"Mai Khelega" - The Birth of Cricket's God

(my account of what Sachin's first test would have felt like)

The battle between two arch rivals was on. History had proven that these two countries took everything between them to the hilt, even the gentleman's game was never an exception. World's most fierce bowling attack was roaring, pouncing and trying every bit to terrify a solid batting line-up. The stage was set for a battle of nerves, a test of will against will. On that stage, on a seemingly usual morning of 1989 stood a 15 year old. Indians are no stranger to the story of Abhimanyu, a child in the midst of a fearsome army of skilled, lethal warriors. It was no different on that pitch. With Pakistan's spearhead Waqar staring down his run-up at the boy - who he was about to terrify into submission; or so he wished.
The plan was not to get his wicket, what was the fun in that. What Waqar had in mind was more sinister, like a brutal animal who likes to play with his prey till the hunted wishes to end the suffering. The first ball he bowled was a scathing bouncer that hit straight on the nose of that boy. The first blood was drawn, pain inflicted, fear created. The victory should have been complete. It should have been. If at all Waqar Younis and anybody watching that game thought for a while that this boy was done for his life from cricket, they were never more wrong. Like it always happens at the darkest hour, just the way a beaten samson rises to pack a final punch, an avatar is born to salvage all that is good, the God of Cricket was rising again.
With unnerving courage and unfathomable will power, the boy straightened himself. His short stature belied the mighty strength that had built up in his body. His innocent eyes flashed with resolve that was inspiring and humbling at the same time. Probably as a reminder of the resounding message Lord Krishna gave Arjuna on Kurukshetra or as a a reminisce of the war cries of our brave warriors of the yore, the little boy said "Mai Khelega". When asked if he wanted to quit, that fifteen year old chose to fight on. The world perhaps thought they saw a crazy teenager trying to perform some heroics. What the world was about to see was far more colossal than that. What every cricket fan on the globe was going to witness next would change the course of a game, at once turning a child into God, a game into religion and to say the least, a billion fans into ardent worshippers.
The next ball meanwhile, was being bowled to take a wicket and end a seeming misery. Waqar fired one straight yorker. The reply was a resounding straight drive down the ground for a boundary. It wasn't just four runs on the board. It was a slap, on the face of world's fiercest of attacks. An arrow straight into the heart of the devil, a sling that brought down the Goliath of haughty cricketers. This Abhimanyu had destroyed the chakravyuha. What remained was a sorry mess of doubters who thought no good can come from a small boy.  Stories of Avatars in India are always on the same lines. God creating a form to show His Supremacy at the darkest hour. This unflagging young boy of 15, amidst a stunned crowd of spectators was no different. God had spoken, ever so soft in His tone yet so firm in execution. The blessing and punishment rendered to the deserving. Cricket's avatar was revealed. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar had just announced Himself!!

Random Thoughts

** Have you ever thought that maybe the reason I don't come to meet you is because I won't be able to handle the goodbye!

The Chosen One

(for people who think it is pointless rambling - it probably is, don't bother)

Time and again, your situation makes you realize the same gut wrenching fact: you are not "the chosen one". You are nice, and you are good - not good enough. You can try harder and try more but cannot change the fact. The choice does not involve you. It hurts, makes you feel doubtful of yourself but still it remains the fact. Unfortunate, but true. You are not the one.
It's like the feeling Legolas (Orlando Bloom) must have had in Return of the King. He was good, but Aragon was the king. What if he wanted to be the king? Maybe Legolas would have been a better king - maybe worse, we can never know. It was the fork in the road that was never taken. It's the same in life. You could have done better or worse - but you still wanted to be there, be the one.
       All said and done, you are left on the sidelines, wondering what it would be like to be chosen. Or be happy for the one who was or would be chosen. It's like the others who tried before King Arthur pulled Excalibur out of the stone. It was his destiny, and that of the others who failed. Sometimes, it is your destiny to sit on the shore and watch the ship sail away happily - and sing good luck songs for the ship. Destiny however leaves a caveat. Like a wise man once said, A man does what he can until his destiny is revealed to him. So you can try, try more and perhaps fail. Confirm the failure but continue to try. If sitting on the shore is your destiny, might as well take a few plunges and live with the satisfaction that you tried. Atleast it saves you from the pain of thinking 'what could have been...'
       One thing is for sure though - you will be told at some point or the other - that it's not worth it!! That your trying is in vain and you deserve better. People who tell you that are either being too nice or just don't know you well enough. It's a dream, something you have decided to live by, committed to follow and cherish in your heart like a part of your soul. It's a passion you cannot express but can only smile about and say "that is how it is". How can anything not be worth it? While you are being told you deserve better - you begin the whole process in your mind again coming to the same crushing conclusion - am happy that I had this dream, this passion and I am not sad to be sidelined. There is nothing I hold against those who reject. In fact, one of the happiest thoughts I will take with me is that I tried!! I did something I wanted to do and it was worth every bit. There is just one tryst I have with my destiny - afterall I am not The Chosen One

(people egged on to bear this torture by my pointless rambling teaser - sorry, I told you it would be!!)

Sachin - The God of Cricket

He is on 186 and runs for a double like he is just getting off the mark!! that hunger...he goes outside the offstump, after two dot balls, and hits stein over squareleg!! that talent....he goes down the track and throws VDM over long on and extra cover like he is playing a gully cricketer!! that ruthlessness...and he looks to the sky when he completes his double ton and thanks god!! that modesty...you cannot help but stop and think if cricket even exists beyond this man...if ever a quasi religion of a billion people could find a greater god or is this the nirvana...to watch Sachin unleash one magic after another...where else, pray, can God be, if not here?
One the day the master hit a double ton - first ever in ODI history, the day 24th Feb 2010 goes down in the holy scripts of cricket as a chapter on solemn bliss!

फूल की चाह

चाह नहीं मै सुरबाला के गहनों में गुंथा जाऊ

चाह नहीं प्रेमी माला में बन्ध  प्यारी को ललचाऊ

चाह नहीं सम्राटोंके शव पर हे हारी डाला जाऊ

चाह नहीं देवोंके सर चढूं, भाग्य पर इतराऊ

मुझे तोड़ लेना वनमाली, उस पथपर देना तुम फ़ेंक 

मातृभूमिपर शीश चढाने जिसपथ जावे वीर अनेक

बचपन में पढ़ी हुई कविता, आज बहोत सालों बाद फिर पढने का अवसर आया. जब भी पढता हु, मन विचलित हो जाता है | किसी समय देश और समाज के लिए कुछ करने की इच्छा थी, आज शायद भाग-दौड़ में वो कही खो सी गयी है | क्या पता कभी फिर वापस मिले, या नहीं!