The road to acme

Not the ODI World Cup 83' or the Twenty 20 World Cup 07' or the many ODI and Test series wins. This is the apotheosis of all the things that are revered as Cricket in India – Number One status in Tests.

Believe me, this is what is called tryst for a nation which joined the cricketing fraternity at Lord’s in 1932, and then assimilated the game as seamlessly as a leaf blends the falling dew. It has been a long walk, 77 years to be precise. But the road has witnessed each and every aspect of Indian life reflected in the simulacrum of Indian Cricket. We started under the captaincy of Lala Amarnath, rolled out the two fastest bowlers till date – Amar Singh and Mohd Nissar, cultured the batsman ship of CK Nayudu, brewed the Vijays – Merchant, Hazare and Manjrekar, moved to Pataudi and the quartet of spinners, sprung the geniuses of Gavaskar and Kapil, catapulted the might of Tendulkar, metamorphosed into the gall of Ganguly, serenaded the batting Fantastic Four, and then finally were crowned the diadem of Dhoni and company. It has indeed been a bloody long walk.

Not long ago, about a decade back, I was driven to tears on each falling performance of the team. How I yearned for them, how I watched them with belief in my eyes, how I hoped for them even then they were collared by each and every team of the world. Away wins were nil, the batsmen only home-pitches fowlers, the bowlers non-mentionables, the whole system in fact full of fancy but bereft of result. How I hankered then, could we be the Number One ever?

I again have grown misty-eyed. This time choked by the emotion of that cricket-crazy kid and teenager. Nothing can describe the moment for me. For many reasons, the Number One ranking may slip sooner than later, and may not even arrive again. The ranking itself may be farcical, but nothing can take away this moment of success. It is the moment of salvation of all those pleas and prayers for the better times to come. Sure they have come. And the times will only get even better. Believe you me!

The cricketing week's thoughts ....

If everyone joins the praising chorus, you too need to see who the muse is - The exact reason why I had to watch the kid, Umar Akmal. It was a double delight that the Test match at Dunedin turned out to be a real gem too. Sambit Bal couldn’t have put it better in his article at Cricinfo.

To be frank, Umar Akmal doesn’t look a cut apart, from his stance or shuffle. But the appearance has never been a reflector of genius. What I liked about him was his audacity – the single most feature needed to succeed in the current cricketing world. His movement in the crease is ungainly, but his unfettered bat arc-movements are equally mesmerizing. His one pick shot off Vettori was a treat to the eyes. Certainly a player to look for in future, but let’s wait before anointing him another Miandad or Tendulkar. Imran Nazir too had evoked similar feelings when he had stroked his way into limelight.

I couldn’t watch another debutant, Adrian Barath’s century. I had watched him in the Champions League though. He too looked a marvelous player, another one of ‘the League of Stroke Makers’. No wonders, he succeeded in the first chance itself at the highest Test Level too.

So, what is this ‘Attacking Instinct’ that brings the riches? A puritanical heresy, but the need of time – I must say. I can’t imagine a player who plays defensively to succeed now-a-days. Not only now, but also in the recent history, Dravid, Kallis and Chanderpaul haven’t been given the same kudos and accolades as Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting. This only-Test-Match batsman ship –undoubtedly great though- is going to be less bankable commodity now for the players. No batsman can afford to be good only in Test Matches, and dispensable in Twenty20 or One-Dayers. It was really ridiculous to hear Simon Doull say once that Daniel Flynn should be given extra incentive, read money, to keep honing his skills only for Test Matches. Bullshit but ever more harmful for Flynn.

If you analyse the current decade for the best batsmen to come out trumps in all forms of the game, you would undoubtedly zero in on Sehwag and Pieterson. They have exceptional records, but more than that, a no-fear psychosis to grind the opposition. Harsha Bhogle recently observed Gambhir, along with Duminy and de Villiers, as the best crop of batsmen currently on form. But a few good years more are needed for them to be put into higher bracket.

So, while we celebrate some new batsmen coming along the way, let’s also pause, ponder and pray for similar kind of bowlers too to emerge. Ajantha Mendis was such a delight, and I hope he is not finished yet. But look at the rest. A litany of average performers. The drab pitches are culpable, but also is the inability of the bowlers to adapt, or more importantly, to attack as the batsmen have done to override them. What delight if we can again see the hurling bouncers of Garner, Ambrose and Thomson, or the spitting spinners of Warne, Qadir, and Kumble!

Why we love Sachin Tendulkar so much?

