“It is not true
that everyone is special. It is true that everyone was once special and still
possesses the ability to recover it & only the Very Special does that.”
―
“Redemption is
something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of our
characters lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.”
―
Criss Jami i.e. Christopher James, born May 29, 1987 in Lynchburg, VA, is the author of several books, creator/designer of Killosopher Apparel, and the musician for the metal project Crymson Gryphon. Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. And no need for third one i.e. Me, as I just try to narrate whatever I have understood by reading words from great names such as of Criss or Joss! The subject is cricket & I was fortunate (just like many other cricket fans around the world) to witness two wonderful moments in the week of Diwali, which will go a long long way in the history of Indian cricket! One was the RoKo show & another was the semifinal of Women One World Cup & incidentally (or irony) is in both cases the opponent was Australia or say, the Australia! I have always regarded Aussies as a deadliest opponent for many reasons as one they are physically strong by their DNA & that’s a plus point in most of the games. Another is, they may not be skilled or gifted but they believe in practice & doing things methodically. And Aussies are ruthless in any game & doesn’t take any game casually making them very less vulnerable. Last & most important thing, they play to win every match especially the big matches & all these characteristics makes them champions in any game they play to which cricket is not an exception & that’s why to play against Aussies in any game on any venue is a challenge for any team to which team India is not an exception! Whenever its cricket then for decades Bharat-Pak match was supposed to be an epitome of any tournament & as the political situation between the two countries got bitter the bilateral games are stopped but team India also was changing, thanks to political, social & financial stability in our country & frankly no more Pak team is match for Indian team with due respect to skills of Pak players. At the same time the hard rivalry between England & Aussies which was at par with Bharat Pak, Aussies dominated it much of the time so the lustre of this rivalry also started reducing. But team India has emerged as Australia’s strongest opponent in all formats of the cricket, is the present scenario at the same time Aussies are team India’s nemesis, especially in the big games of big tournaments & that’s why any match with this team is special. As in any game impossible does happen but Australia is a team which is known to achieve the impossible rather than allowing opponents to achieve so, that’s why they are the most dangerous team!
If you say you know all this, then it’s for those who doesn’t know or think why Australian team is special & then for me cricket (just like forest) is not just a game or entertainment but it’s a life’s classroom for me & harder the subject along with its tough teacher then more precious the lessons of life are, so is Australia as an opponent! And in life also the tougher the opponent or the task, it’s an ability for you to test yourself your limits, is the first lesson I learnt! Now coming to first part of the sharing i.e. RoKo means rohit sharma & virat kohli & I won’t waste much words about their greatness especially in one day format just this, after the great Sachin Tendulkar, these two holds most of the records in this format of the game which includes maximum numbers of double centuries, to sixes to catches & what not, so be it! The latest team India’s Australia tour for three one bilateral series was supposedly these two’s last trip there & fans were super interested & more than that the critics! In any career, especially that of sports, when you are on the last phase of your career critics look at you the way vultures look at a dying prey, ready to pounce on your slightest failure. And first one day, Rohit got out on 8 runs while virat made a duck, India lost the match & the vultures were happy sensing flesh & blood! In the second game rohit made a gutsy 70 plus runs, virat made another duck & India lost again! Vultures were sure of the kill, though rohit has made maximum runs in the team, they said his run rate is slow & so his body movements & virat is done now etc etc! India has already lost the series with two defeats in row in three match series but it has never had whitewash in one day format from Aussies, so pride was at stake & for RoKo, something far more than pride was at stake, redemption!
And the both replied in the only way they knew, by their performance, unbeaten partnership for 2nd wicket with century & half century respectively they delivered a massive win for India. I don’t go in figures as for these two that was never an issue, the point was not to prove anything but stand to expectations of their own self from themselves! At the age where most players choose to retire happily these two have shown willingness to play for the country & they wanted to prove their own decision right which they did! This is the lesson for people (including youngsters) who want to follow their own path & what it takes to do so is what RoKo shown us, again! Rohit shredded nearly eleven kg of his weight as he knew his age is not on his side so he balanced it with reducing age to make his body move quickly for the Aussie pacers & fast pitches. And for Virat even his enemy can't doubt his fitness but for him more important was to find time on the creese & that needs discipline & patience, he also regained that! We all face doubts & questions some time or other in our careers & in any field, especially when we are not in best of our form or say position & at such times instead proving something which we are not best way is stick to basics, work hard & play (or work) focusing our cores strength is the way ahead, which RoKo did & this is the lesson I learnt. As they both don't have to prove anything but just ensure that they don’t become a laughing stock of people (fans become people very fast in this world, one more lesson) & end their respective careers on a bitter note, & that’s what champions do, perform & end the career on high note! When RoKo will stop playing even from one day it's they only will decide but for now fans are happy, critics will wait for some more time & I become a shade wiser!
And about the second part, if your patience with cricket & life is still intact then, today the final is on for the women's world cup of cricket one day format! Just an interesting fact: the first women’s world cup was played two years before the first men’s world cup was played i.e. in 1973. As usual Aussies are seven-time champions & were unbeaten in the last 15 matches of the world cup. Has beaten team India in rounds by chasing world record 331 runs & nobody gave a chance to team India to march in the finals. Whatever little hopes were there they also seemed blown away when Aussies posted 337 runs as no other team than the Aussies has chased such a total ever! Team India’s highest run chase was 264 till now & that too in front or comparatively easier bowling attack & then this is stage of world cup semis, the pressure itself kills your performance with the burden of expectations! Here is a game lesson which team India gave to me, use the pressure as an opportunity to focus for doing best. This is very easy to say & feel nice but to absorb that pressure & deliver, well that’s what I watched team India doing in reality! As under the pressure only, even Australian team dropped some simple catches which also helped Indian team! As well there had been some terrific individual performances yet it was a collective team effort where everybody chipped in & that’s what we all must learn, when a job or game is of a team then every contribution counts, however little it may be! A team of superstars can get defeated by a team of players who knows their respective job & stick to that only, that’s where the importance of discipline & system comes in, which team India did. We had some great players but we didn’t depend on them entirely but every player kept thinking how I can contribute in winning my team, that’s how you can defeat a team like Australia!
Indian captain Harman Prit said, she was fade-up of losing (as India had lost three straight games before the semis) & determined not to lose again, was the only thought on her mind! Jemima Rodrigues, with her maiden century broke down after taking the team to victory & frankly accepted her battle with anxiety & fears of not getting chosen in the team & yet raising her performance & that mattered most! All these are living lessons of grit, determination, dedication, fitness, ownership, team spirit as you can keep reading or hearing these words from many so-called Gurus’ of Boss people but the match was a live example of how to use these words in real life! Last but not least, Jemima thanked Jesus for supporting her in the post-match sharing & it’s an eye opener for a country which at present is being divided on the basis of caste & religion as nobody dared to troll her or insult her for praying or praising her god openly! This is what our country & culture is, where everybody is (and must be) free to pray & bow in front of the god he or she believes in & nothing wrong in it till we play under one flag which is, the Tiranga!
Finally, on a personal note I am sorry to Women’s team India as till this game, I hadn’t followed much of women’s team & always thought women cricket is bit slow & lacks the Khunnas aspect of game; today I swallowed my such opinion as this game was not just at par but beyond any game, I have watched of men’s cricket teams & I think that’s my best tribute to team India Women! I know, the final is yet to be played but so what, I am ready for more lessons, adios with the Dilse thanks note for RoKo & Women team India!
-
Sanjay Deshpande
Sanjeevani Dev.
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