The end of my childhood

They say that after thirty, every birthday is a pain. You can feel that you are getting old. It’s no more fun now – celebrating birthdays. Well, I've had three birthdays since I turned thirty and I never felt the pain. They were as much fun as they were earlier. But not now. Because something happened.

Today I saw Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar walk out for the last time to bat.

I was happy at first, I felt fortunate enough to see him bat one last time. But then he played a brilliant cover drive off Shillingford for a four. And then it hit me. I will never be able to see that shot again in my life. Or the perfect straight drive, or the back-foot cover drive, or the upper cut, or the paddle sweep. This revelation came crashing down on me. Suddenly, my heart became heavier than lead.

That’s when I knew that now my childhood is officially over. This is the beauty of Sachin Tendulkar. If our lives were a facebook page, he was the timeline. Every significant moment of my life is remembered by me with respect to a Sachin moment somewhere around that. I made my first school switch when he hit his first century. 1998 was one of the worst years of my life but it was bearable because it was his best. I left my home for the first time to study just before his historic tour of Pakistan. I don’t remember the exact date when I proposed my girlfriend but I remember it was a day after he hit a century.

This is the true impact of Sachin Tendulkar. Especially on people of my age. We all have our Sachin stories. I remember the first time I saw him bat. What’s more incredible is, I also remember what I was wearing that time, what my dad was wearing. I remember that it was my English Grammar exam next day and how I pleaded with my mother to go and watch the batsman who made my dad shout like a kid.

He was a role model too (major understatement). Bowlers in my school would try to imitate McGrath and Donald. After bowling a bouncer they would come up to us and sledge, use curses, spit in front of us. We imitated Sachin. Look in the distance, practice the shot and re-adjust the crotch. All this time without noticing the bowler. Now I see young batsmen with tattoos imitating Virat Kohli.

The speech after the match was simple and yet brilliant. It was good to see that all the politicians, officials and senior players didn’t try to meddle too much and gave him his space to speak to his fans. I had almost forgotten the terrible knot in the stomach that I experienced on seeing Sachin walk back to the pavilion after getting out. All was lost when he got out; if I were alone, I would switch the TV off. It all came back today, watching him walk back to the pavilion. By the time he had finished his speech, the knot had tightened and there was also a lump in my throat.  Strangely, it felt nice to have that sinking feeling again - for one last time.

A week from now I will be thirty-three. But I know this time it will be different. The joy will be muted, because the child in me has retired. Thank you Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. For keeping that child alive for twenty-four years.

Seven months

Seven months is a long time. A lot can happen in seven months. A lot did happen in the last seven months.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Chatni


Two things happened in November - I joined a new software company (lets call it Chatni Computer Systems Ltd.) and the first part of the last part of the Harry Potter movies was released.
I have always been a huge fan of Harry Potter movies. It's not because of the excellent production values, or the scintillating special effects or the fact that it is the biggest movie franchise ever. I realized the reason after reading the books. It's the story. You get transported to a not-so-completely different world. A world where anything is possible with only one explanation (if you demand one, although you never seek any in Karan Johar movies) - magic. As kids we were always fascinated with magic, but the journey through adulthood taught us that unless your name happens to be Rajnikant (Voldemort never calls Rajnikant by his name), there is very little chance of performing it. This movie was no exception - it was brilliant. Infact, I'll go a little further and call it the best among the seven. The reason being that since it is split into two parts, it follows minimum deviation from the book. After watching this movie, one can feel the agony of waiting for the second part.
On the other hand, if you are a jobless software engineer working part time cleaning toilets in a hospital full of diarrhea patients, and Chatni is the only software company in the world, and is offering you a job, go back to cleaning toilets. When meeting hours are more than working hours, when words are more important than work and when there is more paperwork in procuring a pen and pad than the whole lot of Abdulkarim Telgi's fake stamp papers put together and multiplied by a decazillion times, you start wondering if you are working in an effing government office. Don't blame me for being extremely Gollumsque, quite a few people have left this company in utter frustration. One of them started a new software company of his own and is now quite a bit successful - ever heard of a certain Narayanmurthy and Infosys?


