arpansur

Chak De! India

Story of the Indian team that completed an amazing turnaround to win the World Cup

Cricket is a religion in India. The nation comes to a standstill when there is an important match. But this was true mostly for the men’s matches till recently, till Sunday. When Harman completed that catch, the nation came out to the streets and celebrated. The ‘Women in Blue’ have gone through many a near miss in the past, but this time was different. No one gave the Indian eves a chance when they lost three close group matches in a row. But dawn comes after the darkest night- the turnaround to complete the cup win was truly remarkable.

This blog is a celebration of our World Cup win- from despair to hope, from tears of sorrow and pain to tears of happiness, from Impossible to I’m Possible.

Harmanpreet Kaur led the country from the front. She played a few crucial knocks through the cup. The partnership with Jemimah in the semi-final was crucial to turn around the match vs the mighty Aussies. She has a knack of coming to the party in the big knockout matches- her 171 in the 2017 World Cup semifinal is one of the best ODI performances ever. Her catch to complete the final match would have been played a million plus times already- it will become as iconic as Kapil’s catch to dismiss Viv in the ’83 World Cup final. She was calm under pressure as a captain and listened to her instinct when handing the ball to Shafali which turned around the game in the final vs South Africa.

Smriti Mandhana is the best batswoman in the world currently and lived up to her potential with a 400+ aggregate series. Her offside batting reminds me of Ganguly- so much elegance, so much class. She ensured India made great starts in most of the matches. Her bond with Harman was also great to see- that chemistry between two senior members in the team is not something we see normally and really spurred the team on.

Shafali Varma was the proverbial wildcard- she was not in the original team. Called as an SOS for the knockout matches, she delivered the Woman of the Match performance in the final. Her 80+ with the bat was full of aggression. She plays quite a lot like Sehwag. During the chase, Shafali was the one who turned the match on its head with two golden wickets with her part time spin.

Pratika Rawal missed the knockouts but had a stellar performance through the group phase. She is one for the future- fastest woman to reach 1000 runs in ODI international cricket (23 matches). She gave great solidity to the batting with her opening partnerships with Smriti. Her century vs NewZealand in a virtual knock out match set up India’s turnaround. It was wonderful to see her join the celebrations after the final inspite of being in a wheelchair!

Jemimah Rodrigues played the most important match of her life in the semi final. The Australian Women’s team had won more than half the World Cups till now and were invincible. To guide the chase with that 127* was one for the ages. She did not celebrate her milestones as she knew that the bigger job of seeing the team home was still something she had to complete. Her post match interview where she shared her self doubts and vulnerability so openly also was touching– she was dropped in the early parts of the World Cup and got a lot of support from fellow players which really helped her make the astounding comeback.

Deepti Sharma was the Woman of the Series with 20 wickets and 200+ runs- the first time someone has done this ever in a World Cup (for both male or female). Time and again, she rescued the team with lower middle order runs when there was a batting collapse and then she kept getting wickets at crucial junctures too. Her 50 and five wickets in the final is another rare occurrence- something that has never been done before.

Richa Ghosh had a clear role laid out to her- she was the finisher in the team and ensured India always ended their batting innings on a high. Her cameo helped India continue the momentum in the semifinal when Jemi was tiring and she also ensured that India accelerated in the final- what seemed like 280 odd became almost 300 thanks to her. That leg side catch of Kapp in the final was mighty crucial too in sealing the deal.

Amanjot Kaur helped balance our playing eleven- she turned around the final with the crucial run out of Brits and that catch of Wolvaardt was the icing on the cake. She helped complete the win in the semis with Jemimah and also had a run a ball 50 earlier in the tournament batting at no.8.

Kranti Gaud had a good series too- it was wonderful to see an Indian eve bowl with good pace to rattle the opponents. Her yorker to get Wolvaardt in the group match was one of my favourite moments of the World Cup.

Shree Charani was a revelation- she bowled with great guile through the campaign and took 14 wickets. She was the one who gave India control in the middle overs.

Renuka Thakur, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol- all played their roles in shaping the wins through the campaign. Even Arundhati Reddy and Uma Chetry kept the morale high- Jemi mentioned how their the inspirational messages helped when she was tiring towards the end of that iconic semifinal innings vs Australia.

And last but not the least, Amol Muzumdar- life for him came a full cycle. When Sachin and Kambli constructed that record 600+ partnership at school level, Amol was waiting in the dugout for two full days- he was the next batsman in. He then had to wait for the next twenty years- got 10000+ domestic runs but never got a chance to play for India. It was a moment of redemption for him when he took on the reins of the Indian women cricket team in ’23. He did a splendid job of bringing the team together and instilling belief and conviction when no one gave them a chance- the team spirit was awesome as can be seen from this team song they had collectively planned from four years back. He really was the Kabir Khan who fulfilled his dream and that of a billion through the World cup victory.

This was not just a victory for the current players or the coaches alone. It was a win for all the past greats who helped shape India cricket what it is today and built the foundations. So cheers to Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, Diana Edulji and the likes. It was wonderful to see them join the celebrations with the team with so much passion.

Spare a thought also for the South Africa team- Wolvaardt was excellent both as a captain and batswoman- with centuries in both the semifinal and the final. SA has reached three white ball finals now (last two T20 World Cup) only to fall short. But their time will surely come soon.

So, the next time there is a cricket match in some small town in India, don’t be surprised if a young girl is opening the batting against a boy bowler- ready to tonk it like Shafali. Moga, Sangli, Mumbai, Siliguri, Rohtak, Agra, Chandigarh, Mohali, Prem Nagar, Eramalle (AP), Rohru (HP)- the starting eleven in the final is a celebration of India’s unity in diversity, lived through its daughters.

Chak De India! Jai Hind!

A new dawn

A fan’s perspective as the India test cricket team goes through a transition phase

Sunrise at Hermanus- signifying the new dawn of Indian cricket

The Indian test cricket team is going through a phase of transition. We have lost three greats in a short period of time through retirements. Kohli was one of our best test captains ever and someone who made winning away tests in SENA a norm. Rohit was one of our best white ball captains with an enviable win-loss record in global events. And finally, Ashwin would probably rank as our biggest test match winner across all eras (that’s a topic for another debate) especially at home.

The case for retirements is always a tricky one. In India especially, more often than not people linger on longer than they should. That is a marked difference from how it is done in Australia where most often people ask ‘why?’ instead of ‘why not’ when people hang their boots- and that’s how it should be in my view.

This post is about celebrating the new dawn for the Indian test cricket team- and looking forward to the future.

To be honest- the start has not been bad. Drawing away to England 2-2 was beyond expectations- a young team with a young captain- taking on Bazball and not ceding till the end needed guts. The recent home series win that followed vs West Indies was expected. They are a far cry from the giants they were in the 80’s, but still there would have been some pessimism after the last home whitewash vs Newzealand- so it was good to win this one 2-0.

Let us look at the key protagonists in the team now and the architects of the recent highs.

