone!!

As we bid goodbye to 2017, I hope that more than anything else, we all become better versions of ourselves.
Let us all become better persons and what I consider most important is that may all of us be able to say that we were better in 2017 than what we were in 2016, and likewise, we would be the best-ever version of ourselves in 2018 (to be at a stage where we can say we have never been better than what we are now, in this year), only to be able to repeat this statement thereafter, in 2019, 2020, 2021, and so on, for every forthcoming year too!

Wishing all readers of Choc-a-blog a very healthy, joyous, happy, and prosperous 2018 :)
May you - in this year - be the best you have ever been, and may you be able to say this statement in every year henceforth! :)

Bye bye 2017, Cheers, and Welcome 2018!!

Time to celebrate a bowler's TRIPLE century!

In a game laden with batting feats, and in a country besotted with batsmen flaying bowlers to all corners of the park, we seldom have anything except sympathy for bowlers.

It is brave enough that they turn up.
It is even more commendable that they do well.
But when someone (and again, in a country where spinners are played perhaps better than anywhere else), spins batsmen into his trap as consistently as Ravichandran Ashwin has done, it calls for you to doff your hat!

I haven't even mentioned that he has done it in record time, taking fewer deliveries than anyone else, doing it in the quickest number of Test matches, and generally being dominant over all batsmen.

When you see such facts, you know you are looking at no ordinary bowler, but a great.
But apart from the statistics, what Ashwin has done most commendably in my books, has been to constantly keep learning and keep reinventing himself, all through.

Yes, like any other cricketer or sportsman for that matter, he has had his share of ups and downs.
Yes, you would like to see him dominate more in overseas conditions and on unresponsive pitches too.
But despite every glitch, you know it is not for nothing that he has been the fastest to a record which, even if you attain at the end of your career, makes you revered.
And he has reached there quicker than anyone else, and with a truckload of cricket left in him.

So here's to the triple centurion - congratulations to the wily, crafty, ever-improving and ever-ready-to-learn student of the game, Ravichandran Ashwin!!

Go well, and hope to see you conquer many more summits!!

Thankyou, New ZealAnd.. ..More Respect

There were 2 things that stopped short of making this an even more terrific series victory for India:

1) The series in question, was a One-Day Series, and not the pinnacle of cricketing skills and temperament called Test Cricket.

2) The Indian team was the host, and therefore, we need to deduct points that are always reserved exclusively for those hallowed victories outside of subcontinental shores.

So while we await good news pouring in from the time zones of South Africa, Australia, England, and New Zealand, we cannot blame the Indian team for exceling in home conditions.

It isn't our fault that we have been well-nigh invincible at home.
Any team that toured India earlier too, were always up against a formidable opponent in any Indian team of the last 20-25 years (at the very least).

So what's different now?
So, what is it that has changed now, which has made us so dominant and consistent?

The difference now, is that the magnitude, ruthlessness and consistency of victories that we have achieved over the years, across formats and over pretty much every team that has waded into Indian territory.

We have always retained a batting-heavy armory in our team, laden with precocious and sublime talents - be it the magical wrist-wizardry and exquisitely timed, surgically-placements of our batsmen or the brute power or nimble-footed mastery, destroying pace and spin attacks across the world, with aplomb.

The advent of wrist-spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, attacking and astute bowlers like Ashwin and Jadeja, and X-factored talents such as Yorker-master Bumrah, Swing-King Bhuvi, Seam-Star Shami, and Ace of Pace Umesh Yadav - have all contributed to the current team having all its bases covered, across all opponents, on all terrains.

The thrilling victory over New Zealand yesterday was another case in point.
As written earlier, so what if it came at home, and was only a short ODI series?

The fact that it was earned well and in tightly contested, well-fought matches, is a testament to the quality of cricket and the level of sportsman spirit in which the series was played.
The Kiwis are by far, the nicest cricketers around.
Suffice to say, if I had to wish that any team win any major tournament apart from my obvious preference for my country's team (India), I would any day root for New Zealand and South Africa.
Together, they are the most liked and skilled teams around - in not just cricketing skills but also in their demeanor.

