Tennis and I

Sidvee wrote this beautiful piece titled Federer, Nadal and a fan's agony. I made a comment on it,a nd it turned out to be just as big as a blog post. Here is what I had written:

Tennis is pure joy. Being an Indian who blindly picks India in any team sport and an Indian in any individual sport to support; there was no such pressure to pick a fav in tennis. Or so I thought. Back when we were a joint family in the late 80s when my age had not even reached double figures; started watching tennis sitting between Dad and his younger brother. It was only Wimbledon back then. Dad was for Becker while Uncle was for Edberg. I picked Edberg cos the sound of “Sweden” seemed sweeter than “Germany”. Then came the time when I started understanding a bit of tennis. There were two blokes who the entire tennis watching world were divided upon: Pete and Andre; everyone spoke only about these two which didn’t impress me. There was one lad who wore a white shirt that had a bit of pink on it that I had my eyes on. This lad used to finish games at a blink of an eye. All the chair umpire announced was “15-0; 30-0; 40-0; Game Ivanisevic” I decided on him. The 92 Wimbledon final was my first taste of pain, this came even before feeling the pain of an Indian cricket team’s loss. That was the first time I watched a 5-setter without losing patience. Loads of heartbreaks followed. 94 Aus Open, 94 Wimbledon, 94 French Open (which lead to an all-Spaniard best friends final which I’ll never forget!), 96 USO, 97 Aus Open and for the last time 98 Wimbledon. That he beat Krajicek in the SF and took the fight to 5 sets against the grandmaster of Grass was heartening. I knew and felt the crown wasn’t far. 2001 was a dream. One guy from Switzerland with a ponytail was commanding and dominating the king of grass, I had him bookmarked for later viewing. There was one love story waiting to reach a peak. It happened, that late evening; I fell on my knees just as he fell face down. I had tears of joy for a sportsman winning a tournament. i don’t remember something of that sort ever happening to me before. And then, I re-visited the bookmark and a love story of sorts still continues. The grace, The RF, That white against the green grass, that playing between the legs that Goran used to do. The recent pains; the recent bouts of cluelessness against the arch nemesis, the emergence of a a triangle. Rivalries need to thrive. Nadal and Federer complement each other. They need each other to bring out that dormant dragon. As you rightly pointed out, every Federer fan needs Nadal, every Indian fan needs Pakistan, every Aussie fan needs the Kiwis.

The day I dreaded

March 9th, 2012. I was dreading this day ever since Dravid got out, bowled off Pattinson at MCG for 10 after a scratchy 68 in the 1st innings. It was a minor, a very small fear that crept in, but it has been long since I felt insecure about Dravid. The whole world saw what followed. He was cleaned up in every outing that followed except one. I don't bother to remember these statistics of Dravid. The days that followed Day 1 of SCG were the first when I really stopped following a cricket match intently. Especially, matches involving India. Surprisingly, matches that featured Rahul Dravid. I was getting a little fearful if I had started losing trust in my hero. I had subscribed to sms updates from cricinfo's twitter feed, they never failed to let me know how Dravid was getting alarmingly consistent at getting bowled out.
I can't imagine, for the life of me, how the 13-year old me started loving a man who spent most of his time at the crease ducking and and leaving and dead-batting ahead of the God of a cricket-crazed country. How did the sight of this taller figure offer me more composure than the Little Master? I will never know an answer to this mystery. Now, thousands would like to debate Dravid vs Tendulkar, but not me, I don't belong there. The day Tendulkar decides to retire; I will have a lot of fond memories to cherish, I will look on at the press conference, with a sad smile, maybe a happy tear or two will trickle down, thinking of those lustrous straight drives. He will not make me want to cry for him. But this man who has retired today, makes me want to cry. He makes me want to think he deserves the tears.
Now, its this thought; just this thought: what on earth is going to have me sit back relaxed when India are 2/1 or 14/1 or 60/1 or 148/1? The familiar figure that strolled out into the middle so impeccably with a grim determination on the face that was as assuring as a patronus chasing away the dementors is a scene that I can no longer see?
I gave up arguing with those who did not understand about his strike rates. I gave up the verbal tussles that broke out whenever anyone called the ducks and the leaves and the dead bats boring. What did they understand about the beauty of test cricket anyway? What did they know about surviving and patience and winning sessions? Winning the little battles that eventually lead to winning the war and conquering?
Why oh why do all good things have to come to an end
This has not really sunk in. This will sink in and sting when India are one down in a test match next time. He could have so easily allowed himself a farewell series. This is what he had to say about it though; "Just to keep playing for the sake of playing just one Test match, I didn't think was right" That, pretty much tells you everything that he is. Tells you why I have had no bigger obsession since 1996. Tells you why I simply cant revere anyone more in the years to come.
The Champ. The Rockstar. The Legend! Even though a Thank you won't ever suffice, I can't think of anything else to say. Thank you Jammy!!