Few people would understand why we love Sachin Tendulkar so much, sometimes to the point of incredulity and insensitivity. Many Aussies, Pakistanis, English, or any other person who follows cricket, consider him just a good batsman, and not a demigod which we revere every now and then. Peruse the Indian dailies and Cricinfo, and you will see series of digital space rolled out on him after his completion of 20 years in international cricket. There are all sorts of praise and perspectives given by some great luminaries of the media and the game. And not that this frenzy is happening for the first time.

Quite ironically, that frenzy remains the biggest aspect which pulls me too to him. India as a nation is quite enigmatic which for, even natives like me is difficult to fathom. He arrived in that India which was unsure of and diffident about its place in the world. He fought alone against that psyche. When India was just satisfied with drawn Tests and a few memorable one-day wins, he actually showed the urge to be dominant. Not that he succeeded fully, as you can see the team’s records in 90’s. But he showed us how to fight, and he fought for all of us. I could never understand why I grew wide-eyed with mist in my eyes whenever I saw him bat in those days. India lost many matches in spite of him, because of the rest 10 men, but there was a utopian ‘me and India’ playing out there. We just wanted him to excel, more for us than anybody else.

Things have changed dramatically since then. India as a nation has moved on considerably. That dream is getting changed into reality, even though there are lots of setbacks too encountered in between. The recent one-day series loss against Australia was one of those throwbacks to the old dark days. But believe me, there is a lot of hope about everything. It would be tough to comprehend for people who have been born in developed countries or those who have only seen their countries go down, what this hope means. Tendulkar remains one of those who gave us this frenzy of hope, the feeling that we too can succeed. That remains probably the single most reason why we love him more than the actual Gods which we have only read about.

Best Quotes on Sachin:-

• "On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!" - Peter Roebuck
  
  
• I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two...hi compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel! - Sir Donald Bradman
  
  
• Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives. - BBC Sports
  
  
• When Tendulkar goes out to bat, it is beyond chaos- it is a frantic appeal by a nation to one man - Matthew Hayden
  
  
• When Tendulkar bats well, India sleeps well - Harsh Bhogle
  
  
• Everyone wants Tendulkar's story to be a fairytale story, but if ever there can be a fairytale story, it would be of Tendulkar's only - Me :)
  

What the heck!

How could they lose? I was cent percent certain that India are going to whack the Aussies in the one-day series. I was about to blog floridly on that, before the series had started. And I had my reasons and beliefs. Good that I didn’t write, for it doesn’t feel good to eat your words.

But I must vent out my anger, rather say, my frustration. Have no doubts, this Indian team is amongst the best, probably the best, on talent terms, in the current international circuit. Have a look at the top 7 batters, and it should send a shiver down the bowlers. Bowling and fielding are not of the commensurate standard, but they look so because they are not executed properly on field. Somehow this team doesn’t want to excel. They take one step forward, and then two backwards.

How could we lose the Mohali and Hyderabad one-dayers? I can’t fathom it yet. Ponting would have been smirking. These guys are the same chokers of the late 90’s. Sachin out – the rest of the team follows. Oh! I shouldn’t have mentioned that. Why it happens with Sachin? I was in my school, when Chennai 1999 had happened. I haven’t been able to get over that yet. How will I get over Hyderabad?

But as I say and write each time India underperforms, life goes on. But somebody please tell those buggers, they are only good if they improve; life circles and teaches in funny ways, even to the lordly Cricketers.

A painful death !

What an excruciating moment! You have left any hope, but after a while you come and see Australia seven down for 176. Then Johnson too goes. Pakistan are favourites to seal the contest. India too in the meanwhile has rolled Windies out for 129. Is a miracle going to happen?

Alas! it doesn't happen with India. I knew this, and was petrified. But hope is another name for us followers of Indian Cricket team, however far-fetched it might seem. Second by second I was hitting the refresh button of cricinfo or cricbuzz to pray for the 9th wicket. It never came. But more than the defeat, I am angered by the sudden glimmer of hope that had taken over me. It was a painful death. Pakistan tried hard, but if they ever wanted to excoriate India, they couldn't have done any better.

Anyway, we shouldn't be looking that far. Fault lies with the Indian cricket team. They never looked like winning, and deserved to go. As I write, they are struggling even against West Indies. Phew! But as someone has said, "Life goes on. " So will mine.

A Tale of Two Captains

Not for nothing do the courageous win. They win to reemphasize that courage always courts success. And courage is more often than not exhibited through the daily demeanours.

