Che, Virat and the Essence of Life !

An old quotable quote goes like, "Those worried about what would happen to next generation should stop worrying. The next generation will grow up and start worrying about next generation". Quite right !

In 1987, when Sunil Gavaskar retired, everyone was asking, "After Sunny, who ?" This was the worry on the minds of every Indian Cricket fan. We had Mohammed Azaruddin followed by Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virendar Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. An entire golden generation of batting stalwarts.

Today, Dada Ganguly is long gone. The Wall retired before the season began and VVS has hung his wrists at the beginning of the ongoing series. A lot of people would love to see Sachin Tendulkar bat till he is 100. But he has to go sooner than later. For all the doubters, there have always been people like me, who believed everyone including Tendulkar will some day be replaced.

The recent humongous exploits of Virat Kohli in ODI Cricket and the wonderful century of Cheteshwar Pujara at Hyderabad has once again proved this as a fact of life.

Are they talking about next generation ?

India's batting is in safe hands. It always will be. Retiring now won't be selfish Mr. Tendulkar but fairly appropriate. If you retire before a tough tour of Australia or South Africa, then THAT would be considered selfish.

10 - 12 years from today, Cricket lovers in India will be worried, "Who after Che, Virat and Co ?"

Sahir Ludhiyanvi's Classic Poetry immortalized by Khayyam's music and Mukesh's voice quite sums up the essence of life. Time and tide truly wait for none and all of us will become history someday. Yes, even Usain Bolt, Rajnikanth and Sachin Tendulkar !

मुझसे पहेले कितने शायर आये और आकर चले गए
कुछ आहें भर कर लौटगए कुछ नाघ्मे गाकर चले गए
वह भी एक पल का किस्सा थे, मै भी एक पल का किस्सा हूँ
कल तुमसे जुदा हो जाऊंगा वह आज तुम्हारा हिस्सा हूँ !

कल और आयेंगे नाघ्मों की खिलती कलियाँ चुननेवाले
मुझसे बहेतर कहेनेवाले तुमसे बहेतर सुननेवाले
कल कोई मुझको याद करे, क्यूँ कोई मुझको याद करे
मसरूफ ज़माना मेरे लिए क्यूँ वक़्त अपना बर्बाद करे ?



SPun Doctor Also blogs @ http://diehardcricketfans.org/category/contributed/govind-raj-shenoy/

Sree No Evil, Here No Evil !

Sreesanth: Bridle Him but Don't Smother Him

The so called Enfant Terrible of Indian Cricket is back. Back through the back door. I am not complaining.

But am I happy ? I am, I am. Not because Sree is from my adopted town Kochi. Not because I like Sree. But because, this World Cup needs Characters.

We will miss Symonds. Hayden, McGrath and Nel too will be missed. Dada has retired. We don't know when Show Pony Shoaib Aqthar will break down. Ponting isn't sure either. Asif and Amer stand no-balled. The lacuna created by the retirement of Warne is tough to be filled.

I just don't see any characters. Same Dhoni, Strauss, Tendulkar, Dan, Sanga and Binga; all talking goody goody nothings. How boring it all could have been ? It just isn't fair to expect Bhajji and less than a handful of people to entertain us when the going gets too serious.

So welcome Sree, we are happy for you. I feel bad for 'Pahelwan' Praveen. He definitely is our best new ball bowler. But Sree isn't far behind when the seam is in line and his head too is fine.

I hear a lot of noise about his temperament and tantrums. But I really feel all this is a little too overblown. Andre Nel, Glenn McGrath, Javd Miandad, Allen Donald and many others including our own Bhajji have behaved much worse on field. But only Sree gets all the bad press and negative vibes even from his own Captain.

When he was slapped by Bhajji during IPL-1, Bhajji got the suspension but Sree got all the bad publicity. Some people even went to the extent of rejoicing the episode. Ishant Sharma has been much more expensive but only Sreesanth's economy rate becomes an issue of prime time debate. Totally unfair.

