To A Happy 2012 (& Beyond)!!

Alright, considering that this is the first post on this blog in 2012, lemme start off with Happy New Year and all that!
Now that I have spoken of the New Year, it is perhaps only complementary that I also talk about my resolution for the new year (and no, I won't say kill you with lame ones like my new year resolution is gonna be 1024 x 768 pixels).
Specific to this blog, I would like to ensure that beginning this year, I blog more on stuff apart from just cricket.
Having said so and continuing with the tradition of breaking new year resolutions at the first given opportunity, here's the new year's first post - on: er, surprise surprise, Cricket!

No seriously, I write more non-cricketing stuff and thereby, hope to live up to my blog's tagline (Something or the other... about ...something or the other!).
If nothing else works and I cannot seem to bring myself to write too much about anything that's not cricket, I shall still strive to live up to my blog's tagline. By changing the blog's tagline itself (easier, no?:P).

Anyway, enough of trivial talk - onto my thoughts about the 'Agneepath' series we have been playing/enduring (depending on whether you are one of the eleven Indians on the field or the billions outside).

While the year has indeed been new, it has been far from a happy one for the Indian cricket team, much less the hapless Indian cricket fan and well-wisher.
Come to think of it, it is not even new, in the sense that the same old story of being totally toppled over when touring overseas, has come back to haunt us, a la England, 2011.

So much for the pre-series billing of this being India's best chance of beating Australia in Australia.

On the other hand, we must also remember and acknowledge that it's always easier to be wise in hindsight. How many of us were not happy (before Perth) with our batting order or advocated even one change from the top 6 batsmen who took the field in these Test matches?
How many of us actually believe, hand on heart, that we did not field our best batsmen in the first 2 Tests?

As I write this, it's Day 1 of the First Test between England and Pakistan with England on the mat at 105/7.
On days like these, I start thinking about the same old 'Imagine if India and Pak were one country, and we had Paki bowlers and Indian batsmen', but then..(on current performances), Indian batsmen?..er...forget it.

Now what?
As they say, let bygones be bygones. Jo hua, so hua.
The least we can and must do, is to look for solutions and long-term fixes than just lament over results not being to our liking or indulge in any blame games.

Here is what I believe must happen in the Indian cricketing fraternity and within our cricketing 'system':

Improve the Standard of Domestic Cricket

• By domestic cricket, I do not mean the IPL. I would like to see better, sporting, lively pitches instead of the dead dodos we have, for our Ranji, Duleep and Irani Trophy matches.
• Let India A tours be regularly scheduled to England, South Africa and Australia, apart from countries with more or less amenable/similar conditions.

Spot, Persist with, and Nurture Talent

• Groom and blossom players irrespective of their scores at domestic level only or even the 'runs' scored. Give importance to the way the player performs.The areas a bowler operated in, more than just the wickets he took.
• The way a batsman applied himself, more than just the runs he made.As they say, if the processes and basic ingredients are in place, the results will follow for sure. We must nurture such players who show the right temperament, attitude and skill level (not just runs/wickets) - especially on English, SA, and Aussie soil.

An Indian Argus
High time we have a selection committee that is a) not by zonal basis and b) gives players the room to fail/prosper for sure. Let no cricketer be unsure of his place for atleast the first 5 matches of his career. That should not be such a bad thing to do.

Replace Being Reactive with Being Proactive
Last but not the least, being proactive in dealing with the fitness and concerns of our cricketers.
Check this out - the first and last paragraphs of this article are especially note-worthy.

The fact that the Board tracked the common (possible) reason for the injury to the speedsters and the fact that they anticipate the future and plan for it:
"..we knew the workloads had been very high for the likes of James Pattinson and we had to make sure players were ready to go. Part of it is mitigating injury and part of it is making sure the next guys are raring and ready to go. We know players will be injured .."

Only when we are able to make such honest, concerted efforts would we able to ensure a better and happy 2012 and even beyond.

Why this Kolaveri, ji?

