The indian cricket has had a long journey since the emergence of our cricket team. Before independence we have seen some special heroes like CK nayudu, Lala amaranth and Mohammad nissar which made their test debut in 1932 cricket team that included some players from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Lala amaranth was the first captain led India after independence in 1948 against the mighty Australia (kangaroos ) who were on a role under the leadership of Don Bradman and announced the emerging talent of the Indian cricket and legends about to come.
We did’t wait long to taste the success and were victorious against the English side which toured the sub-continent in 50’s but our first test victory came in 1952 in madras when we demolished the Pakistanis and tasted first ever test victory in the same year. Some of the stars of 50’s and 60’s include Vinoo Mankad, Hemu Adhikari, Chandu Borde, Sbhash Gupte and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who were considered the pillars of the Indian cricket. They instilled a belief of winning in the team. Nawab Patudi one of the Legends of our cricket lost the sight of one eye in a car accident that impaired his right eye forever, he led India in 40 of 46 Tests he played in, and won 12 of them. Indians achieved their first ever victory on the foreign soil under him in 1967-68.
Most of the 70’s was dominated by the spin wizards of India Bishen Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, BS Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkatraghavan these guys don't need any introduction to the circket pundits and will always remain legends with their golden arms. In this era when the cricket was dominated by the fast bowlers they showed the world why they are regarded the best ever in cricket. Legends when unite they discover legends, the list of legends increased in this era which included Gundappa Viswanath and Sunil Gavaskar. Sunil went on to make history he was the first player to achieve 10,000 test runs studded with 34 test centuries now taken over by our little master Sachin Tendulkar. These bunch of players were responsible for the back-to-back series wins in West Indies and England in 1971. Kapil Dev emerged as a quality all-rounder towards the end of this decade.
Then came 1980s, players like Mohammed Azharuddin, Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Krish Srikkanth, Madan Lal and Maninder Singh emerged. India won the Cricket World Cup in 1983 under Kapil Dev defeating Clive Lloyds formidable and very tough to beat West Indies in the final. This changed the outlook of cricket in India and cricket became a religion for the cricket lovers. In 1985, India won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia. The test series victory in 1986 in England remains, the most cherish able to date. Every youngster wanted to perform like kapil and sunil after the saga of successful Indian cricket and their unforgetable achievements.
Then came the youngster silently like a tiger is before the kill, he is undoubtedly the best any country has ever produced, Sachin Tendulakar the youngest Indian Cricket Player to make his Test debut at an age of 16 years, 205 days against Pakistan in 1989 in Karachi. Lot has been said about the passion, aggression, style, authority, elegance, outstanding technique and an eagerness to learn and master the game of cricket. An idol for the youngsters not only in India but wherever and whenever he traveled. He is considered to be the god of cricket who changed the way cricket was played in Indian and all over the world. The emergence of Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble in 1989 and 1990 gave further proof of Indian cricket's depth and talent. The Indian side went from strength to strength during the 1990s.
Anil Kumble became the second bowler in the history of the game to take all ten wickets in a Test match innings when he took 10 for 74 against Pakistan at New Delhi. Sachin Tendulkar continued to set new records while Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Javagal Srinath made their mark in international cricket during this decade. India reached the final of the 2003 Cricket World Cup played in South Africa.
The legend are still flowing in but one legend will be on top of my list is the Grandpa of cricket "Sachin Tendulkar". He has dedicated his 20 years to cricket, still looks eager to perform and learn. His hunger for runs has not yet diminished.
My Tribute to all.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
I was cheering for Pakistan
Photo Courtsey www.cricinfo.comIt is ICC champion trophy match between Aus and Pak which went down to the wire. Aussies looked cruising at one stage after a stunning performance with the ball. Ponting and his men wanted to prove the world that they are still the best in the business and were of course on a role till the time the side from Sub-continent showed their real class with the ball. Brett lee saved the Aussies from which looked like a total mockery in the end as they lost their way and looked like gifting the semi final birth to the India.
I was cheering for Pakistan for the first time in my cricket following history. Now I have understood why they call cricket a funny game. Not to forget that Indian team was also playing on the other ground but all the hard core cricket fans had their eyes glued on the Aussie VS Pak match. My heartbeat was very high and almost chewed all my nails, but a smile on Brett Lee’s face broke my heart and it was all over for the Indian team which entered the tournament as favourites to win the trophy.
