Its funny how in the past 6 months (that coincided with my hiatus) the world’s most followed and fancied cricket team has managed to both conquer the zenith of the sport in winning the World Cup on 2nd April and than nose dive to unfathomable lows thereafter, marked by a 3rd straight test defeat in England that ended just yesterday. Infact the latest result meant India passed the much heralded No. 1 spot in test cricket, considered by the pundits and players alike to be the most challenging of the 3 formats, to a much improved and hence deserved English side.
Test 3 : Day 4 - Tendulkar run-out
The contrast in the mood of the Indian cricket fraternity including its fans (read me) in the morning after i.e. April 3rd and August 14th cannot be more stark. The spring Sunday wore a proud crown that read “The Conquerer” and the summer counterpart boarded a ship to the oblivion land that read in bold red “The Vanquished”.
The Indian media celebrated April by running from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to find superlatives and adjectives in tying laces and garlands around the sore necks of the playing XI, the bench, the support staff and the selection committee. I am as certain if not more that it is the same bunch who are thristy for the team’s blood and will not stop until they taste it after yesterday’s debacle.
Having followed the game with undying passion mixed with relentless pursuit and optimism for team India since the early 90’s, I’d consider myself an Indian. As much as, if not more, than the nukkadwala panwari, to the big hearted autowala bhaiyya, to the blue collared over analytical banker to the over enthusiastic chest thumping high school kid and we all have an opinion. Especially when it comes to the whys and hows of Indian cricket, both on and off the field.
Learn to take a little break, like the power did on Day 3 : Edgbaston Test
And I am of the opinion that in the interest of the team and the sport we all love, its time we should all take it a little easy and focus on something else for a while instead. Let the players know for a change that we are not watching, reading or thinking about them. Neither because we know that they are too good and will stage a strong comeback, nor because they are beyond repair and hopeless. But just because as fans; we can. And as much as the players, we all deserve a break from Cricket.
Mayurzbrainspace 