39...

Rahul Dravid turned 39 today. He is a beleaguered batsman of a beleaguered unit. He was the first person to the nets today. About 15 minutes into his throw downs, with no other Indian players around the practice pitches, Dravid was approached by the media manager and asked to address a press conference.

What you see in italics above is an excerpt from today's cricinfo article written by Sid Monga. Just for the record, he happens to be my favourite author on cricinfo; just for the amount of poetry that goes into every Dravid article he writes.

Back in 1996, at the "Home of Cricket", two young gentlemen made their debut for India. One man batted at no.3 and made 131; another batted at no.7 and made 95. The two debutantes shared a partnership of 94 runs. My eldest cousin sister was getting married that day; the marriage hall had a TV in one of the rooms in the upper floors; something about him, kept me glued to the TV set. I was 12, cricket was just another sport back then; but still he made me watch; like the rest of the World; I paid no heed to the man at the other end!

And from that day on, whenever Rahul Dravid did something extraordinary; which was most of the time, the spotlight always shone on someone else. How and when Dada overtook Sachin as my favourite player; how and when Dravid overtook Dada as my favourite player, I will never know.

It was the '99 World Cup, when I challenged my Uncle without knowing what I was getting into; that Dravid would be the best performer. He commented saying Dravid was only good for eating Jam, that was the time when he featured in the Kissan Jam advertisements :). I am unsure if that comment triggered the affection, or the challenge, or the overwhelming joy that he fulfilled my challenge!

To this day; Rahul Dravid is the only cricketer for whom I have had an overwhelming affection. I had; and still have a passion for Dada; he is the best thing to have happened to Indian Cricket ever! Sachin; if you are born in India and if you like cricket and if you don't like him, you are insane. There are a lot who claim him to be selfish, useless, scores in lost causes only; yes, they are all insane!

Rahul Dravid, is a fighter. Each and every century he has scored can be used as a lesson for life. The fluency in some of those knocks; the support provided to a flourishing batsman; the struggle he undergoes in constructing some of those innings. There is a lesson to be learnt in every knock.

At 38; 2011 has been the best year for him. It all started with that dogged century he made in a winning cause at Jamaica. Then came a tour that the country will want to forget. I would have enjoyed the tour if I was ONLY a Dravid fan. Like him, I happen to love the team too, all his spectacular contributions were eclipsed. When usually his contributions are eclipsed by a bigger contribution from someone else, this time it was eclipsed by embarrassing losses.

Nonetheless; at 39; when someone has nothing left to prove to anyone, he still turns up first to practice, when he still wants to learn and correct his mistakes; how can anyone not like him!

Signing off with all the hope for one more special Dravid innings. For the sake of the team. For the sake of the fan. For the sake of the game...

India.. Down and Under?

Yes.

It’s over. Look at them on the field. Look at the body language. Look at the lack of confidence. Look at those field settings. Look at the captain. Does it remind you of something that happened in Jul-Sep  2011? It should.

I, personally am already waiting for the ‘no away test for two years’ season to begin. We can all happily watch the “young guns” being ‘glorified’ on the flat tracks at home! They will score close to 3000 runs in the next two years and go for an away test as heroes and return with nothing to show. Another spectacular home series will wipe the bitter memories away!

This is not the side that pounces and catches the opponent off guard. This is not the side that crouches before pouncing. That side had an enigmatic leader who never let shoulders droop. All you Ganguly haters, it’s there for you to see in plain sight. Look what the side was before him, look what it was when he was the skipper, and look what it is after him! Hate Ganguly, but respect him for what he has done! It’s not his fault we are not able to carry on after his time.

Whatever happens in this test match / series; day 1 of SCG will not be forgotten.