Back to Winning Ways!!

139 days: June 23, 2011 - November 09, 2011
Finally, after enduring a horrid tour of England, and having relinquished their numero uno crown in Test cricket in the interim, we are back - back to winning ways!!

Okay okay, I know it's only one match, only against a rather average Carribbean side (who too had their moments in the match), on our home turf and all that. But I have already dwelt on that earlier, right after England.
This moment is not a time for that.
This moment is a time to enjoy getting back on track, and staying focused for even better, bigger, thumping victories consistently. And hopefully, against every opposition, in all conditions.

Just like a Test hundred or a fiver-for (ask Sachin or Ashwin for corroborations), any win in Test cricket anywhere, is cherishable. I repeat, any Test win, against anyone, anywhere.

Yes, a great team/individual performance against an above-par team, in adverse situations, against a quality attack, et al is always cause for more cheer alright.
However, to use a Sunil Gavaskar trite as an anagram here - 'It was a full toss alright, but it still had to be put away'.

However easy it may sound, a Test win always has a happy ring to it.

If anything, let's hope it's a precursor for greater glories ahead (read Australia)!!
Amen, go well Team India, and well played, bwaayzz!!!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Prime Minister!!

Yes alright, I do know that he ain't the Prime Minister anymore.
Yes, many have also come and gone (and again come and again gone) after Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.

However, to me, if there is any one politician I have always looked up to, without fail, and always felt inspired, it has always been Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.

To me, the term or designation of a 'Prime Minister' in the real sense of the word, is not someone who simply happens to occupy that chair at that given point of time. No sir/madam, won't do for me.
To me, the term does not just refer to any PM who has been a PM or is even seen as an incumbent, PM-material.

To me, a Prime Minister is someone who has led from the front, with example, dignity, courage, integrity, and most of all, worked with genuine values along with taking every action keeping in mind, the true care and concern for his people.
Which is why, Shastri ji, to me, is truly a 'prime' minister among all Prime Ministers past and present, and of course a jewel who outshone and shall always outshine any and every minister/MP I have ever seen/known.

No wonder, I have always genuinely believed him to be a true Bharat Ratna, in every sense of the term:

Led by example
In today's times, the government of the day puts the Anna Hazare's of today behind bars for fasting peacefully, how many Netas (forget PMs!) can you expect to see who would lead by example?
Can we, in our sane minds, expect our PMs to go on fast for a day each week, and THEN, (remember only THEN) appeal to the country to follow suit?
And all of this not for publicity, but just with the noble intention of the sheer welfare and self-reliance of our nation.

Austerity
For all his deeds and popularity, he remained the most simple, soft-spoken, dignified and humble gentleman you can ever know.
Despite having become a Prime Minister, there were hardly any assets he left for his own (or his kin's) self.
Forget today or later, just how many in the entire world can do that? Ever?

Integrity
There is a train accident, and nobody bays for the Railways Minister. However, the Minister himself, voluntarily puts in his papers without any fuss, taking complete responsibility for the accident.
No, I am not referring to Satyug. I am just referring to a Yug Purush who happened to be the Railways Minister then.

What a great day today, the 2nd of October indeed is - two of my favorite personalities who have led by example and led austere, simple as well as upright lives, were born on this day!

However, what I always find all the more laudable is that though Gandhiji never entered active politics, Shastri ji did do so, and still remained as clean, as respected and as honorable as always (in fact, even more!), without getting besmirched in that mud-slinging, vitriolic gutter called politics.

So while we always (and ofcourse, rightly and most deservedly) remember our beloved Bapu today, I feel that somehow, we tend to not remember Shastri ji even half as much.
Here's to you, Sir - the little big man of Indian politics and my favorite political leader ever - Happy Birthday!!
If only we could get some leaders even a fraction as good, as upright, as sharp and as humble and still as genuinely simple as you, there's no stopping our country!!

A Sincere Appeal

I am sure all of us in India (especially in NCR/North India) must have heard about the horrific news about the killing of a 22-year young toll plaza attendant.

Fault: As per his duty as the toll plaza attendant, he asked for the toll fee from the hooligans who were commuting through the toll road.

Well, one can go on about the state-of-affairs and cry ourselves hoarse about why people do what they do.
Why are so many of us getting intoxicated through the high of a few extra notes in the pocket, or a weapon within arm's reach?

But, I would prefer to not dwell on these things. For, these are not the things that are within my control.
I'd rather share about what is in our - your and my - control.

Here's what we can and MUST do.
This link contains information about the details of Umesh's family and how we can send across our financial assistance to them.

Apart from just sympathizing with the absolutely innocent victim and his family, and deploring the hooligans and our inept system for a few moments before moving on with our lives, let's help in whichever way possible.

It's a humble, sincere request/appeal: Please DO help the bereaved family, if you can - through cheque or online transfer. (details are available within the link)

Although we might not be able to bring Umesh back, atleast a little assistance from us could go a long way in redeeming the financial condition of his helpless family.

Dear Team India

As a popular joke would have me believe, it was a good tour for us. We beat 3 teams: Sussex, Kent and Leicestershire. And lost to only one: England :|


A lot of water has flown through the Ganges (or through the Thames, if you'd like) since the time I last wrote about the Indian cricket team's travails in England.

Despite the fact that we had lost poorly in the first Test, I was still hopeful of a turnaround in our fortunes.
Well, turn they did, only to turn circularly - to effect a 0-4 drubbing in the Tests, a 0-1 in the lone T20 match, and a 0-3 scoreline in the ODIs.

I saw most of the massacres live, and I am still searching for a silver lining in our performance. Nevertheless, there is still no doubt that we can only do better in the upcoming series.

In a contrived and convoluted sort of way, I am quite happy in a way that we lost so badly.
Despite the injuries, the spate of below-par performances, and the weather playing truant especially on the few India was in commanding positions, we cannot say with hand on heart, that we deserved to hold on to the #1 spot in Test Cricket after our performance.

I am happy with our whitewash because I have a hope that this shall rankle us. Hurt us. Remind us.
I wanted to write about all this now,  because I do expect most Indian batsmen to score big and plunder attacks at will in the ensuing encounters at home.
Not for a moment am I not valuing their ability in home conditions. I just wanted to write this today to ensure I register my thoughts and rankling from the English summer somewhere so that next time we hit a fast bowler outta the park, we do not lose perspective of what we've still got to accomplish.

But as the Champions League razzmatazz gets underway, and our stars find their own in familiarly docile conditions, let us not forget that if we manage even 80% of what we do at home, we shall be consistent away-series winners.

It's been a while since we lost, let alone lost so badly. So hopefully, such a smattering which has come after a string of commendable and at least respectable away-series performances, shall prove to be more an aberration than a portent for things to come. However, as they say, those who forget their history, are condemned to repeat it.

While there is no reason why we should not be more patient and understanding about the highs and lows that any team and core group of players inevitably goes through, let us also try our best to learn from the tour and not forget those lessons as we rebound at home and ride on the crest of domestic success again.

Let us not forget the mistakes and shortcomings to work on, when we hit the next knee-length ball out of the park.
While we respect, enjoy and love all the talent and ability on display at home, let us not forget that we are not true champions till we conquer all frontiers.
Let us enjoy being the champs at home, but let us savor etching the Indian flag on Australian, South African, and English soil, more than just defending our crown at home.