More than just a game of Cricket!!!

Cricket, someone said is religion in India. Probably its more. So on 15th Dec when India walked into the field to bat on the 5th day of the first test against England, the whole India was praying for a victory. It was not just another test victory. India needed something to lift its spirit. Post Mumbai terrorist situation, probably every Indian needed a common cause to celebrate. The joy that would bring smile on the face of a street kid and the man in a merc. A cause that is of national celebration. Then what else can it be other than cricket. An imposing total of 387 on the final day. Very unlikely and that too at a venue which doesnot hold too many winning memories for India.

So when Viru went blitzkrieg, before falling, last evening a candle of hope was lighted. This morning, however, India started on a wrong foot. Dravid and Gambhir went in quick succession. Laxman played well before departing. As always it seemed that India is looking down the barrel. A promise well made but not delivered. But that’s when the most bankable player of the country rose to the occasion, Sachin Tendulkar. He alongwith Yuvraj Singh (84 not out) got India the victory. So when Sachin moved from 99 to 103 with the boundary that also brought India the victory, every cheer in the crowd, every eye watching the match on the TV, must have felt proud. Proud of being an Indian. Proud to do be an achiever against all odds. Above all, it was a victory that says: Spirit still runs deep, in every Indian vein.

Probably cricket could do so cause, every average Indian who can hold a bat thinks himself good enough to be a master of the game. And every shot from the bat and every ball bowled carries the aspiration of every single cricket crazy Indian. So when the 11 men in blue (rather, white) walk into the field, we relate to each one of them. We see our dreams through there actions. So every loss is criticized and every win rejoiced.

Thank you team India for giving us a reason to smile, in these trying times.