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! :)