Never consider me a supporter of bad behavior. But a little bit of aggression on field by an Indian bowler goes a long way in restoring the balance. The balance in favor of our beleaguered batsmen, who have been accused 'Flat Track Bullies'.

I have always believed Indian batsmen are exploited with 'short pitched barrage' by opponents mainly because our own bowlers don't give it back as well as they get. Just see the result when Sree bounced out Kallis with a beast at Durban. That aggression is what we need.

Aggression he indeed brings in tonnes. Dhoni reprimanded him when any other Captain would have patted him. Sree got the goat of Smith and then his wicket. He demolished the myth that only Indian batsmen were weak against bouncers. And what he got in return ? A public admonition from his Captain.

Hope Dhoni will be smarter this time. Sree is a passionate Cricketer who wants to take wickets and win matches for his country. He has done well in recent times in all forms of Cricket. He needs the support of his Captain and his Country. Bridle him for sure. Rein him in to certain extent, fine. But please don't smother him.

Allow him to breathe and he could be breathing fire. We need the fire and the passion !




S-Pun Doctor

Beyond the Deadlines : Vasachari's Mantap !

There was this famous incident that became a local legend in our small town of Karkala decades ago. It remains a point of reference even today.

A rich man's daughter was getting married. The Bridegroom and his party were to arrive from a nearby village in the morning on wedding day. The small community didn't want to compromise on quality and status. It was a matter of prestige. So the preparations were going on with a lot of  fanfare.

The bride's family wanted the 'Mandap' or 'Pandal' to be erected by none other than the expert carpenter of town, 'Vasachari'. He consented and started work the previous day. He had assured the completion of work in time. Next morning, he was still fixing a rod here and driving a nail there even as the groom's party arrived.

In the din of receiving guests and honoring them, the brides family altogether forgot the 'Work in progress'. But our man was dedicated to the core. His work went on and on and on even as the marriage ceremony began and was duly solemnized after prolonged rituals lasting over 6 hours.

Later in the evening, at the time of 'Bidai' or 'Farewell' ceremony of the bride; people noticed Vasachari and his disciple still working on the Mandap. He was just about giving finishing touches to his master-piece. When told that the function was long over; he reacted, "Well, my work too is over".

After this incident, if the preparations for any event got delayed; people started telling, "Oh yet another Vasachari's Mandap in the making !"

First we had CWG fiasco and now the Eden tragedy. The media would like us to believe India always manage to get into the hall of shame. But is this really so humiliating as is made out to be ?

I would say no, a Big NO !

This simply is a trait for us. Like it or leave it, this is what we are. The problem with us is that we hate to reach anywhere ahead of schedule. For the rich and the famous, that is below dignity. For small people like me, it is a way of life. Just like guzzling beer for the Aussies and worrying about the human rights of terrorists for Arundhati Roy.

But why ? Why do we hate to be early ? We all know the big people will be late. So we have to wait and wait really long. We also get caught in traffic. And never discount problems like the premature delivery of a she-buffalo in the neighborhood.

In spite of all the hurdles and hiccups, CWG went according to schedule and was a success. So it would have been with Eden if only the ICC had shown some patience. Alas, ICC is not IOC and Shashank Manohar isn't Kalmadi. Neither is he Lalit Modi, and that is unfortunate.

I cannot but suspect some politics in this. Is it to spite the Dalmiya group that the Pawar-powered ICC disqualified Kolkotta ? We still have to recover from the Dada snub by IPL. Anything is possible !

But coming back to our culture and nature, working till the last moment and even beyond is indeed our style. Starting from a simple annual day function at a Primary School to the AICC meeting at Delhi and the CWG, the preparations have to go on till the curtains go up.

What worth is any event that is not botched up in the beginning but ends up "All is Well" ? We love to overcome problems, hurdles and mutinies. If there aren't any, we love to create them and then triumph over them. Like Vasachari, we believe in working irrespective of deadlines.

Will Eden get a chance ?




S-Pun Doctor