Yes, it is heartbreaking.
Yes, another session of batting, even another 50-60 runs or so, and we should have been able to at least draw the match and share the trophy.
Yes, it hurts even more when you realize that our team came so close and yet, was so far.
But then, you see who you lost to.
You see who played better cricket over the entire length of the match.
You see how we still lost to a team that is truly THE most liked team for its conduct..
Haan thoda dard hua, par chalta hai.
And of course, you see this and it feels like the same wind is now blowing a lot better suddenly:
Yes, the world is a better place because of good, genuine people.
I'm pretty sure that both Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson are thorough gentlemen off-the-field.
It's just that when it comes to Kane, one can say that about him on-field too.
As regards Virat, for all the histrionics, the energy, the aggression, the animated + abusive send-offs, howsoever integral, natural, and 'necessary' they might seem to be to him, they pale in comparison to the classy and impeccable conduct of Kane.
I certainly believe that Kohli has no ill-will or personal grudge against anyone off-the-field but the reactions are in poor taste when you think whether such a person/cricketer (let alone a captain) can be a role model for the next generation. Great batsman yes, works for him yes, but do I want to advocate that as the way to be for others? I personally don't think so at all.
No coincidence then, that India is now a much fitter and more aggressive team under Kohli. On the other hand, Kane's team has one or two aggro folks but even they never cross the line and it is also largely thanks to Kane that the Kiwi team reflects its unflappable captain cool's personality.
There's been a lot of talk about how NZ had an unfair advantage in that the conditions suited them - true.
They even enjoyed the invaluable edge of having played two Tests just prior to the Big Final in English conditions - yes, tick that one too.
It's also true that they had a much easier road to the final, having played mostly at home and not having had to scrap for wins like India did in Australia against Australia despite historic setbacks and adversities.
And credit to India, we never complained or gave any excuses either.
Even Shastri or Kohli asking for a three-match final is justified and not a case of sour grapes. But by the same logic, should we then not apply the same rule before we celebrate 1983 - our win exactly 38 years ago as I write this today on June 25?
Even the more optimistic Indian would concede that had the finals been a best-of-three, India would have struggled to be World Champions then. And obviously, we know of many other winners too who could have lost to their opponent, had it been a three-match result.
So why complain now, especially in Tests where even over a 5-day period there are enough twists and turns? I am all for a best-of-three too but how do we schedule it? How do we stall the already crammed international cricket calendar and ask team to park one month of valuable time for the eventuality of them being in the finals for 15 possible days of cricket (excluding recovery breaks required in between)?
And even if we imagine that this does happen, atleast one of the three Tests could still get rained out or hampered by various factors like the weather, the pitch or the conditions favoring one finalist more than the other. What happens if we can have only 2 matches with 0-0 or 1-1? One might still crib what was the point then. A team might say there were unfair advantages to one finalist due to any factor like weather or toss or anything else too So while in an ideal world, it would be great to have three matches, I suspect even then, it might not be able to guarantee to a world where everyone will be happy for sure.
So let's make the big day count, till we find a better option. And let's not forget, how New Zealand behaved after the tied final, which they eventually lost in the 2nd Super Over! In a World Cup final!
So while Kohli has not said anything wrong, let's remember how Kane and NZ behaved when they lost the way he did in the World Cup final. I still remember that even at the height of dejection, how Kane remained so graceful and calm without making any statements about rules and the cruel hand that fate dealt to him.
And therein, lies the greatness and likeability of Kane and New Zealand. Which is also why, they remain almost every no-Kiwi citizen's second-favorite team (right after the person's home nation team).
Well done, India and New Zealand - despite all the rains, despite all the delays, you put up a spectacle worth watching and it was quite fitting to get a championship winner on the last hour of the last (6th) day's play.