Watch any exhibit of Younis Khan or MS Dhoni. You will nod; they are men with difference, full of confidence and abreast with reality. Not brash but demanding, not comatose but cool, and not flaunting but florid. You can actually view the ideal man possessed in them.

No wonders they are successful captains too. MS started with the Twenty20 World Cup in 2007, when nobody had given his team a chance. But his real metamorphosis happened in the Australian tour of 2008, when he led the team to lift the one-day trophy there. His record has been nothing sort of sensational, compared to Indian records hitherto. Test victories against Australia, England, New Zealand are some indeed great feats within a short span of time. Add to that the phenomenal one-day victories streak, so much so that he will lead the world’s number one team tomorrow.

Younis too started his captaincy with the Twenty20 World Cup win in 2009. But I think he should have donned the role much earlier. Actually just after the One-Day World Cup in 2007, in the place of Shoaib Malik. Pakistan’s cricket went nowhere during Malik’s captaincy. Judge my confidence and success barometer with the droopy face and stunted utters of Malik. Younis is much more on-the-chin personality, never dithering to state the obvious, even if trifling. His ‘Twenty 20 is a fun’ remark drew a lot of flak, but he won the World Cup, to rub in the face of all those detractors. His subsequent retirement from Twenty20 only exhibited his ken of priorities in life and cricket.

Tomorrow these two duel it out in Centurion. Believe me, more than the match between the sides, this will also be a test between them. Come what may the result, I am sure they both will battle each sinew to win it for their county. A cricket connoisseur can’t ask for more. I hope and wish that MS wins, and don’t be surprised if he had to really slog it out to earn it, because of a similar character on the other side in the captain’s jersey.

Congrats England !!!

Though I couldn't follow the last two days at the Oval, the result was good enough to make me happy. Now the world order is settled; a new war for world domination is on. Nothing could be more gratifying.
So, England rejoice for the moment, and please take the one-dayers seriously. New Zealand, start making some runs. India, concentrate on your bowling; you won't be able to make the semi-finals of Champions Trophy if the pacers don't perform well.

Under Cook' & Kat'ch

Why is nobody talking about Cook and Katich? People and Things are helter-skelter over Flintoff’s knee, Pietersen’s Achilles, Hughes’ ouster, Aussies pace-bowlers selection etc etc But they have gone surreptitiously quiet over these guys.

Only things I have heard about them this Ashes are, “Cook has a problem with his footwork, and hence more prone to LBWs. Katich is a sort of ungainly-nudger player who makes other batsmen look good.” The very oft-mentioned phrases about them.

Hello, aren’t they part of the team? Are they scoring runs? Apart from a crisp 95 at Lord’s, Cook has had a very average time in the middle. Katich too after his century in Cardiff has looked uninspiring. But they have just managed to escape the spotlight.

I believe it is time for England to haul up Cook. He is a fantastic player, no better demonstrated by his century in his first test against India. But he has hit mediocrity of late. His technical deficiency apart, he has also started looking awkward on the crease. He has fared no better in getting a start and squandering it than Bell or Bopara. But surprisingly he hasn’t even copped an earful.

Katich on the other hand has reeled off a lot of runs in his last few matches, but still have they been scored when they mattered? I don’t think that he has played well enough on sporting pitches. May be his unattractive play elicits more ungenerous response from everyone, including me, but his efficacy in times of need is open to question.

I hope they come good in the next test, not only for the sake of their teams but also for the spectators. The Oval nevertheless promises to be a mega-stage. What a delight it would be if the match dishes out a fairytale finish in the last over of the match, with England hopefully on the winning side.

The Ashes are here ! Woo..oo..ooh

However distanced he might be, if he watches cricket, he can’t forget the Ashes series of 2005. Even though, it didn’t involve India, that series remains one of the big highlights of my entire cricket viewing career. It was a cricketing emancipator for England, built on the heroic metaphors of sporting gild. Actually, it wasn’t just for England, but for the whole cricket watching world.

Such had been the domination of Australia that it was pure pity to watch teams being flayed by them. Sorry for the Aussies, but if the word ‘schadenfreude’ was ever invented with something/someone in mind, it might have been for them only. Everyone’s second team thus becomes the opponent playing them.