Tooti Haddi


Come December, I was very happy about completing a highly successful month (I became the best table tennis player of all people who joined Chatni on or after eighth November) in my new company. Then I took my first leave of absence from office, because of a wet road. My bike slipped, don't know if it was water or oil on that road (felt like water, tasted like oil), and I broke my arm. Although "broke" seems a tad too much since it was just a hairline fracture, but it surely feels a lot macho. But since there was a cast, "broke" seemed justifiable. Calls were made to the office and home, lectures were given about "Why a bike?..And not a car?" and I began wondering how to do "everything" with my left hand. Three weeks it took to take the cast off, plus one more week to completely straighten my arm, and in one more week I was again the best table tennis player of all people who joined Chatni on or after eighth November.


Chakrata and Chakrata (Beta Version)


On our anniversary, my wife told me that we'll go out somewhere. I agreed. Just go out, have dinner. It was cheap. I was happy. Then she explained. We'll go out means we'll go out of town. I still feel those two seconds were the happiest moment of my life. So, with a lot of deliberation and no planning, we decided to go to this obscure little town in Uttarakhand called Chakrata. It was listed in "52 Weekend Getaways from Delhi" and had a picture of snow capped mountains in a distance - that means a snow view if not snow itself - which persuaded me to go there instead of a sand bowl in Rajasthan. My wife would have enjoyed the drive if somebody else would have been driving. But since it was me, and there was almost forty kilometers of mountainous roads, she was, to some extent, oblivious of the unbelievably beautiful scenery that sped past us. The reason why Chakrata is so beautiful is because it is unfucked by man. It's a cantonment area so civilian construction is prohibited, hence few hotels. There is a small market where you can spot a rare tourist. A must-do is to try momos in Chandna's. Unbelievable chutney. There is a place called Deoban some twenty kilometers away and some thousand meters above. We were not ready for it. It was snowing when we reached there, saw a frozen pond, got caught in a snowstorm and got out of there just in time. Freezing. There are miles and miles of forests and lots of walks and treks. The hotel was a British era bungalow renovated to some extent, but still beautiful. And with an excellent view of the valley and an absolutely wonderful sunrise. I told the hotel manager - I'll be back.
My office mates are lazier than a dead cow. So it took a whole month to persuade them for a trip. Destination Chakrata, quietly and discreetly suggested by yours truly. It was different now, we were the ones whining about the driving. Words like bewakoof and sala which I used while driving with wifey became Bose DK and bhen***d, respectively. A simple romantic fire became a roaring bonfire with twelve talli software engineers shouting, singing, dancing, drinking, ROFL-LMAO-LOL-ing. This time we went to a waterfall called Tiger falls which was reached by a six kilometer trek. Five years of absolutely no physical exercise and a hundred kilos of my body mass made this trek brutal. But the moment you step into the waterfall pond, you forget all the fatigue. The romance of the first and the freedom and laundai of the second one made both the trips memorable.


28 years


On second thoughts, seven months do not seem a long time when you compare it with twenty eight years. If you ask me if I have any memories of twenty eight years ago, my answer would be - only one. I remember someone shouting and running around our house (may be my dad or my uncle) shouting, "Richards Out !!!...Richards Out !!!". As I have already mentioned, it was one of my favorite moments of Indian cricket history. Hell, I don't even remember 1987. After that, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar, I started following the game. Every world cup I prayed to God to make India lift the cup. But sometimes it was a cracked pitch at Eden Gardens, or hard pitches or chilly weather of England, or humiliation by Australia, or humiliation by Bangladesh. This time, the stage was set. God's last world cup, in India, and the final in Mumbai. Sometimes its a cliche, they've got to win...and how.


Its actually eight months now. But hey, masterpieces don't depend on deadlines.
 

My favourite moments in Indian cricket (Part 2)

Some more moments of pure joy...