With a population of just about 5 million, New Zealand is a classic example of a country that has harnessed its human and natural resources in perhaps one of the most optimal manners possible.


Apart from being a developed nation, in sports itself, the country has always remained among the best and most competitive cricket-playing nations, it has been a champion at rugby, and has also done commendably at soccer and various Olympic-category sports.

More than anything else, it is the manner in which they approach the game, and always play with their likeable and gentlemanly approach, which makes them respected as well as endearing.

Here's to New Zealand, and more power to countries like you!!
Well done India, and dear New Zealand, there is no loser in this series, but more power and respect to you!

Happy Dashehra!!

Dashehra is a Sanskrit word which means removal of ten bad qualities within you*:
*Ahankara* (Ego)
*Amanavta* (Cruelty)
*Anyaaya* (Injustice)
*Kama vasana* (Lust)
*Krodha* (Anger)
*Lobha* (Greed)
*Mada* (Over Pride)
*Matsara* (Jealousy)
*Moha* (Attachment)
*Swartha* (Selfishness)

Hence, it is also known as *'Vijaydashami'* signifying *”Vijaya”* over these ten bad qualities.

आइये दशहरा मिल के मनाएं...
खुद के रावण को हर रोज़ गिराएं ||

आप सभी को दशहरा पर्व की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें!!

*" Happy Dashehra !!"*

Well done, Bangladesh!!

Finally, after many years, Bangladesh has attained a Test victory over Australia!

Yes, it was on home ground, but the fact that it was over Australia, and the fact that it was achieved in a tough contest, makes it so special and commendable.

It is time for the Bangladeshi cricketers and cricket-loving public to take pride and also use this inspiring and historic win as a springboard for future successes.

Sachin Tendulkar grew up on the heady rush we all felt on seeing Kapil Dev lift the World Cup in 1983.
Cricketers like Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli grew up watching Sachin smash bowlers all over the world and dominating every type of attack on every type of pitch and match situation.

It could be just a match and Australia can always come back.
But the moot point is that matches and victories are more than just statistics.

What a stat would not tell you is how the victory impacted the cricketers and the nation.

It cannot put a metric to what the victory achieved, by way of inspiring and propelling the country and its cricket to another level.

So here's to Bangladesh cricket and its cricket-loving audience: Hope you get better through this win and evolve further to realize your true potential...well done and good luck for future!!

Time to uncork the bubbly!

It is always easier and more visible to take pride in men's cricket.

But this post is about the Indian ladies who outshone just about every opponent that came in their way, in their outstanding performances in the Women's Cricket World Cup held in England.

Of course, beating hosts England in the final, and winning the World Cup would have only made it perfect.
And yes, it was a chase we should have got to, after dominating the match situation for pretty much 75% of the final.

Despite that, we still performed commendably and there is no shame in being finalists of a World Cup! :)

We are proud of you ladies!
Well done, more power to you, and hope you go the extra mile in future tournaments!

Go India, go!!

Time to conquer West Indies

Well, the Champions Trophy is done and dusted.
Unfortunately, this one time, we won the battle against Pakistan (in the league stage) but lost the war (come the final).
Congratulations to Pakistan on a great final, and an even greater comeback into the tournament.

Despite that forgettable outing, the Indian team can still hold its head high for the quality of cricket they showed.
The fact that our bench strength could make it to most Playing XI lineups is a statement in itself.

Time now, for the West Indies series.
It is a turbulent time too in Indian cricket - with Kumble having hung his boots in his own, quiet way.
Ravi Shastri has thrown his hat in the ring and looks all set to join forces with Virat - the two making their partnership and association quite legendary already.

So here's hoping the Indian team keeps us occupied more with its on-field shenanigans than with all the off-field exploits.

So here's to Team India..go India go, conquer the Caribbean shores, for it is hopefully only the beginning for many more away tours, and many more memorable victories!
Jai Ho!

Go India Go!!

Four years ago, MS Dhoni completed his trophy cabinet, by winning the Champions Trophy (too), in 2013.

With this, India (and Dhoni, as captain), had won each of the major, coveted tournament titles that are up for grabs in the cricketing world - after the Test # 1 position, and the ODI and T20 World Cup victories.
Note: Of course, for the record, India had won the Champions Trophy as joint winners with hosts Sri Lanka in the rain-marred final in 2002, but there is another joy in being the sole winners, with your hands not jostling for space, when the winner is asked to lift the trophy.

