Pushkar Pens

It's 20 years overdue.  Yeah, 20 years. 23 March 2003 I was a young Captain in the Indian Army, posted in Rajasthan. Just a couple of months back, we had returned back after a prolonged 1 year+ deployment on the borders in Operation Parakram. It was a very difficult one year, perched in whatever could be called a living space amid harsh conditions, between the Border fence and Anupgarh Branch of the Indira Gandhi Canal.... and any avenue of enjoyment and recreation was welcome. World Cup Cricket in South Africa had come at the right time to provide that succour. We had a good, young and energetic cricket team, led by a Maverick Ganguly. Sachin was in top form. Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra were doing really well. Rahul Dravid provided good balance as a Wicket Keeper. We won against everyone in the league stage except Australia.  And then we met them again in the Finals But India were playing up against the best Australian team ever , which had the likes of Ricky Ponting, Matthe...

02 April 2011 India had won the WC defeating Sri Lanka at the Wankhede. Virat Kohli was 23 years old. Just three years playing ODIs. Not yet made his Test debut. It seems metaphorical that Kohli hoisted Tendulkar on his shoulders for the lap of honour at the Wankhede after India's World Cup win.  Kohli would then say on camera, poetically, about Sachin : “He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years, it was time we carried him."  05 Nov 2023 12 yrs down the line, at the iconic Eden Gardens, as he turned 35 today, he has equalled his idol in ODIs Centuries, and given us so many beautiful memories in the process. Cheers for him.

 *Cricket Trivia : India vs New Zealand* New Zealand is the team which has shut our doors in two World Cups (across formats) and in one World Test Championship final in last four years. That's three ICC Trophies lost to them in four years. And for those who care to recollect, one of those three matches ended up as the last time MSD was in action in International Cricket. But still there is never a frenzy created around India vs New Zealand. The Kiwis are always taken as the nice guys whom you do not mind losing to. You must have done something wrong to lose. As we play against them once again today (against the picturesque Dhauladhar backdrop), it is interesting to note that India last won against New Zealand in an ICC World Cup match (any format) in 2003.  Cheer for the Men in Blue, but Kiwis are good boys. 😊

Excess of anything is bad. And here we are talking of a poisonous combination of excess amount of cricket and excess amount of money; all in one ecosystem.... I have always loved following cricket as a sport; but, in recent times, my interest has reduced substantially because of the excessive amount of cricket being played by our teams. I have got no qualms in admitting that as a sporting nation our priorities are definitely misplaced. The most crazily followed sport in India is Cricket. Indian cricket is driving the world cricket today. But let's ponder, what exactly is world cricket ? A game played by England and its former colonies. Not even 10 out of 190+ nations play serious cricket with a domestic cricketing structure. A few cosmetic names have been periodically added from time to time in this list of 10 odd nations; basically to give an impression of adding footprints of cricket as a sport. So, in a game played by just 10 nations, we excel. And drive the sport with the power...