Shubman Gill had a baptism by fire as he put on the captaincy cap- India’s last test series win in England was way back in 2007. While he has captained Gujarat Titans regularly in the IPL, test cricket is a completely different kettle of fish. I think Gill as a captain did well in England but experience will make him get even better. I would like to see him being more aggressive when the chips are down for one. Gill as a batsman has been A+ though- to have a 750+ run series in your first test series as a captain was superlative. To become the new #4 is not easy- that spot was pretty locked for the last 30+ years with Sachin and Kohl- but Gill has started with a bang. When you perform as a batsman, your job as a captain becomes easier- well done!

Yashasvi Jaiswal is the aggressor for us- he sets the tempo at the top of the innings. What is refreshing though is his appetite for ‘daddy hundreds’- something which makes him similar to Sehwag. He did get a couple of tons in England but I was expecting more from him. He sometimes gets dismissed in trying to go after the bowling- but that’s part of the deal with him. The 175 vs Windies was great- if not for the run out, he would have tried Sehwag’s 300 record for sure.

KL Rahul has been an enigma- to have such a good technique but still to average only just above 35 in red ball cricket- speaks of opportunity loss. It was good to see him get a 500+ run series in England. In the days of Bazball, I like his approach of blunting the new ball the old fashioned way- to make it easy for the middle order. The recent RoKo retirements have also made him the seniormost batsman in the team now- I hope he grabs the opportunity with both hands and really fulfils all the potential he has.

Rishabh Pant has been the X factor in our team for long in tests. To bat the way only he can and still get so many hundreds is mind boggling. In fact, if not for his ultra aggressive approach and getting out several time in the 90’s- he would have had many more tons by now. I am extremely glad though that here is an Indian player who cares a darn about statistics and keeps the game moving- may he continue with this refreshing approach in the days to come. The Pant run out in the Lord’s test was the turning point in that match and his injury was a big big blow. Rishabh has given us many sweet memories- with the Gabba win being my favourite and I really look forward to his return to test cricket.

Ravindra Jadeja is probably one of the most under-rated cricketers of our era- with a bowling average under 25 and a batting average nearing almost 40 now- he has one of the best career average difference in test cricket. The electric fielding is a bonus. He has become super reliable recently with the bat and the 500+ tally in the England series has almost become expected now- as are his sword celebrations after he reaches those milestones. The recent promotion to vice-captain seems a just reward for his consistent performances.

Jasprit Bumrah is easily India’s best ever bowler across formats. A test bowling average lower than 20 with 200+ wickets makes him one of the all-time greats too. I hope the thinktank manages his workload better and he is able to serve us for a long term in red ball cricket. I really struggle to fathom why he played some of the inconsequential Asia Cup matches but missed the all important 5^th Test vs England. Gambhir and the thinktank also need to manage the dynamics of him probably aspiring to be the next test captain and then losing it to Gill.

Mohammed Siraj was my favourite story from the England series. A guy with 110% effort always with a smile on his face. His relentless effort on the last day of the series and winning that match for us when the chips were down was really the highlight. Especially how he redeemed himself after dropping the catch earlier. I hope he continues with the same passion always.

Washington Sundar has been another unsung hero for Team Blue- his lower order runs have been gold dust- in fact his cameo in the 5^th test with the tail set us up for the win. And he has this habit of taking important wickets when trusted with the ball. He can be a like for like replacement for Ashwin in the days to come.

I really hope Kuldeep Yadav gets more opportunities going forward- a bowler like him takes the pitch out of the equation and can be a trump card. The Indian team prefers to pack the lower middle order with all-rounders but Kuldeep can do a better job in my view, especially if he works on his batting a bit more to balance the side. The Man of the Match performance in the Delhi test was good to see.

There are still a few open pieces to complete the jigsaw puzzle. A stable no.3 is needed- Sai Sudarshan and Karun Nair have recently got their chances but not made it their own. We should try out Sarfraz Khan in the middle order- he seems to have got a hard deal when it comes to selection. Shreyas Iyer seems to be another candidate yearning for a recall. Dhruv Jurel is athe back up keeper with a good batting record- India always wins when he is in the team.

A good medium pace allrounder can complete the team in SENA countries- Shardul is past his prime and Nitish Kumar still needs to prove himself but there are early bright sparks. And a good 3^rd pacer will help complement Bumrah & Siraj- it will be wonderful if Shami can get over his injuries or else Prasidh/ Akashdeep need to be more consistent. It may be worthwhile to try Arshdeep too- a good left armer will balance the bowling line up well.

Not just the players, it has been a baptism by fire for Gautam Gambhir too. He is a man with a strong opinion and that is never easy in a country where everyone has an opinion. He has backed his instincts a lot and the path will become more easy for him going forward with the team stabilizing.

India has been playing gold standard test cricket for the last decade now- as we pass the baton, I hope that we keep raising the bar.

‘For men may come, and men may go. But I go on forever’.

Mera Naam Djoker (My name is Djoker)

Diving into the phenomenon called Novak Djokovic- you can love him, or hate him. But is is impossible to ignore him!

We were truly blessed to witness tennis when three all time greats took centrestage together- Federer and his class, Nadal and his tenacity & Djokovic and his mental strength- who do you like the most? I admire the first two, but if you ask me to pick one, I would side with the ‘Mr.Unpopular’- the ‘Djoker’ in the pack- this is dedicated to him.

Djokovic is often hated- it’s fashionable to criticize him- for throwing rackets, for riling up the crowd or for not getting vaccinated. But as they say, there are two sides in every story.

Djokovic grew up in war ravaged Serbia- the adversities he faced right from childhood shaped the person that he grew up to be. Couldn’t have been easy to play tennis (and become so so good at it) when survival should have been the first consideration. As he started his tennis career, there was also the aura of Federer and Nadal who were dominating the tennis world then. He had to come out of the shadows to get his place in the sun. This shaped Djokovic’s underdog persona and the challenger attitude that is so unique to him.

Federer had the best technique- whatever he did on court was so natural. Nadal was the most tenacious- his never say die attitude was legendary. What does Djokovic have? Well, I believe he has the best all court game among the three but more importantly, he has the mental strength that adds a different dimension. So, ‘Nole’ as he is called, can be two sets down in a grand slam, can be down and out with an injury- but you can never rule him out. In fact, he most often uses adversity to spur himself on- he is at his best when pushed to a corner.

What I truly admire about Djoker is his fitness- he seems to be getting better with age. He is almost 38 now but can easily give the youngsters a run for their money- he is the Virat Kohli of tennis when it comes to fitness.

There is also a vulnerability in him that I admire. He is often seen as brash and controversial but there is an air of authenticity that I admire. What you see is what you get from him- there is no pretension- whether views about the Covid vaccine, missing grand slams due to his doggedness when he could have easily added to his all time record tally- he always walks the talk. There is also a certain niceness in him- the way he looked up to Federer and Nadal, while trying to beat them… to now passing the baton to Sinner and Alcaraz- from being a challenger to handing over the crown to the Next gen- the transition would not have been easy. He has a great sense of humour- when he mimics Sharapova or when he eats the hallowed grass after every Wimbledon win… or when he reminds his kids to sleep early vs watch his late night matches live- there is a likeable earthiness in him.

I wanted to pick three matches that I think truly defines his career and his achievements.