So - circa 2017 - it's Champions Trophy time, as India take on Pakistan in their very first encounter on June 04.

Here's my starting XI for the match:

  1. Rohit Sharma
  2. Shikhar Dhawan
  3. Virat Kohli (c)
  4. Yuvraj Singh
  5. M S Dhoni (wk)
  6. Kedar Jadhav
  7. Ravindra Jadeja
  8. Ravichandran Ashwin
  9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
10. Mohammad Shami
11. Jasprit Bumrah

I hope we have another great tournament in the offing.

All the best, Team India!!
Time for an encore of 2013!!!!

Happy Birthday Sachin!!

So, it's that time of the year again when we pay obeisance to a certain Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar!

Many happy returns of the day, to not just one of the best cricketers the game has ever seen, but even more importantly, a completely genuine and dignified superstar despite being a living legend.

Picture this for a moment:
You capture the imagination of your local area or even your state (in any field), as a precocious prodigy, while still in your teens - say 19. People throng to watch your talent unfold as your perform.
I'm sure we can imagine the expectations.
Feel the pressure.
The and hopes that rest on you and the subsequent adulation you receive if you succeed.
Tell me if you don't feel dizzied by the adoring fans and the unending compliments.

Now, raise the bar by only a 100 times.
Replace state with country/even the world.
And, replace 19 with 16!

Most importantly, replace adulation with media frenzy, constant talk about how critical you are, as you realize the fact that rightly or not, want it or not, the nation's success, failure, or even any mood - begins to hinge in direct proportion to whether you made it to triple figures or not.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar for you.

True, we have always had superstars in each era, and we will continue to have many.
But as I wrote in an earlier post right after his retirement, no one, NO ONE (including the great Gavaskar and Kapil) had ever been or will ever be in the same pressure, certainly not in the same situation of not knowing what to follow, who to look upto, when facing superstar-level fame.

We love you, Sachin.
May you continue to stay grounded, humble, and remain an inspiration to everyone, not just on how to bat well and maintain balance on the pitch while batting, but also to excel off the field, in being a good human being and maintain that equanimity amidst any amount of success or failure.
May you stay blessed and have a wonderful, healthy and happy life for many years to come!!!

Best wishes!

Sincerely,
Just another of your zillion fans! :)

Chucking Feats!!

Well, as they say, he who laughs last, laughs best.

Even after we were trailing behind Australia, there was always this sneaking feeling that India will hit back and hit hard.

In my last post - AahUsTrailYeah (penned right after we lost the first Test), I had written about how we have all that it takes to bounce back and win:

"Eventual Result and Scoreline
Despite the loss, I still see India bouncing back, leveling scores, and eventually clinching the series.
So much for Us-Trail?Yeah!"

Just so happy to see that the Indian team turned the corner and actualized this prophecy!
Coming back, rebuilding from tough situations too, multiple people shining across each department of the game and the team displaying its mettle - truly befitting a No.1 side :)

There's another pleasing stat going around of us having beaten every Test team in our last/latest series against each of them.

Well, so much for Steve Smith abusing and discrediting Indians (Vijay), when a much more credible Australian by the name of Ian Chappell himself defended Murali Vijay's belief of having taken the catch!

Not to forget, the brazen hypocrisy of calling Vijay a cheat (that too, wrongly) for a subjective call (as proven by Chappell's stand himself), whereas labeling his clear transgression of cricketing rectitude by making DRS a DressingRoom Review System, as just a 'brain fade'!

Ever believed in things called Consistency and same rules for everyone, Mr. Smith?

Well, to him and others of his ilk, we need not bother or even respond, when our results and feats can do all the talking :)
The word isn't Fucking Cheats, Ms. Smith.

We'd rather say Chucking Feats - enjoying chuckling over feats in front of you, after having beaten you, fair and square!!

So here's to even more chuckling, Team India - both at home and overseas :)
As I said, he who chuckles (laughs) last, chuckles (laughs) best :)

Jai Ho, Team India - truly World Number 1 and here to stay :)

AahUsTrailYeah!

