Belching on a wholesome chicken sandwich watching the first T20 match in the India-Pakistan goodwill series, a ghastly feeling stung me at my workplace.
Like many of my Indian counterparts, I held a cricket bat in my hand way before I could hold a pencil. On murkier days, in the wilderness of Lonavla, when India lost a cricket match, conversations were always smothered with India’s downfall and Kaminey’s for the day. Every galli, nukkad, or katta in town was buzzing with Prasad’s shitty slow deliveries or Kumble’s kombdi-dives (This was the era when the Tendulkar’s, Azhar’s and Jadeja’s were hoisting the Indian flag then).
Today the names have been replaced by the Kohli’s, Yuvraj’s and Dhoni’s, but the dhak-dhak still continues at 100 beats/minute.
I don’t follow Cricket anymore, Atleast not to the point I used to. But while browsing the e-papers today morning at work, I opened the homepage of the Timesofindia flashing the headline ‘India in tatters after Gambhi-Rahane’s opening stand.’ I don’t know if it was the Christmassy spirit or my slacking-off today, the cricketing instincts did push me to check out the scorecard.
India was re-building their innings after having lost their middle-order. Unknowingly, I kept my cricinfo tab open, only to return after a meeting to see Indians all out for 133. Long way to go India! Minimizing the explorer I went for a coffee break. While having coffee, my office which has some desi-heads over were buzzing with ‘Aee score kya hua?’.Sounded familiar, but had heard this back home. One of my superiors who for the most part of his life forget India, hadn’t been out of the US, was inquiring India’s position. The connection was strong.
The end- fatal. India lost by 5 wickets. Tweeple’s cursing the lower order for giving away wickets. Minute-by-minute updates,‘Do it for India!!!’, Dhoni mud slinging and so on…
Wow! That’s a lot of adrenaline flowing through the veins now. Why do we get so emotional about India’s cricket team? I don’t think its patriotism. It’s something different that elevates you to another level. Becoming nostalgic, tried remembering weird memoirs from the past, when streets really didn’t have any names, coz there was no one there on the eve of an India-Pakistan match or people turning off the television sets after Sachin’s wicket. For that matter, Ganesh-pan shop’s miniature television was always hoarded by thousands to get a glimpse of the score. Radio mirchi’s updates, BSNL’s chhakka. The works.
I think India’s Cricket craziness could be documented in a 500 page journal and ‘Yeh Dil would still want more’. A 2012 TIME’s magazine ’s survey revealed astonishing numbers about people from India being the 2nd most happiest people in the world after Mali.
That’s what the game has given the nation. Even the so-called cricketing Demi-gods know about the horrendous slaughterhouse treatment on their days of Zeroes. But, they are sure of the fact that India as a nation will continue to adore the sport and will cheer for them with full-throttle guffaw the next time they take the field.