The first one was the Australian Open final vs Rafa in 2012. Djoker went into the match after a tough five sets semis win against Murray while Nadal got the better of Federer. The final was supposed to be a close one- and boy, was it a classic! This was easily one of the the most physical tennis matches of all time- a battle of attrition- the quality was impeccable throughout. Every point was a marathon- no one gave an inch. ‘Nole’ finally triumphed in a five setter in close to six hours- both the players were so tired that they could hardly stand during the cup handover ceremony. What stood out for me here was Djokovic’s supreme fitness.

The second one was the semifinal vs Federer in the 2011 US Open. Federer was already the universal GOAT then while Djokovic was just about getting started. Fed led by two sets to love and even though Nole levelled the match, Fed served 5-3, 40-15 with two match points to set up a final vs Rafa. A forehand cross court winner followed- and Djoker was not ready to accept defeat yet. What followed was magic- Djokovic turned the match on its head to actually win the 5^th set 7-5. One of the best comebacks of all times. He would go on to beat Rafa to win the final. And this wasn’t the only time that Djokovic beat Federer from match point down- talk about mental strength.

The last one is from the recent Olympics in Paris. While Djokovic had all the slams not once or twice but at least thrice- a medal for his country always eluded him. So, success in the Olympics was top priority for him. He had a big surgery to repair torn meniscus in his right knee in June 2024. No one gave him a chance in the tournaments to follow- he actually challenged his body to play Wimbledon just over a month after the surgery and against all odds- made it to the finals vs Alcaraz- he got pulverized in the final- a straight set loss in possibly the biggest defeat Djokovic had faced in a slam final- it was the most one sided match. The Olympics started less than three weeks after Wimbledon and they faced again in the final. Recovery from injury, turning the tide against someone who beat him so comprehensively recently, winning a first ever gold for Serbia in tennis Olympics- there were so many challenges- but Djokovic turned adversity into an opportunity- what he has been doing since childhood to take out Alcaraz in two close tie breaks to get the gold- what a player!

99 singles title wins, 72 big titles, 24 Majors, 40 Masters, 7 year end championships, highest number of weeks as World No.1 and also that elusive Olympics gold medal now- a fighter, a challenger, a fitness freak, a vulnerable, honest authentic champion- ‘Djoker’ is also the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of tennis for me!

Guns N’ Roses

Navigating the hopes and frustrations as an Arsenal fan

One from the archives- outside the Emirates

I have been a Gunner for almost thirty years now. My maternal grandmother gifted me a radio in the mid 90’s after I did well in an examination. Those were the days of no computer or mobiles- it became a ritual to tune into BBC Sports Roundup on Saturday evenings and listen to the live EPL commentary. Wenger was just starting to create his charm then and the ‘Invincibles’ season soon followed- it was easy to fall in love with the Arsenal team.

I have been a Gunner right through and experienced the downs after those heady days- with Henry making way for Van Persie, Fabregas, Sanchez, Ozil, Aubameyang over the years to now Saka and Odegaard. Arteta came and gave us hope but there’s still more frustration than hope as a club fan.

I do think that it’s not all gloom and doom- coming second in the current EPL table and third in the Champions League revamped first round format is not a bad starting point.

Arsenal has a young squad- they surely have the DNA around which they can rule England and Europe for the next ten years. The team age average is amongst the lowest in EPL. Also, the way that the team was fully resurrected by Arteta when he came in was praiseworthy- all the deadwoods were driven out with agility- Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil and the shambolic defence. We brought in youth to revitalize the team. We also possibly have the best defence in Europe- the Gabriel and Saliba partnership is easily the most solid going around. You win a match with a good attack, but good defence wins you titles! The defence very often does not just get us clean sheets but they have also made Arsenal ‘set piece monsters’- with Arsenal scoring the most goals from set pieces so far this season. Watching Gabriel score from corners has become a common sight in Arsenal matches– so much so that the set piece coach Nicolas Jover has a mural in Emirates already to recognize this new found prowess. The ‘Next Gen’ are also coming through so well- not just the Sakas but this season has seen the emergence of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly- truly showing the possibilities for the future. Our performance with the other biggies in the EPL- the so called Top 6- has also been super! We have won or drawn against the Top 6 for 15+ matches now- gone are the days when we folded under pressure in big matches!

But it has also been 5+ seasons of lot of hope under Arteta but a lack of final results- Arsenal fans are becoming impatient and not ready to wait anymore. Arteta became the Gunners head coach in December 2019 and we won the FA Cup that year but it has been all expectations and no end result after that. The second place in 2022-23 was surprising but after leading the league for 90% of the time, we should have sealed it. The 2023-24 performance was gritty- we kept chasing Manchester City till the end but dropping points against lower teams hurt us. With City dropping their level this year, this could and should have been the year of the Gunners- but it has been a repeat of all too familiar story again. So, what ails us?

The biggest one to me is the ‘cost avoidance’ mindset vs. an ‘investment’ mindset- we have strengthened the team but still don’t have a squad that can win big titles. The EPL is unforgiving- even the 20^th team can surprise the table toppers- you need a deep squad to seal the deal. The biggest gap in the team is obvious- we do not have a no.9. Arsenal has been rumoured to be in talks for a transfer with many a name- Gyokeres, Sesko, Isak, even a Cunha! Till the time we have a good no.9 who can score 20+ goals in a season, we can forget becoming champions. Last week was so illustrative- when Liverpool was chasing the game vs Brentford, they brought in Nunez from the bench. When Arsenal were chasing the game vs Villa- they brought in Sterling as a sub! I rest my case. Man City have already got Haaland to sign a new ten year deal and have brought in Omar Marmoush to replace Alvarez- but Arsenal are still contemplating. Arteta needs support from the board to spend on a good finisher. Having said that, our transfer strategy in general, has not been up to the mark. We kept buying defenders and midfielders without strengthening our forward line. Arsenal also does not have decent back-ups in key positions- with a good team of around fourteen players but with gaping holes in the second team- Saka played week in and week out and it was almost a case of ‘when the next injury will happen, not whether’- and now we are without our most influential player for three months. This also explains how we do so well against the big teams (when the adrenaline gets you over the line) but consistently drop points against weaker oppositions (when the tired legs give way)- we have become the ‘Robinhood’ of EPL.

Under Arteta, Arsenal seems to have also developed a ‘complaining’ mindset vs a ‘winning’ mindset- always bickering about the VAR decisions and the ‘could be’s’ as opposed to focusing on their circle of influence and closing down games. The style of play has also evolved- from the free-flowing style we so loved (check out this special goal by Wilshere– one of my most favourite ones in the Wenger era) to a boring style overly dependent on set plays. Getting a good no.9 now will help us move back to the attacking style we Gunners fans so adore!

So, quite a few good things are happening for the Arsenal team, but equally a lot of quick and big fixes needed to move from a good team to a great team that wins big titles again.

Arsenal is the rose that we Gunners fans love- but it comes with the thorns which prick us. But all said and done- Love it, or hate it- we are Gunners for life!

Dus Ka Dum (Ten of the Best)

The ten most memorable sporting moments from 2024

How fast has this year passed by? We were just in January the other day and in a flick, the year’s gone! I am quite an old school guy. I still make my own sports scrapbook- cutting pictures and putting them on a diary. As I was putting it up for 2024, quite a few of the best sporting moments of the year flashed by me.