7. Australia’s tour of India, 2001

After sweeping test series against India (yes, it started with India), Pakistan, New Zealand and West Indies, Australian juggernaut, having already broken West Indian record of 11 straight test wins, came to, according to their captain Steve Waugh, the final frontier. Things couldn’t have gone better. They pummeled India in the first test within three days. In the second test, they forced India to follow on. By the end of the third day, India was down four wickets and only Dravid and Laxman remained. On the fourth day, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamjee began their journey into Mordor. They will end up destroying the Invincible Ring. Such was the class of batting that nine bowlers were used and not a single wicket fell. Some brilliant bowling from Harbhajan and Sachin saw India registering an unbelievable win over the 16-on-the-trot-winners Australia. The Indians went to the third test match full of confidence. Sachin made a long-awaited century, unplayable bowling by Harbhajan, and a nail-biting chase by India in the fourth innings saw them win the final test match and with it, the series. Australia will have to wait some more to win a series in India.
Why I love it: Laxman became Very Very Special, Harbhajan became The Turbanator and Ganguly was promoted to Maharaja. I was studying for the chemistry exam next day and,at the same time, watching VVS and The Wall bat. At the end of the day I was sure India will be able to draw the match. That looked as a great achievement. But, the next day, after the exam, when I came to know that India actually won, I ran to my home hoping to catch at least the presentation ceremony. The comeback was nothing short of a miracle. And I, who has never seen one, will always brag about watching it live. Team India will never be the same again.


8. India vs England, Natwest Trophy Final, Lord’s, 2002

India played pretty well in that tri-series – losing only one match before the final. But Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain made brilliant centuries in the final to take England to 325 – a record for a Lord’s final. Things looked England’s way until India started its reply. Ganguly and Sehwag batted with such arrogance that there was every chance that the record would be broken. But this did not continued for long and wickets fell quickly. When Sachin got out, India were 5 wickets down for 146. Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif were more used to smashing quick runs at the end of an innings, but this time they had a major reconstruction job on their hands. And they did it in style. Nail-biting started after Yuvraj got out, but Kaif, being young and inexperienced, displayed maturity and kept his cool as if he had a hundred matches under his belt. Any of the three results were possible till the last over, it was that close a match. In the end, it was India who won the match, and the trophy.
Why I love it: It was the reaction of Sourav Ganguly that made me moist in my eyes. During the then recently concluded England's tour of India, Andrew Flintoff, after winning the last ODI in Mumbai, took off his shirt and waved it to the crowd. Everybody, including me, who witnessed that, felt utterly disrespected. But when Ganguly returned the gesture (and that too at Lord's), it signified that we Indians are no more the Mr. Nice Guys. So don't mess with us. More importantly, this win started the era where India would no longer heavily depend on the batting of Sachin Tendulkar. And no one was more happy about it than the Master himself.


9. The Small One, 2007

Nobody gave India a chance when Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly announced that they will not play in the T20 World Cup, and nobody was alarmed, because nobody gave a shit. MS Dhoni was named captain and he had a team which was vastly talented but very much inexperienced. What followed became history. India beat Pakistan in a bowl-out thriller, Yuvi hit 6 sixes against England after a spat with Flintoff (again telling the Union Jackasses that we are not Mr. Nice guys, don't mess around), won against teams like SA, Australia and Pakistan to win the cup. What was most heartening was to see this bunch of youngsters playing top quality, fearless cricket. They had nothing to lose so they never tried to prove anything, played like a unit, watching each other's back.
Why I love it: The joy, the celebrations, the experience. My roomies forced me to watch the whole final standing (according to them, India plays well when I stand and watch), which I obliged happily. The tension when Misbah took Pak very close, the O-mouths when he played the final shot in the air, the two second silence when psycho Sreesanth took the catch, the deafening shouts originating from our flat (and neighbouring ones), the victory lap and the presentation ceremony, and the streets of Noida with thousands of people shouting Chak De India and Jai Hind, these moments will remain forever in my heart.


10. India's tour of Australia, 2008

For the first time in my life I had some expectations from an Indian side going on a tour to Australia. They lost the first test, according to the tradition. The second test in Sydney was an example of how low a captain can go for a win. Despite India's loss and the whole Monkeygate affair, I felt a trickle of happiness that the mighty Australians considered India a big threat in their own den. But the real pleasure was the win at Perth. WACA was the last place on Mother Earth where I thought India could win a test match. But they did it. Sounds like a cliche - India lost the series but won the hearts. In the ODI series, Ricky Ponting was, for once, right when he said that there won't be a third final. India won the first two finals and with it, its first ODI series win in Australia since 1986.
Why I love it: My favourite moment of the tour was obviously the win in Perth. But there was one more moment in the ODI series, when in a league match Sachin hit Brett Lee for 3 fours in an over. The sheer disregard for a world class bowler, it decimated the Australian strategy and chances for a win defending that meagre total (they made 159). Those three boundaries set the pace for the Indian team which managed to win the series.