It wasn’t the only reason why that series was so monumental; it was also because of the sheer quality of cricket. Following Mcgrath’s demolition of Poms at Lord’s, nobody could have guessed what was to follow. A badly taken step by the bowler, and things turned topsy-turvy at Edgbaston. England’s first-day total of 407 of only 80 overs was a grand statement, even if they won just by 2 runs, that too arguably by quirk of fate. Ponting’s heroics on the last day in Old Trafford saved the Aussies for later fight. But it was in Trent Bridge that things culminated for me. I was watching England chase just 129 in the fourth innings. But the master spinner, Warne, had gone straight into them. Lee too was generating some much needed speed (Flintoff’s wicket was a gem). But things somehow trudged on for England. When Giles clipped the ball for a couple to secure the victory, we all were jumping in joy at the college TV room. It was a fantastic carnival of sports. Though I couldn’t watch Pieterson’s heroics on the last day in the next Test match at the Oval, I knew it was destiny of triumph which was always written for the Englishmen.

It is so exciting to rewind those moments here. But alas, we get those types of fairytale series only once in a script. If only, that script is extended for this series too. It would be just awesome. Sorry Oz, even if they are much weakened now, England would again be the team to cheer for me and most of us, neutrals. I suspect England just might scrape through, on account of their better bowling attack. If Lee and Johnson don’t fire (ominously Lee has got some of his lethal speed and reverse-swing back), they can’t take 20 wickets soon enough even on a good wicket. But you never know the Poms too. Someone has to just scream, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide. I hope they switch off their ears for this word for the next two months. Go England go, we are all English for the time being.

PS:-

1> Congrats India for winning the one-day series in West Indies, even if they were way off-colour. But leeway must be given to those fatigued souls. Go and have a rest, and blast the Champions Trophy.
2> Much excitement in Pak-SL series too. Mohammad Yousuf’s century was as smooth as the man himself. Low first-innings score, and you have a real interesting match on hand. Kudos to the pitch creator too, after those ultra-nonsensical pitches in Pak earlier this year. My guess: SL victors, again just by a whisker, on account of their better bowling attack.
3> WI- Bangladesh series have a serious threat of being washed away by both other high-profile cricket series and the unfriendly weather deities. Hope Bangladesh put up a good fight, but I expect Gayle-backed WI to outclass them.

Dil Dil Pakistan

I feel like a Pakistani today. And it is quite strange. Such is the power of cricket, you can say. And also its ability to unfailingly align sorrow and joy in equal measure.

In the first edition of T20 World Cup, two teams – India and Pakistan, who had become ridicules after being eliminated from One-Day World Cup earlier in the year, contested a memorable final. This year too, the two finalists – Pakistan and SriLanka, were cases of immense aptness, just for their horrific encounter with wishers of death on that inglorious day. Take into account the ravages going around in the two countries, Pakistan in particular. And it looks purely angelical.

It is such a circumstantial, and in that respect, unfortunate time that we have to pronounce these human-spirit-raiser rhetorics, rather than actual cricket, to savour the game. But somehow now every aspect of life has become interlinked. So, right from the day, India got eliminated, and Pakistan got into the semi-finals, I became a tacit but virtuous supporter of Pakistan.

I missed most of the final match today, but could watch the defining last few overs. Afridi has never been rated as highly by outsiders as done by his countrymen, but today he was a limelight. In fact, he has been throughout the tournament. But the biggest credit should go to the bowlers- the quintessential Pakistani breed. Umar Gul looked like an incarnation of Wasim-Waqar era, and watching Ajmal bowl often generated a vicarious feeling about Saqlain. In short, it was awesome to watch the unpredictability of Pakistan, and that in itself, means Pakistan cricket is healthy. If only, they can carry on this mercurial ethos. Sometime later, sanity will return in Pakistan mainland too- I am sure, but they will have much to thank to this team and time to act as a beacon in this pallidness of gloom.

India - favourites for World T20 Cup?

I don’t think so. No team can be favourite in a Twenty 20 Cup. Never mind their last unexpected victory in ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa; they will have to bring both luck and pluck to do an encore. They might run out of both in this edition.

The favourite tag doesn’t suit the Indians. There haven’t been many occasions either. The last one I remember is at Asia Cup, 2004, where they bungled big time. Also, the team doesn’t look to be in cohesive and full force. Somewhere there is a hollow. Captain has started losing his cool (first noticed in IPL). Veeru is rendered hors de combat. Gambhir seems to have slowed off. But the most noticeable loophole is the bowling. Never a great force, the bowling looks even weaker, read floggable, in this format. Irfan Pathan is an apple pie thrower to even the dunce. The fielding is OK, read better than Pakistan’s, but that too can explode on any big day. So, how can they win?