So, these are my top ten sporting moments from 2024.

The year started with the West Indies cricket team visiting Australia. The Caribbeans have lost their mojo over the years. Gone is the aura of the 80’s- now they are better known as ‘Callypso Collapso’. So they were meant to be pushovers. But in GABBA- they created history by knocking over the Aussies. Defending a little over 200 in the fourth innings- Shamar Joseph would bowl unchanged for 10+ overs with a broken toe to take a 7-fer and script the biggest upset win of the year. Loved it!

Staying on cricket- the Indian cricket team has long been the most consistent team without winning the finals. In fact, lately, they have become quite the chokers when it comes to the big moments- back-to-back WTC finals, ODI World Cup Final loss at home in front of 130,000 crowd- the list of heartaches is indeed long. So, when India finally managed to put it across the Proteas to win the T20 World Cup, it was the stuff of dreams. India played well throughout the event, but the final was the real deal. Kohli came good at last to give India a respectable total but with Klaasen going mad- all South Africa needed was a run a ball in the last five overs of the chase. Enter Boom Boom Bumrah- with impeccable line and length, he created the pressure. Hardik held his nerves to apply the choke further and when Surya took that crazy boundary line catch in the last over- India had finally won a World Cup after 13 long years!

While I love wearing the Blue, I have quite a soft corner for Purple too- not just because of Cadbury but because that’s the colour of my favourite IPL team- the ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ became a big hit this year with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) being so dominant. Rollicking starts from Narine and Salt, playing fearless cricket, cameo endings from ‘Russell Muscle’, excellent all round bowling performance capped by dream starts by Starc in the two most important knock out games- KKR were relentless this year. The back-end staff- Gambhir, Pandit and company did a stellar job in motivating the team and building the aggressive mindset- so when Shreyas Iyer lifted the IPL trophy, it almost seemed like it was a foregone conclusion.

India has long been a story of lots of optimism before the Olympics begins but lots of disappointment after the event is over. This year was a mixed bag- we did not win any golds but got six medals in all. Manu Bhaker’s achievement of winning two bronze medals really stand out- shooting has been one of those fields where we over promise and under deliver every time, but for the ‘young gun’ to stand up when it really mattered was really something! She actually missed another medal as she was a close 4^th in her third category. Well done Manu! India is proud of you.

The other Olympics achievement that was memorable was Djokovic finally completing the set. This year has been passing of the baton in tennis with the ‘Next Gen’ Alcaraz and Sinner winning all the slams- but what stood out for me was Djoker’s resolve and tenacity as he mastered Alcaraz on the Roland Garros clay- he sacrificed a lot of smaller events and even had a surgery just before the event- but then to make a comeback and win the Gold was epic! ‘Nole’, easily the GOAT (Greatest of all Time) of tennis!

Talking of tennis- it was a sad moment for all the fans as Nadal ended his illustrious career in ’24. Rafa’s tenacity and his prowess on clay makes him another serious contender for the GOAT- but that’s for another day! Blighted by injuries- it wasn’t the best way to call it a day with the Davis Cup swansong where he ended with a loss and Spain exited early. But what we will remember is the friendship and the rivalry with Federer, that amazing Australian open final with Djokovic which lasted 6 hours, fourteen French Open wins (yes, that’s not a typo), the quirks and the bandana. Thanks Rafa- for the memories!

Rafa is a big football fan and he would have been proud of what the Spanish national team achieved this year. Before the Euros started, there were other more favoured teams- England were singing loud ‘It’s Coming Home’, Germans as hosts were quietly confident, while France with Mbappe are always there or thereabouts. No one quite gave the young Spanish team much of a chance. But the power of youth has the power to transform. Nico Williams and the prodigee Lamine Yamal were outstanding with the stable Rodri holding fort at the centre- Spain kept going from one peak to another and finally putting to rest England’s ambitions through a late goal in the final.

Staying on football- the AFCON (African Cup of Nations) was held in ’24 and Ivory Coast’s win was quite a roller coaster. They were the hosts and the expectations were hence quite high. The land of Didier Drogba always does well in football. But the start was so bad that they actually fired their coach after the group phase. They struggled and stuttered in the knockouts also but somehow survived. So, when Sebastian Haller scored a late winning goal in the final against arch-rivals Nigeria- it was an unbelievable achievement. Made sweeter as Haller was actually making a swift comeback after recovering from cancer. What a story!

In the African context, one more 2024 highlight was the continued dominance of the Springboks (South Africa Rugby Team)- they are the reigning World Champions having defended the title in Paris last year, but they upped their level this year. The Springboks won the Rugby Championship this time after five years- this is an event where the best southern hemisphere teams participate- South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina. Their biggest rivalry now is when the Springboks play the All Blacks. In fact, just to see the Haka before the match adds to the experience before any All-Blacks match. While SA won five of the six games, the match at Ellis Park vs NZ was easily the best. The All Blacks led for almost the for the entire duration of the match, and by 10 points going into the last quarter. But the Springboks always manage to make a late surge, and that they did again. Coming back from the dead against the biggest rivals to cap a memorable win!

The last one in the list is actually just from yesterday. A twelve-year old had a dream- to become the youngest world champion in chess. They say you should have a big ambition- if you do, then actions follow, and results after that! Fast forward six years, Gukesh actually made it happen- becoming the World Champion in chess beating Ding Liren in Singapore to become the latest and youngest ever to do so, and the first Indian after Vishwanathan Anand. To see him cry with joy after the win warmed the hearts of all Indians.

Cricket, Olympics, tennis, football, rugby, chess- quite a diverse list for me as I think of the top ten sporting moments of the year. What about you? What would you add to this list?

The ‘Wizard of Aus’

The charm of watching test cricket in Australia- a trip down memory lane.

With the Don, MCG Museum- from the archives.

There is a certain charm of watching test cricket in Australia. Mostly the end of the year when things slow down a bit, the lush green outfields, the best ever commentary over the years- you get to choose from Bill Lawry to Richie Benaud- there is a tinge of nostalgia that fills the heart. Waking up really early on Boxing Day to catch the first ball of the test at MCG with a hot cup of coffee has always been a ritual.

Australia is a tough place to go and win- it’s been a ‘final frontier’ for most test teams. The Aussies play incredibly hard and can be abrasive at times but love to give you company with a chilled beer after the game. The bounce at WACA, the intensity of MCG or the spinning conditions in SCG- it’s difficult to adapt and win.

All the more exciting then that India has quite become the ‘Wizard of Aus’ of late- winning the last two test tours Down Under. But it’s not always been like that… Here’s a trip down memory lane.

The year was 1981- India started the last match 0-1 down at MCG. The going got tough with Australia taking a 182 run first innings lead. That’s when India started a great comeback- Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan combined for a 165 run opening partnership in the second innings to bring India right back into the game. Sunny’s dismissal led to the now ‘infamous’ walkout when he was so frustrated with the umpire’s LBW decision that he instructed Chetan to come out with him as a sign of protest- luckily good sense prevailed and the match continued. India set Australia a target of 143 which should have been a walk in the park but a half-fit Kapil had other ideas- bowling on a tricky 5^th day pitch, Kaps did the unthinkable- a 5fer to land India a 59 run win and tie the series.