11. 200, Gwalior, 2010

Harry Potter won the Triwizard Tournament, Luke Skywalker killed the Sith lord and Frodo Baggins destroyed the ring. One can argue about if these three really deserved such a feat. But one thing no one can argue is Sachin Tendulkar making the first double century in One Day Internationals. No one was more deserving, though many thought that Sehwag or Gilchrist or Gayle would be the one to do it. A 37 year old cricketer, playing full 50 overs and half the balls in an innings, in cricketing world, is like Mother Teresa climbing Mount Everest. That innings was brilliant, that innings was astounding, that innings seemed impossible when you consider that he, a couple of years ago, was suffering from various injuries and was asked (or supposed) to retire from the game.
Why I love it: "The first person to make a double hundred in a One-day. And its the SUPERMAN from India. Take a bow Master." These words from Ravi Shastri made my day....and life.


These are the moments which tell me everyday that life never stops surprising you. Whenever I feel that I have lived my life and there cannot be anything that can make my day or cannot astonish me, I watch these clips (on youtube, ofcourse) and it restores my faith in a very old saying - "Don't count your chicks before they hatch."
Many people may not agree with some of the entries, or may want to add some more. They are welcome to do so, but as I said earlier, I, being me, don't care.

My favourite moments in Indian cricket (Part 1)

Today is a day of which I thought of only in my dreams. An India-Australia test series and India winning all the matches (although there were only two of them). I got that familiar feeling I get when I witness any great sporting moment. Trying to explain that feeling would be like teaching Macbeth to Lalu Prasad Yadav (totally unrelated). Anyways, the thing is, I remember the same feeling - moisture in eyes, tinge in the tongue, lump in the throat, fingers coming together to make a fist - when India won the Natwest at Lord's, or the 2007 T20 World Cup win.

That's why I've decided to pen down (or key down) the most memorable moments of Indian Cricket. Before doing that I would like to clear out some things. First, this list is highly biased. These moments are the ones occurring in my lifetime, i.e., I was there to witness them either personally or on TV or on youtube. That's why you will not find India's first ever test win over England in 1952, or the 400 plus runs chase in windies in 1976, in this list. Second, this list is chronological and not ranked. I can compare one or two entries but I can't rank all of them on the basis of awesomeness. Third, these are my moments. Some people may not agree with some entries and some may want to add some more.

I, being me, don’t care.

1. The Big One, Lord's, 1983

I was only 3 years old when this happened. Hence, it comes under the TV and youtube category. This feat can only be matched if India wins the next football world cup. India was David, West Indies was Goliath blah blah blah blah. What I liked the most was the smile on Kapil Dev's face when he ran to the pavilion after the win and again when he lifted the trophy. It was not a Miss-Worldsque oh-my-fucking-god-I-won smile. The smile was innocent, the smile showed joy. And most importantly, the smile said, "From now on, whenever you play against us, you better show some respect."

Why I love it: The repercussions of this win have been debated a million times but for me the most important one was, back home in Bombay, God was watching it. And he decided to play cricket  seriously.

2. Charity Match: Pakistan v India at Lahore, 10 Nov 1989

A reduced over charity match. Pakistan made 187. India needed 69 runs in the last 5 overs. But nobody was taking it seriously, except a small, curly haired boy who was making his debut in this series. He had other plans in his mind and when he lifted rookie leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed for two sixes, Mushtaq’s mentor, the legendary Abdul Qadir, went up to the boy and said, “Bachchon ko kyun maar rahe ho? Humein maar ke dikhao…”.  Big mistake. Big fucking mistake. He was hit for four sixes in that over. Lord Voldemort was defeated by a year old Harry Potter.
Why I love it: I was in fourth standard and the half-yearly exams were going on. I suddenly heard my dad shouting in joy. He never shouts while watching a match, unless he is with someone. I was more curious about who was the guest rather than what was going on. When I saw that dad was alone and there was this boy hitting sixes and fours, I was mesmerized. That boy became my hero. And I started playing cricket.