But if they do win, that will be a feat bravura. Australia’s three successive ODI World Cup triumphs too might look smaller then. But will it happen? Let me ponder more on it with the India-Ireland match that is due to start now after the rain-delay.

Dragged IPL, revamped England

This IPL is so long that it has extracted boredom out of very cricket. Nothing about it excites me now. I just watch the final scorecard, analyzing which team won and which still has a chance to make the semi-finals.

The biggest distracting force has been the lack of association with any team. Out of forced volition, I have chosen Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings because of Sachin and Dhoni respectively. But still their win or loss doesn’t evoke any response worth moving. Club or franchise cricket doesn’t have the same mojo.

I liked the Test match between England and West Indies. The latter is everyone’s second team, but I was rooting for England this time around. They need to find some form to take on the Aussies. If only they become good enough to produce even half the magic of Ashes 2005, then this support will become worthwhile.

IPL moves abroad

Since the moment I read this news in the morning, I have had bouts of thinking going inside. This is indeed a big one, putting to dross the actual cricket news items - a convincing victory by South Africa over Australia, the one-dayer between England and West Indies after that farcical Duckworth Lewis drama in the first game, and even the generally high-falutin and lasting euphoria over any victory, especially abroad, by the Indians.

After many re-jigs of thoughts, I still don’t know or can’t gauge the reasons or impacts of it. In fact, nobody at the moment can. That’s why we have so many reactions coming. Some think it is a gimmick by the BCCI to bring the government to its drawing board, while some are giving the conciliatory or exploratory response.

My first reaction is indeed the very obvious and cynical one. This latest move is going to undermine India’s credibility a lot. However one may deny, IPL is or can become a showcase of India. It has the potential to rival the biggest of sporting leagues in the world. So, if it is not secure in its home country, how can it be trusted to prosper? The move will bring India’s security into focus that sharply now, and it is bound to impact the other aspects – tourism, economy, international opinion, and the most relevant of all, the future international sporting events. India will be hosting a lot of international credible competitions– the Champions League and World Cup in Cricket, World Cup in Hockey, and the Commonwealth Games in the next 24 months. A precedent has been laid, and soon it can become a pattern.

But on the same note, when I think the worst – some untoward incident happening during the course of the tournament in India, I find the decision reasonably and soundly chalked out. Nobody can deny, we have problems with security back home, and hence the attention should be on the bigger thing, the elections. Ideally we should have been able to pull off both, but alas, we don’t live in such a world. Moving on to the positive outlook, the move can actually be the biggest stroke to give the tournament the sought-after global reach and popularity. The stadiums abroad might remain empty, but the news and print media would certainly carry a mention of it to the otherwise oblivious people. The foreign, now local, player participation can bring in the staging nation’s interest. It is all the more reason to allow Pakistani players to participate and increase the number of foreign players’ representation in a team’s playing eleven to five. Similarly, the franchises can create a sub-related area for their base locations. How about linking Hove with Hyderabad or Durban with Delhi?

There are actually a plethora of possibilities and also ifs, buts, whats, whens etc. But buoy, hasn’t this always been the hallmark of the competition? The first one, as elucidated by me too, had a similar rough ride, but came out prized at the end. Hopefully the second edition too meets the same fate, unpredictable but successful.

Apropos Mr Sambit Bal

The moment I read Sambit’s article, I knew he was in trouble. The article was a bit over the top, but never malicious. As feared, he was lambasted by some Pakistanis, citing it as a product of a jealous and prejudiced Indian.

So, that brings us to the point of the content of the article. We will discuss the manner of bringing it up later. What Mr Sambit criticized was the nature of pitches being dished out for Test Cricket. While his comparison of Sir Viv Richards Ground farce at St John’s with the Karachi pitch’s drabness was not exactly right, his intent or purpose to do so was. As a cricket fan, I know what cricket means to an aficionado – it is a lifter of spirits, a ray of hope and sometimes a lifeline. So, even if the game doesn’t involve the home team, and you are taken for a ride by someone, you feel aggrieved and riled. There is no meaning to a Test Match, if both the teams put on 600 without breaking a sweat, and the bowlers look like perfunctory motiveless operators. The stats too lose their meaning in that case. OK, I wouldn’t tell a lie. I didn’t like Younis scoring a triple-century. It was partly because of his being un-Indian (same may say Pakistani), but mostly because of the resistance of a fan towards anyone encroaching the hallowed land of super-greats. That was the reason I didn’t want Sarwan too to cross 300. These likes and dislikes – the passion- are prerogatives of a fan, and this is what drives the game. So, if someone- the ICC officials, the Home Cricket Boards, the Sponsors, the Pitch Makers, for that matter, anyone- breaks the spirit, that passion is attacked. I feel deadly saddened, when I see the plight of the bowlers now. There are hardly good fast bowlers left now; the spinners hardly turn the bowl; the famous or un-famous dibbly dobblers too are on a wane. Now what are left are just bowlers. I feel this imbalance between bat and bowl, and not T20 or Standford or Tight Schedule, is the biggest worry for cricket now. So, some fan, in some capacity, had to say something, even if it fell on deaf ears.