Fast forward to 1991/92- Australia really steamrolled India that time- a 4-0 series win. But what I remember from that tour is the SCG test- the amazing partnership between Shastri and Sachin- a double ton for Shaz and 148 for ‘God’. They took the Aussie bowlers to the cleaners include a certain leg spinner who had figures of 45-7-150-1. Any guesses who that was? Well, the greatest ever spinner- Shane Warne. India almost won that test, Aussies only managing to draw with a stubborn Allan Border batting out the last session with the tail.

The series in 20023/04 started with a ‘captain’s innings’ from Ganguly in Gabba for a draw. Then Dravid and Agarkar helped us do the impossible- a test win at Adelaide after conceding 500+. Those were heady days, getting up really early to book the spot in the common room, bunking classes to watch the match in the hostel. ‘The Wall’ was stupendous- double century followed by an unbeaten 72 in the tense chase to give India a memorable win. The teams went in to the last test tied 1-1 and Sachin decided to shut down his offside play to get back his form- well, a double ton followed that set us up for the win. The ‘Very Very Special’- VVS Laxman was always there- to support Dravid in Adelaide or Sachin in Sydney. If not for Steve Bucknor’s dodgy umpiring calls (there were no DRS those days), we would have won that test and series. Steve Waugh made a decent contribution in his last test- the series win stayed elusive, but we were getting close.

The 2007-08 series was controversial- India lost the 2^nd test in Sydney- dodgy umpiring decisions, Harbhajan banned for the so called racist remarks to Symonds- the India team were in a corner. So, when we went to the third test at WACA- no one gave us a chance. But under Kumble’s inspiring captaincy, we fought. We set Australia a 400+ target, but Ponting was still there- and till he was there, there was always a chance. That was when a tall lanky Ishant bowled possibly the best over of his life– troubling Ponting every ball and snaring his wicket at the end- caught at slips. It was unbelievable- India bossing Aussies through pacers. A 73 run win was the end result. Australia won the series 2-1, but India won hearts.

Next to 2014-15- India were tigers at home, but till then they hardly won away- especially when it came to SENA opposition (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). This is the time Kohli took over the captaincy. In the first test at Adelaide, India were set 364 on the last day- most teams would shut shop and play for the draw- not Kohli’s India. The ‘King’ went for it- India were 240/2 and with a couple of hours left, the win was suddenly possible. Lyon had other ideas and turned it around with a 7-fer, but Kohli’s 141 on a 5^th day pitch was a master-class- signalling the start of the aggression and positive attitude that would get India many memorable test away wins in the future. Australia won the series 2-0.

The 2018-19 series was different- Australia were a tad weakened with the bans for Smith and Warner for Sandpaper Gate. Pujara camped whenever he went to bat and Pant brought fresh aggression in the lower order. India and Australia split tests in Adelaide and Perth but then India inched ahead in MCG with the win thanks to a certain Bumrah. So when the last test at SCG ended in a tame draw- India had conquered Down Under for the first time ever.

To the 2020/21 series- well it started with a 36 all out in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide. No one gave India a chance when they went to MCG under Rahane as captain and levelled the series. A tight match at SCG followed where Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari batted out of their skins to get a draw. To the last match at ‘GABBA’toir- Australia’s stronghold. India were ravaged by injuries went with a bowling attack of Siraj, Natarajan, Shardul, Saini, Sundar- a combined experienced of just over 10 test wickets. But the young India team had something else- belief! Set 328 to win on Day 5, most teams would have played for the draw- but with a super Gill and the even more super Pant, the Indians went for it. Almost a run a ball needed in the last 10 overs, and the Indians were playing scoops and reverse sweeps- such audacity! When Pant hit the winning runs, no one could believe it- a win against all odds.

The start of the 2024-25 series has not been bad either- no one gave India a chance after the debacle at home vs NewZealand. Also, when they folded for 150 in the first innings, the worst was expected. But with Bumrah the bowler (and captain also this time), the impossible is I’m possible! Indians folded Australia for a little over 100, and then thanks to Jaiswal and Kohli tons- turned it around for an easy win. Four more tests will follow and it’s exciting to see what the result will be- hoping that the ‘Team in Blue’ completes the Hat-trick.

The page has been dormant for a while- glad Bumrah’s spell at Perth stirred back the writer in me.

Kapil, Sachin, Dravid, Ishant, Kohli, Pant, Bumrah- so which one is your favourite moment from Down Under?

Return to Innocence

My top picks from the ODI World Cups over the years. The moments I enjoyed the most as a cricket fan- my ‘Return to Innocence’

The fiery Wanderers in Johannesburg- my current home.

The Cricket World Cup starts in less than a week. The format is one-day, a bit boring for most. But I am a bit of an old school guy- so the meandering format works well for me. This is the 13^th edition of the World Cup, and as I sit back, my mind goes back to some iconic moments through the years… Moments that defined the game, changed history.

So, here are my top picks from the ODI World Cups over the years. The moments I enjoyed the most as a cricket fan- my ‘Return to Innocence’

It all started way back in 1975. The game was so different then. Gavaskar batted through an entire innings (which was 60 overs back then) and managed to stay not out for 36. In T20, a few have scored as many in an over! The sight of Roy Fredericks hooking Dennis Lillee for a six in the final, only to realize that he has stepped on to the wicket, also flash up, right before my eyes.

1979 was all about the nonchalance of Viv Richards- King Viv was arguably the most intimidating batsman of all times. The iconic image of him was hitting a six against Mike Hendrick- an off-stump ball dismissed over the mid-wicket boundary while chewing gum. Job done! Opponent deflated! Windies won the cup easily. How predictable!

1983 was not so predictable! First the match which had no video capture- that blinder from Kapil at Tunbridge Wells- a 175 not out when the team was struggling at 17/5.. To script one of the biggest come-back wins vs Zimbabwe. From that deep abyss, India went from strength to strength to triumph against the mighty Windies in the finals. Kapil’s catch of Viv Richards and the dibbly-dobbly military medium pace of Mohinder Amarnath getting the better of Holding- and then Kaps lifting the Prudential cup- will forever be etched in every Indian cricket fan’s memory.

1987 was the first World Cup in the subcontinent. I was a small kid then and I remember how my hometown stadium, Eden Gardens, was fully decked up for a potential India vs Pakistan final. The first memory, or rather a nightmare- was of Graham Gooch ‘sweep’ing away that dream- GG was on a mission that day, he kept sweeping every spinner on his way to a ton, knocking India out of the World Cup. The final had a story of another sweep- an unsuccessful reverse sweep this time- England were going great guns when Gatting tried to be too cute- giving Border an unlikely wicket which ultimately gave the Aussies the cup.