One of the reasons why cricket is (hard-nosed realists might hasten to say 'was') labeled as a gentleman's game, is because of the impeccable, sporting and disciplined conduct by everyone on the playing field.
In fact, the sport and the conduct of its players used to be held in such high esteem that any unscrupulous act was coined with the term 'this is not cricket'!.
Can you imagine anyone making such a remark using any other sport as a metaphor?

This is what makes cricket different from other sports such as soccer, tennis, etc. where at least some level of intolerance is often passed off without being reprimanded.

And to then see, a shining young star of the Indian team, Virat Kohli in the latest instance as of yesterday, not only showing his dissent openly, but even abusing the umpire, was downright disappointing, to say the least.
Article 2.1.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct about "showing dissent at an umpire's decision" is quite clear and unambiguous too.
And even if it were not, is it not clear to us, that the umpire is the sole authority, who should not be disputed, least of all abused, in public?

I am a great fan of Virat Kohli's talent and he doesn't need a certificate from me anyway. The fact that he has made it to the international stage and is shining there too, is proof enough of his ability. What is terrible, though, is that he is making his mouth bigger than his bat. That too, to spew profanities.
Alright dude, you might have got a terrible (debatable) one, but he could have been disappointed, not disgruntled.

The most important and unfortunate point is: this was not the first time Virat has committed such an offence.

Time and again, one has seen Kohli expressing his anger at even taking a catch, throwing the ball, abusing an opposition player or umpire, and getting away with it.

One would like to know what gets inside the head of such otherwise gifted, intelligent and talented stars that they behave so abominably?

It is not even as if it's aggression. Aggression (if positive) is like alcohol intake. Your limit, propensity, ability or capacity for aggression would be different from mine.
Again, it is acceptable only if it can be controlled and handled within permissible limits of decency and propriety of public behavior.

Like the popular rage these days, the Kolaveri song, which roughly translates to 'Why this murderous rage?' - one would like to ask Virat and others of his ilk about their behavior - Why, oh why, this Kolaveri?!!

Please also note here, it is not just a Virat or an Asian. This malaise afflicts cricketers from all countries today, and the sooner we get rid of such sledgers and brats or their attitude, the better.

In this light, I also have a question/action item for the sport's governing body:
Why does the ICC not dock the cricketer's bulk of the fee (if not the entire amount)? Is just a reprimand, a 'don't-do-it-again' good enough? Especially, when a cricketer is found guilty for an offence for the second time (or more)?

On the positive side, such incidents make you admire Sachin even more. He has had countless decisions that have gone against him, in the last 22 years and more. He sure had been disappointed on all such occasions. However, one struggles to recollect even one instance when he has, through his verbal or even non-verbal behavior, crossed the line between disappointment and dissent.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman: RESPECT.

No wonder, you guys have been such a strong middle order for us. You have not only added the spine to our line-up with your abilities with the bat, but also added your character, your respect and your love for the sport.
After all, if you humbly accept the decision of the official entrusted to make the decision, then be it right or wrong, by accepting that decision, you only reflect your love and respect for the game that you love.

What often also beats me completely, is how people take a catch, pick a wicket, or score a 50 or 100 and get so worked up, and angry.

Are we remembering one-upmanship or showing the others how good/right/powerful I am, more than simply playing genuinely for the love of the game?
Would we get so hyperactive and insane on taking a catch/wicket/hitting a hundred, if we were playing for the sheer love for our game?

To everyone who says it is aggression that spurs people to greater heights,
Just these names/facts speak for themselves: Courtney Walsh, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev.

Despite the fact that the West Indian team of the 70s and 80s was the most ferocious and lethal team (as much as, if not more than the Aussies of the 90s and 2000s), they were and still are the most loved.
I'm afraid not many outside of Australia can say the same of the Aussie team of Waugh and Ponting.
Why?
While the latter played one-upmanship, sledging-filled (euphemistically called mental disintegration by Steve and team) cricket, the Windies played hard on the field, but still with a lot of sportsman spirit and love for the game.
Off the ground, they were the most gentle, affable and loving people around.

The choice is ours - who do we want to emulate?
Virat Kohli and others, I rest my case.
As I said, just need to ask yourself: Why this Kolaveri, ji?! :-)

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!!