That's right, mate!
Believe it or not, we have received a shellacking from the Austraalllyans in Pune.

As we head onto Bangalore for the next match trailing 0-1 in the four-match Test series, the writing on the wall is amply clear: Good (Rude) morning Team India - Wake up call!!

Time we pulled our socks up and correct the blunders we committed in the last match.

Here's what I believe:

Pitch
While there is no denying that the Aussies completely outbatted us in Pune, it is equally true that the kind of pitch we saw there, would not be the same across other venues.
Yes, Virat Kohli did not blame anyone but the batting for the inept performance.
But as much as he was honest in introspecting, he might also have been brave in discounting the impact that it had on the game.

Couple this with the fact that we dropped so many catches and lost a very good toss to win, and you know, the tables could well have turned had we batted first (and well) on the same pitch.

My expectation: I think the pitches in the remainder of the series will still be turning pitches but without the amount of turn or bounce that Pune offered, from Day One.

What that would do, is to make it a typical Indian wicket, best for batting on the first 2 days, kind of progressively getting tougher from Day 3, to then start breaking more, taking turn, and also generate uneven bounce, on Days 4 and 5.

Playing Eleven
I think Kohli will need to make sure that he puts out the best Playing XI, most suited and most equipped in form as well as temperament, to suit the surface and dent the opposition as much as possible.

Karun Nair might make his way into the eleven at the expense of a bowler (Jayant?) and there is also the possibility of Ishant being sacrificed for Bhuvi.

Eventual Result and Scoreline
Despite the loss, I still see India bouncing back, leveling scores, and eventually clinching the series.
So much for Us-Trail?Yeah!

Here's hoping each wish comes true :)
Go for it, Team IndiYeaah!!
Jai Ho!!

YouWe Can!!

Happy New Year all of that to all the readers!!

Talking of years, years will come and go, but there are people who take your breath away with the persona that they exude!

Yuvraj Singh, the wonderboy of Indian cricket (along with a certain Virender Sehwag) in the 2000s, just helped us clock back to those glorious years, a few nights ago.

Along with another gem who goes by the name of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the two made us relive our age, making us believe we all were a decade younger, living again in those times!

What a knock by both Yuvraj and Dhoni, to first rescue India and then to helm us onto a commanding position, thanks to their knocks.

Two tributes to Yuvraj that come straight to my mind here:
I read this somewhere and it seemed so apt and worth sharing:

We all love Sachin for his perfection.
We adulate Dravid for his temperament.
We salute Ganguly for his self-belief.
We admire Laxman for his timing.
We idolize Dhoni for his coolness.

But when it comes to Yuvraj, what catches the eye the most through his game and strokes, is why we fell in love with the game (batting in particular through him) in the first place!

Just the clean hitting and that awesome sound of ball being met by the center of the center of the bat!
And ofcourse, that effortless and poetic followthrough, ensuring that once he hits the ball, it stays hit.

I will always remember something that he said.
When, at the peak of his powers, straight after being Man of the Series in the winning World Cup team of 2011, he was diagnosed with cancer, someone asked him: why only you?
Doesn't the thought cross your mind, why did it have to happen to me? Now? Only me? Why?

I will never forget the words with which the man replied: When I won the World Cup as an Under 19, I never asked God why did you select only me?
When I got into the Indian team I never asked God why only me?
When I hit 6 sixes, I never asked when only me?
When I won the World Cup and the Man of the Series, I never asked Him why only me?
So why now?
:)

Amazing, wonderful, and heart warming.
That is why Yuvraj remains the greatest of comeback of stories and that is why his success is appreciated and enjoyed by not just him but many more, all over!
Thanks a ton Yuvi, for making your success and comebacks an inspiration to always be steadfast, courageous and keep striving tirelessly.
Each success you achieve is a botox shot for everyone to learn from you, to rise like a phoenix from every disaster, every failure, much stronger and better, every time!
Thank Yuvi, for teaching that we all can embrace any success even after any failure(s)!
You and we always can!
To the perennial emotional favorite of many if not all, dear Yuvi, YOU WE INDEED CAN :)