1992 was the first time the cup moved to ‘Down Under’- I still remember waking up at 3 AM India time, for the first match toss in New Zealand. The Kiwis under Martin Crowe were revolutionary that year- they went on an unbeaten streak driven by Mark Greatbatch’s amazing pinch hitting and Dipak Patel’s stingy overs in the power play. Signs of T20 thinking twenty years ahead of time. The other iconic moment was the final itself- when Pakistan lifted the cup and Imran gave the famous speech dedicating the win to his mother and declared the noble cause of building a cancer hospital. The cricketing moment which stayed with me was Wasim Akram’s brilliance- two wickets in two balls– Lamb and Lewis- which broke England’s back.

1996 was the year of my 10^th board examination- the study preparation and the revisions were planned keeping India’s World Cup schedule in mind. Who can forget that quarterfinal vs Pakistan in Bangalore- Jadeja’s late assault and then Venkatesh Prasad’s revenge on Aamir Sohail after taking his off-stump? The expectations were so high. Eden Gardens hosted the semi-final, but it was all about ‘Mad Max’ Aravinda De Silva- who played one of the most glorious counter-attacking innings ever to script a turnaround for Sri Lanka. Even as an Indian supporter, I could not but applaud his sheer brilliance. The match did not finish due to crowd trouble- a very sad way for India’s campaign to end- with Kambli in tears and the innings ending in a damp squib.

1999 was about the catch that could have been- Herschelle Gibbs taking the catch and then starting to celebrate a bit too prematurely- and Steve Waugh’s iconic ‘you dropped the cup’ statement. South Africa had a roaring cup and Klusener was magnificent. The run out last wicket with Klusener and Donald both on one end as Australia qualified for the finals after a tied match will still possibly be the biggest regret for every Proteas fan.

2003 is when the cup moved to the Rainbow nation- South Africa. Sachin’s six off Caddick is still etched in my memory- the ball still rising as it left the ground. And that upper cut six off Shoaib Akhtar. Ufffff! I was doing my MBA then and the hostel TV room was the hub- people parked themselves there and did not get up the full innings- lest they jinx the result! India had a dream run and progressed to the final. I remember doing a DOCC project and being in Adilabad, upcountry Andhra Pradesh on final day- we got the municipality office opened on the Sunday as an exception just to watch the final- the eager anticipation turned into full-fledged disappointment- Zaheer Khan’s nervy first over and Ponting’s brutal domination ensured that it was an easy win for Australia again.

2007 was the year of the heartbreak for the bitter rivals. India and Pakistan crashing out in the first round itself- the sombre Indian dressing room with all stalwarts with glum faces broke a billion hearts but the Pakis losing to the unheralded Irish was even more shocking- more tragedy followed when Bob Woolmer tragically and suspiciously passed away in his hotel room after the match. The other remarkable feat was Lasith ‘Slinga’ Malinga taking four wickets in four deliveries- a feat scarcely believable but South Africa still scraped through in that match. Aussies were rolling on and got, by now, their inevitable win.

2011 was the year when the ‘cup came home’. Yuvraj Singh was ‘God Level’ for India right through the cup- taking crucial wickets in almost every match, apart from giving us useful middle order runs- that passionate win celebration vs Australia in the quarterfinal still etched in my mind. And to think that he did all of this while fighting the early stages of the ‘most dreaded’ disease- hats off! The other everlasting memory for every Indian fan was obviously that s ignature six finish from Dhoni to win us the cup and then the youngsters including Kohli lifting Sachin on their shoulders and taking a victory lap. The statement – ‘He carried the team on his shoulders for so many years. It’s time we carried him’- was one for the ages!

2015 is when the cup went back to the ANZ. I remember the quite extra-ordinary 162 by Mr.360 AB De Villiers in 66 balls- he toyed with the bowling that day. ABD- what a player! The other highlight was Starc getting McCullum in that first over of the final- the full MCG roared. The Kiwis couldn’t quite recover from there and Australia added another cup to their already well-stocked trophy cabinet.

2019 was the year when many an Indian heart was broken as MS Dhoni got run out and the writing was on the wall- the ‘Finisher was finished’! The final was one for the ages. It went to the Super over and a lucky four deflection off Stokes’s bat helped England win on count-back. It was the most memorable day for sports fan with Djokovic beating Federer in a 5-set humdinger finale at Wimbledon and a close finish in the British GP in Formula 1 all happening at the same time.

So, the 13^th World Cup is almost upon us. What trends will we see? A first 300 for a batsman? 350 scores being chased easily? The comeback of the strike bowler to push the opponent into a defensive mode? Who is your money on for the cup win? Whatever happens, may the best team win. Let’s play!

Captain Am-Eureka!

My take on Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team.

As an Indian fan, it is sad to see how the captaincy situation is unfurling. Kohli vs Dada- seems to be a fight between two big egos. I just hope that both sit together and reach a common middle ground which takes Indian cricket forward in the coming days.

This piece is not about the current Indian captaincy fiasco. It is more about my views of Kohli as a captain. What do you think? A legend, a maverick, too egoistic, or one who let’s the record do the talking?

Let me start with the positives first. Kohli has a fantastic overall record as captain, not just among the best Indian captains, but one of the best captains ever across countries, across eras, across countries. India has been consistently no.1 in tests under him and always in and around the pinnacle in ODI’s and T20’s for most of his tenure.

I am a bit of an old school guy and what I greatly respect about Cheeku (Kohli’s nickname) is his love for test cricket. He openly states that he considers a good grind over five days the most quintessential format. This is refreshing in this era of Pyjama cricket where matches are decided over 20 overs, or sometimes even 100 balls!

Kohli has also created a legacy with India’s overseas test performance. India was always good at home, banking on its spinners. But one of the best contributions of Kohli is clearly articulating the aspiration to consistently win overseas- to then creating and supporting a pace attack that has helped us get some memorable wins abroad. Two series wins in Australia, a series lead in England- no matter of joke in times when every country wins at home, hardly anyone wins away. Bumrah, Shami and Ishant/ Siraj can match up to an Aussie or an English attack in away tests and sometimes be even better than them. Oh, I am looking forward to the South Africa away test series already!

Another thing to really like about Kohli the captain is his aggression- he would rather lose a test match going for a win rather than play out a dull draw. This is a big difference from how past Indian captains played it- they would first secure the draw and in the process miss a few wins especially overseas because of this defensive mindset. Kohli turned this around very early in his captaincy stint with his ‘I am ready to lose some to win big’ attitude. Going for an impossible win in Adelaide (where we lost chasing more than 350 on the final day) paved way for our famous wins in Gabba (even though Rahane was the captain in that test) or Lords’ this year!

The other big positive is the King’s focus on fitness. India were an average fielding side before Kohli, but over the last few years, his own high standards have rubbed off on the team, and they set the gold standard now, when it comes to fitness and fielding.

All in all, lots of positives- Kohli as a captain has really taken Indian cricket forward.

Now, for the negatives- and to be honest, there are a few in this list too.

Firstly, our record in recent global tournaments, especially knockouts, is pretty poor. We seem to win all bilateral series in white ball cricket but get stuck when it matters most! New Zealand gives us nightmares across formats and dare I say, we have officially replaced South Africa as the biggest chokers in World Cups!

As a strategist, I feel Cheeku is an average captain- we have seen him captain RCB for long enough without a single IPL trophy. Sometimes they had the best of players who are individually brilliant but together they were not a good team- the roles were not defined well enough. There was a miss between the cup and the lip, literally.