That brings us to the point of the manner of Mr Bal’s outpour. It was a bit stretched, but he too must have learnt by now that writing is not aloof from the realities. An Indian can’t comment on a Pakistani, a Western can’t criticize an Asian, a Hindu can’t question a Muslim or vice-versa, without getting his credentials being examined. It would be easier for him to tone down his writing for this fear, but I seriously believe if he does, it should be for the literary and logical reasons. On the same note, I can’t fault the whole group for the fault of some who abused him. Go to the comments section on rediff site; you will see the abominable over-toned reactions of some boneheads. I know the majority of Paki fans would have realized what he wanted to say.

As for me, I have immense respect for Mr Bal. First of all, he gave us Cricinfo, a site which he has always tried to make wholesome and appealing. Then he is such a down-to-earth and well-wishing guy (got from one of his interviews). Finally, he is a guy-to-emulate for me, for the fine job he is doing. Thus, in all, I never mind his new ‘From the Editor’ blog, even if he says he was shamed to start it.

The plight of history - Indian Hockey

I can understand what West Indies cricket fans must be undergoing for the last few years. I feel the same about Indian Hockey. I am surprised I am writing this, because Hockey has or had never spurred any thing for me, except the oft-repeated pride of bringing Olympic Gold Medal 8 times for India.

I was going through the Sports News on a website. India had taken a 2-0 lead in a 4-match series against Argentina. I don’t know why but I felt pleasantly surprised. They at least were winning some matches, after failing even to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, 2008 (Seriously, how many of you knew this?). Then after a few days, I again read how they had lost the last two matches to leave the series squared. Naturally my enthusiasm was nipped in the bud. Why should I follow Indian Hockey when it doesn’t give me anything except pity? Nevertheless I opened the site for International Hockey Federation to see how deep the abyss has grown for Indian Hockey. The ABN-AMRO International rankings were a boot in the heart, but I should have expected it. Indian Men’s team ranking is 11th and Women’s team is 14th. Huh! Anyway, to relive the acclaimed past, I opened the Archives section.

Like a grown child flipping the yesteryears’ album, I started sailing through the days when the wins courted our head and feet. Each fact brought a flitting smile and then an unfailing poignance. The Black & White pictures of Indian Hockey Players flaunting their gold medals at various Olympics were too familial to distance. I was held spellbound, and also shamefaced for living in an age of denial. Peruse yourself:-

• The Indian men’s team has won a record number of 8 Olympic Gold Medals. They won six successive Olympic gold medals (1928 - 1956).

• India won all five matches played in Melbourne 1956 with a goal difference of 38 for and 0 against.

• India has scored a record 415 goals in 114 Olympic matches.

• In Los Angeles 1932, Roop Singh scored 10 goals in India's 24-1 victory over USA.

• India's Ajit Singh scored the fastest goal in Olympic history when he scored after only 15 seconds in the opening match in Montreal 1976 against Argentina.

• In Amsterdam 1928 (5 matches) and in Melbourne 1956 (5 matches), India won Olympic gold without conceding a single goal.

• India defeated USA 24-1 in Los Angeles 1932. This is the biggest victory in Olympic history.

• In Berlin 1936, Hitler was so impressed with the game of Dhyanchand that he offered him the post of General in his Army.

The list of indelible facts goes on …. But now all that is left from the seemingly pre-historic period is a dolmen, an enigma that stands like the words from a lost alphabet. No wonders, a few drops of tears have just rolled down my cheeks.

No soothsayer or a braggart

I am no soothsayer or a braggart. But I will still give this reference here :-

Aus-SA 2nd Test, Melbourne, 26-30 Dec, 2008

Ready my previous post, if you still didn't get it.