My World Cup Lesson!

 I seem to have lost count of the time when my romance with the "gentlemen's game" begun. As I switched sides from being an inquisitive child pondering over the basic nuances to an ardent follower who was well-versed with the intricate details of the game, this journey which ranges over a decade and half has been a jubilant joyride.

And a walk down the memory lane reminds me how those men clad in white confined in and around the 22 yards managed to charm me with so much ease. Such effortless adulation from a 5 year old child  who probably couldn't even distinguish between the Test and ODI format of the game was a rare sight. But the love affair had begun and it was meant for an eternity.

The fondness grew, the intensity escalated and Cricket wasn't just a game anymore. IT WAS A WAY OF LIFE.

To having lived with the privilege of witnessing the exploits of some of the world's best cricketers. To those screams of delight at the dawn of new beginnings and those teary-eyes goodbyes at the end of several eras. The game wasn't just entertainment. It was EXPERIENCE! And still continues to be.

Cricket had become one of those few things in life where the heart always took over, which is pretty much the case with most Indians. Criticism has been a part of the journey of the army of 14 men who take the burden of nation's expectation especially in high-intensity tournaments like the WORLD CUP, where the scrutiny begins as soon as the squad is announced and continues well , much after till the tournament ends. 

I am not going into the length of all the drama surrounding India's recent defeat in world cup 2015. Honestly I wasn't even expecting the team to make it to the semis, but off course it was painful and heart-breaking to watch them lose. My love for the game made absolutely no less, for it is always graceful to take defeat in stride rather than resorting to extreme forms of insult and blaming those men whose personal lives also went in for a toss while they were struggling with their willows, trying to live up to the high hopes of millions of jobless Indians who would conveniently sit on their sofa grab a packet of chips and a can of coke and occasionally drop their so-called "valuable advice" to their TV screens.

And those Internet bullies who have clearly shown despise to the fact that Cricketers are also human beings who can fall in love with beautiful looking women and that certainly does not jeopardize their cricking abilities, have defined "half-baked" heads perfectly. If burning effigies and pelting stones wasn't enough THIS is what our people have come down to. 

 For my love for the game which doesn't just confine to the exploits of cricketers on the field, a love that  has survived years and still continues to be,  such idiocy  by self proclaimed "cricket-fans" is deeply disturbing.

Having grown up from crying over losses and then to crying over wins, this world cup had another lesson in offering. To a man who wasn't quite at the receiving end of my affection, who I despised considering him over-rated. The reason for the biggest of trafficJams on the streets of Ranchi, Mr Dhoni had finally managed to win over my heart. The man of a few words had finally let his actions do the talking, and for the first time I actually felt proud of him.

PS:This is not the end, there will be more victories to come, more trophies to the kitty and more moments of pride. One defeat should not stop us from celebrating the commendable task of making it through the semis when no one expected us to. And off-course a standing ovation to the heroics of our captain cool Mr Dhoni who re-defined it what it means to be "a man of substance"
Let us learn to count our blessings!