Kohli is someone who also prides in constant chopping and changing. He truly believes in a ‘horses for courses’ approach. It works at times, but also destabilizes the team and creates insecurity. So, a Karun Nair hardly got any matches even after a triple ton, a Kuldeep Yadav quickly fizzled out with no backing from the captain, and we saw inexplicable drops for Rahane, Pujara, Bhuvi and Ashwin from critical overseas test matches in last three years, where we missed them dearly!

Aggression is good but too much of anything is bad. Kohli wears his emotion up his sleeves but it is not great when he overdoes it- and he does that often! Sledging is fun when done in moderation but fist pumping and bad mouthing an opposition no.11 batsman is not good role modelling to young kids who idolize him. He also lets his ego come in the way, when pushed to a corner- we have seen that too often, lately.

Kohli has easily been the best batsmen across formats in the last decade. His record is phenomenal over the long run. 50+ average in all formats of the game- he is an absolute legend when it comes to chasing in white ball cricket. But the record in the last two years has taken a sharp dip. His last international century was more than 28 months back! Maybe he is thinking about captaincy too much which is affecting his batting?

All in all, Kohli has taken Indian cricket from strength to strength during his tenure as captaincy. His partnership with Shastri also worked well in taking us to the pinnacle, especially with some great overseas Test wins in tough places like Australia, England and South Africa. However, his batting form has sharply dipped. I feel India needs Kohli the batsman much more now than Kohli the captain.

Yes, I am suggesting that Kohli gives up test captaincy too. Let Dravid and Rohit manage the team & strategy while Kohli focuses on his bat doing the talking again! He has been stuck on 70 not out for too long, time to get his batting form back and get to 100 hundreds now.

Sayonara- Kohli, the Captain!

Welcome back- King, the Batting Legend, Reloaded!

Citius, Altius, Fortius

A reflection on India’s performance in the Olympic Games and how we can be faster, higher and stronger in the future.

The seven hues of the Indian rainbow in these Olympic games!

It was a very different Olympics this time- a year late due to the pandemic, no crowd, and really no one knew what to expect. There was an air of expectation from the Indian fans though- with this being the biggest contingent, India has ever sent, for an Olympics.

It started on a good note for India. Mirabai Chanu got a silver on Day 1 in weightlifting. She tried hard for the gold but her Chinese opponent was just too good. Mirabai was spontaneous and promptly declared that she wanted to have a Pizza to celebrate her success!

The next few days were quite a big disappointment- much was expected but the shooters especially flattered to deceive. But the likes of Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker are young and their time will surely come. The archers fought well with a few good wins (especially the husband & wife duo of Deepika and Atanu) but couldn’t hit the Bull’s Eye when it mattered the most. The badminton contingent was in the mix too but there was heartbreak for the Men’s doubles pair (Satwik- Chirag) who got knocked out in the group stages in spite of good wins.

The spotlight was now on the boxing arena. Mary Kom lost a close one where she fought till the end. The unexpected good news came from Lovlina who defied all odds to give us a bronze, a first medal from the state of Assam. It was refreshing to see her being aggressive in the semis too against her much stronger Turkish opponent Surmeneli, who would go on to win gold. Lovlina is young and will surely improve more- exciting for Paris in three years’ time.

Then it was up to badminton and Sindhu. She kept her composure to best Yamaguchi in the quarters but fell short to Tai in the semis. She however, remained calm and gave us the win vs He Bingjiao of China in the bronze medal playoff, thus becoming just the second Indian to get individual medals in back to back Olympics (after Sushil Kumar in Wrestling).

The biggest improvement was in the field of Hockey. The Men’s team has been doing well for a while and they rebounded from a 1-7 loss to Australia in the Group stages to finish second in the group. A comfortable knockout win vs GBR got them a semi-final vs Belgium. In spite of a valiant effort, they fell short to lose 2-5 (a very flattering score indeed for Belgium as it was 2-2 till the 49^th minute). In the bronze playoff, they were behind 1-3 to Germany and seemed down and out but made an incredible comeback to take a 5-3 lead. Germany hit one back and got a penalty corner with just six seconds left. The nation heaved a sigh of relief as Sreejesh made the most important save of his life to give India a first hockey medal in 41 years!

The girls were no less. Beaten back and blue in their first three matches, the eves beat Ireland and South Africa in their last two matches to squeak through to the knockouts. No one gave them a glimmer of hope but against all odds, they upset the mighty Australians in the quarters. They fought on in the semis (losing 1-2 to Argentina) and the bronze playoff (losing 3-4 to GBR). The most heart-breaking moment for us Indian fans was seeing the distraught girls after giving it their all vs GBR. They may have lost, but they won our hearts. The men’s and women’s teams ensured that the national sports was again in the limelight after ages.

Wrestling was another sports which has historically been a strong point for Indians. There was a good haul this time too. Ravi Dahiya fought hard and got a silver. His turnaround win in the semis from 2-9 down was just amazing. He was mature and calm and seemed more disappointed that he missed the gold, than he was happy to win the silver.

Bajrang was another strong contender and much was expected from him. He lost in the semis but came back like a true champion to win the bronze medal pay-off. The big heartbreak was Deepak Punia who had a lead till the very end in the bronze playoff but surrendered it to lose to his San Marino rival.

There were a few good performances in other sports- we did well in Equestrian and Fouaad Mirza reached the final- a first as an Indian in any Olympics. Bhavani Devi won a match for India in fencing for the first time ever. Avinash Sable ran a great steeplechase and just missed making it to the finals. The Men’s Relay team (4*400 m) broke the Asian record and Kamalpreet Kaur got a credible sixth position in the Women’s Discus Throw event.

Aditi Ashok was another underdog who was rewriting the record book in Golf. The world no.200 was in the top two for almost the entire four days and gave a tough fight to the eventual winner, world no.1 Nelly Korda. With her mom as her caddie, Aditi putted with composure and kept herself in the medal position. It was disappointing to see her finish fourth, after giving such a tough fight, as she ended one shot off the medal position.

The last medal hope was Neeraj Chopra, on the penultimate day in the men’s javelin competition. Neeraj was up against the heavy favourite, Vetter, from Germany. The 23 year-old made a dream start with his first throw and bettered it in his second- where he started celebrating just after throwing even before seeing where the javelin had landed. Such was his confidence! As Vetter fizzled out, Neeraj was getting closer to making history. As India held its breath and the rounds progressed, it was becoming clear that Neeraj had done enough with his second throw to get the gold. It was a historic moment- a first medal for independent India in athletics, a first individual gold since Beijing 2008 (Abhinav Bindra). It felt so good to see the tri-colour go up and to sing the national anthem during the medal ceremony.