3. The Hero Cup Final, Calcutta, 1993

1993 was both a curious and important year. I turned thirteen and entered teenage. Economic reforms, started in 1991, were starting to take some shape. The country, on the other hand, was trying to stand up and brush off the dust of communal riots. And then came this win. Sachin Tendulkar, in the semifinal against South Africa, showed that he could win a match through his bowling also. In the final against WI, another player, with huge glasses came to the front and gave his best ODI performance – 6 wickets for just 12 runs.  Anil Kumble would go on to take 10 wickets in a single innings, but this night he won the match for India.

Why I love it: What I liked the most was not that India won a tournament, but the spectacle after that win. Tens of thousands of flames could be seen all around the stands. People lit up paper torches and firecrackers and the scene was unbelievable.

4. India vs. Pakistan, World Cup, 1996

The tension that mounts before an Indo-Pak match can only be matched by the Cuban missile crisis. Half an hour before the start of the match the tension was tangible. The streets were deserted, even the panwallahs were closing their shops. On TV, even the stadium looked silent. It was a knockout round match and when Sachin got out, hopes began sinking. The Indians batted quite well, but Ajay Jadeja, on the other hand, had different plans. He made 28 runs in a Waqar Younis over. Yes, you heard me right, he made 28 runs in a Waqar Younis, reverse-swing-yukt death over. There has been no one better than Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram in the death overs in all of the universe. These two can reverse swing the old ball to such a degree that no matter in which direction they bowl, the ball will meander along and hit the stumps. And Ajay Jadeja, chewing gum and smiling, hit that Waqar Younis for 28 runs.
Why I love it: Pakistan openers started explosively. Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar were literally toying with the Indian bowling. Sohail becomes over confident, smashes Venkatesh Prasad to the cover boundary, walks up to him, shows him the bat and gestures where he will send the next ball. Prasad is red-faced. He has two variations – the slow ball has already been hit for four, he tries the another variation – the slower ball, pitches it up, Sohail heaves, misses, and the stumps are no longer parallel. The moment. Prasad has adrenaline oozing out from his nose and ears. He gestures Sohail towards the dressing room. The crowd erupts. At that moment, we could have won back POK. India went on to win that match and enter the semifinals.

5.  India’s Tour of England, 1996

India was still recovering from the world cup semifinal defeat in Calcutta when they came to England in April. The weather was still chilly and the ball was flying across the pitch like it had wings of its own. India, according to the tradition, lost the first test in Birmingham. The second test was at Lord’s and things were not looking bright. England made a modest 344. India replied with 429. There were two debutants in that match who, along with Tendulkar, will go on and change history. One would become the most successful captain of India - Sourav Ganguly, and the other would become the most trusted batsman of all time – Rahul Dravid. Ganguly scored a century and Dravid scored 95. Had he scored 5 more runs, India would have become the only team whose two batsmen scored centuries in their debut innings.

Why I love it: The batting of Sourav Ganguly. The English pacers kept bowling on his off stump hoping to get an edge and he kept obliging them by hitting boundaries on the off side. Poor people, they thought that he is giving them chances by playing away from off stump. It will be later when they will come to know that on the off side, first there is God. And then there is the Sourav Ganguly.

6. The Desert Storm, Sharjah, 1998

India needed 285 to win in the penultimate match against Australia. The fourth wicket went down at 138 and India were looking down the barrel. Then came the sand storm. As if the Gods did not wanted India to reach the finals. India then needed more than a run a ball to at least qualify for the final. But then came another storm, this time originating from the bat of the master. He not only glided his team to the finals, but then went on to try to win the match. But the Australians would never recover from this innings. He will go on to win the final on his birthday with another century. Sachin was considered one of the best batsmen in the world along with Brian Lara, Mark Waugh and Inzamam-aloo Huq. After this, he became the best batsman in the world of his times. Anakin Skywalker has just transformed into Darth Vader.

Why I love it: The unbelievable batting of Tendulkar after the storm. More so, the unbelievable commentary by Tony Greig. One could imagine him jumping in his seat. He was like a 5 year old watching Tom and Jerry. Such was the brilliance of Sachin that even Richie Benaud was using superlatives.

Rest in Part 2...