So, seven medals in all including one gold medal- this was India’s best-ever haul in the Olympics (top 50 globally). Was this a success, or a failure? I would say we did well, but given the true potential, the best is surely yet to come. There are miles to go before we sleep. A few reflections on what can move us from good to great-

We need to invest more as a nation in sports. More resources and infrastructure will make us future ready. Look at China, where they were 30 years back and look at them now. They will probably top the table this time, ahead of even USA.
The other sports beyond cricket also need to be backed and given limelight. It was refreshing to see the country celebrate Neeraj Chopra’s win and forget the test match vs England for a while.
The Indian sports bodies have already started investing more in certain fields like Shooting. But how can we give more exposure to our athletes and make them mentally strong? In Shooting and Archery, ties are decided by one point and our sportsperson buckle under the pressure.
There is potential- they need to be groomed in the right manner. The smaller centres like North East are giving us medals. How can we harness the potential?
The first three medals this time were all by girls. The only two medals in 2016 were by girls. How do we create an equal society where we give same opportunities to the female gender? Many parts of the country still follow a patriarchal set-up.
How can we change the overall mindset? Where parents encourage kids to take up sports as a career option instead of blindly joining the corporate rat race after school?

So, it is time to celebrate the wins but equally let us not rest on our laurels. Let us plan for the next twenty years now so that we can dream about a top 10 position by then. So that we can see the tri-colour go up again and again… and get to sing the national anthem together many times…

Jai Hind!

A Few Good Men

A tribute to the brave-hearts who gave India its best away test series win ever in history.

I still get goose bumps. Did it actually happen? I pinch and double pinch myself to check. Yes- it is indeed for real. We did it. Battling, battered and bruised. But tall and proud, last men standing!

So, here’s a tribute to the ‘Few Good Men’- the unlikely set of heroes who gave us our biggest ever test series win vs Australia, against all odds.

Shubman Gill– walked in for his test debut after the 36 all out debacle. Looked calm and composed, as if he has been doing this for ages. The sweet sound off the bat every time Gill pulled and cut was like symphony. That twenty run over from Starc in the second session on the last day of the Gabba test really started giving us Indian fans hope that we can do it. Finished with a 50+ batting average in his first test series.

Rishabh Pant– you love him or hate him, but you sure cannot ignore him. ‘The chatterbox’ and the ‘official babysitter’ of the team- 4^th innings giant already at 23. What do you do when a ball hits the crack, spins at right angles and the keeper misses a stumping chance? Well, you dance down the pitch and hit the next ball for a six over long on, against the turn. Well that is Pant for you- unorthodox and fearless. That winning shot to the long off boundary will forever be part of the show-reel!

Cheteshwar Pujara– the new Wall! An unlikely hero in the IPL era. Old school, slow yet assured. And what a fighter! Took eleven blows to the body on the last day. It seems there was one big crack in the pitch and Cummins especially was hitting that with unerring accuracy time and again. So, Pujara decided to let the ball hit him rather than playing for uncertain and uneven bounce. He preferred to become ‘Rocky’ rather than risk his wicket. He scored 500+ runs last time we won the series Down Under and repeated the heroics with a lesser tally but marathon stays in the crease.

Mohammed Siraj– lost his father when he was quarantining in Australia early in the series but decided to stay on for the team’s sake. Was racially abused by fans but decided the ball to do the talking. Became the unlikely leader of the bowling pack in the Gabba test with the spate of injuries. Took a 5-fer in the second innings to break the Aussie batting. Was India’s highest wicket taker in the series. After landing back in India, he went straight to the graveyard to pay last rights to his departed father. What a man!

T Natarajan– truly a Bollywood rags to riches story. Coming from an extremely needy background, he was discovered by the talent scouts and flowered in the IPL. A white ball specialist, Nattu was retained to give the batsmen some net practice as a left arm fast bowler like Mitchell Starc. Became a father midway in the series but decided that India was a priority, so stayed back Down Under. Got an unlikely opportunity to debut in the Gabba test and did very well. ‘Net to Nattu’ was an amazing journey. He is the first Indian to debut across all three formats in a series.

Washington Sundar– again a so called ‘net bowler’ who got his big chance in the last test. Was retained to simulate Lyon and ensure Ashwin gets rest between matches. Bowled exceedingly well in the last test and the ‘no look’ six was one of the moments of the match. Full swag!

Shardul Thakur– got injured in his debut test in Windies two years back and had to drop out after a couple of overs. So, in a way, Gabba was a semi- debut for him too. His partnership with Washi in the first innings actually kept India in the hunt. Took seven wickets too for a truly memorable all-round performance.

And a few who set it up but did not play the last test-

Hanuma Vihari– failed a few times. Was criticized by one and all and was about to be axed. Came to bat in Sydney with the match on the line. Had a Grade 2 hamstring tear and was in unbearable pain. But batted for almost four hours and made the most steely 23 not out (in 161 balls!) to keep India level in the series going into the final test.

Ravichandran Ashwin– a giant at home, but often criticized for his away performances especially in SEAN (South Africa, England, Australia, Newzealand). Gave us the upper hand by taming Steve Smith in the first two tests and stuck it out with Hanuma to draw the SCG test when he could hardly stand due to a back injury. Gave it right back to Paine and won the verbal duel as well as the on-field one.

Ravindra Jadeja– His sword celebration after reaching a milestone gives hope to us always. Whether with the bat, bowl or the field, Jaddu always contributes. His biggest contribution though was padding up on the 5^th day in SCG with a broken thumb- showing resilience and courage. As Hanuma and Ashwin battled for the draw, seeing an injured Jadeja in the dressing room ready to come in next, gave them assurance and confidence to hold on in the middle.

Jasprit Bumrah– the best all format fast bowler of this generation. Leading a young pack through the first three tests as one after another senior dropped out (Ishant Sharma before the series, Mohammed Shami in the first and Umesh Yadav in the second test), Bumrah kept going. Now has the best test bowling average of 21 for all visiting teams in Australia in this century!

Lastly, Ajinkya Rahane– he took over the reins after the ‘36 debacle’ with the best batsman and captain back at home. He led with composure and class. When the Aussies talked, he stared back. Led the comeback with the century at MCG. When he looked good for much more, he was run out due to an error in judgement by his partner. He calmly walked up to him, egged him to go on and left without a show of frustration. Great example of leadership in crisis!

Also Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli– often criticized for their ‘in your face’ and haughty attitudes, but you need to admire the aggression. In a way, the seeds of the Gabba win now were sown in Adelaide 2014. We went for a 300+ last day target then also, and lost. But the seeds of positivity were sown. Life turned a full cycle at Gabba. Shaz’s speech to the team after the Gabba win was a good reflection of how we won in adversity.

And behind the scenes, Rahul Dravid– the silent mentor. Churning out the next generation for India. Working tirelessly with youngsters, shaping their technique and more importantly their attitude. You saw the bench strength of India and you couldn’t but doff your hat to the ‘Wall’.

There are many bigger reasons for this super success.

IPL has given a big opportunity to young players and make them truly believe that they can do it, no matter what!

Calm and composed leadership which converted crisis into an opportunity.

The strength of the bench- India B played like India A+. Anyone wearing the India shirt is capable to perform and win.

The need to take a step back to step forward (Pujara) and also the need to be prepared to lose some to win some (Adelaide 2014 to Gabba 2021).

Honestly, the only time India looked like winning the series was in the last hour of the last test. It was that sort of a series! All in all, I still cannot believe it. So, maybe playing the last day highlight show-reel in loop will do the trick. Savour this and enjoy- for moments like this happen once in a generation.

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	arpansur on Guns N’ Roses