Sadly for Indian fans India bowed out of the tournament but all cheers to Pakistan for entering the semis but you cannot win the tournament by relying on other’s heroics, especially Pakistan. But I am happy that India is out because they didn’t perform like a champion team and never at any stage looked threatening to beat any team. They were plagued by some injury problems but you cannot give excuses to justify your defeats.
On the other hand Pakistan must be happy after winning T20 world cup and now have another opportunity to prove themselves as a champion team. I cheered for Pakistan and back them now to win the cup. I think they deserve this!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Journey to Maxwell Engineers on Hamara Bajaj
Folks, after a long long time I had a chance to ride a Bajaj chetak from my house to our factory in faridabad. One of our factory managers came to pick me up on the scooter, it is the same scooter on which I learned how to drive a scooter. This is another chance for me after 12 yrs to feel it again, it definitely reminded me of my childhood days when my dad used to take me out on the same scooter. We used to have a lot of fun and felt like kings at that time owning our own “Hamara Bajaj” chetak scooter.
That’s history now but I rode about 4 kms on the scooter again couple of days back. The scooter was in a very bad condition, you know how workers on the field use them, but no grudges. As the scooter started after almost 5 kicks, I jumped on the back seat and assured that would not miss any chance to enjoy the ride. But things have changed a lot since my childhood, I am not that younger anymore, also have grown grey hair but forgetting all this I was still excited to ride it. As we approached the main road I experience how terrible it is to escape the big potholes on the roads, thanks to your government who is making sure that these should not disappear quickly. But Dinesh Bhaiya (Factory Manager) had already developed the skill to zip on these terrible roads. His seat was having a good cushion of a spring but I was on the flat seat on which I could feel those bumps one after another, reminding me of shouting to the Lord with thanksgiving for all the comforts he has granted me.
We stopped to fiil the fuel tank and that time I realised that yes I am growing old, my back started paining and had already become stiff. We moved ahead and approached the factory road which is the only connection point for our house and the factory, I asked dinesh bhaiya “is that road re-laid?”. He nodded his head and I felt OK. We were on the road and amazingly that was one of the shabbiest and pathetic roads I have ever seen in the NCR, and God that too on a scooter ride. I then made sure to hold something so that I wont fall down on the road. Moving ahead was a big pothole which had a water blockage, we had to cross that. I felt like we are taking a deep dive in the water ourselves as the scooter was almost sunk inside the water which changed the sound of the engine as if someone had been trying to kill you with a pillow on your mouth. My legs were in the air saving myself from that infectious water. Thank God we managed to cross. By now I felt like scratching my body all over, there was irritation all over my body and first time really I was feeling sorry at my state. Dinesh Bhaiya was normal and was like an elephant who doesn’t care of any problem it faces in the Jungle but for me it was already becoming painful and not enjoyable anymore.
We reached factory full of dusty clothes and hair but in this I learned one thing that how much god loves me and may be he wanted me to see that we need to stop cribbing on our condition but instead thank god for all the provision and comforts he has given to us.
I was not born with a golden spoon in my hand but I Consider myself as a child of god chosen by Jesus himself for a special reason. I got right things at right time but it was not easy as I had my own struggles and tests but am thankful that I have passed those tests with good marks in God’s report card.
Praise you Jesus
That’s history now but I rode about 4 kms on the scooter again couple of days back. The scooter was in a very bad condition, you know how workers on the field use them, but no grudges. As the scooter started after almost 5 kicks, I jumped on the back seat and assured that would not miss any chance to enjoy the ride. But things have changed a lot since my childhood, I am not that younger anymore, also have grown grey hair but forgetting all this I was still excited to ride it. As we approached the main road I experience how terrible it is to escape the big potholes on the roads, thanks to your government who is making sure that these should not disappear quickly. But Dinesh Bhaiya (Factory Manager) had already developed the skill to zip on these terrible roads. His seat was having a good cushion of a spring but I was on the flat seat on which I could feel those bumps one after another, reminding me of shouting to the Lord with thanksgiving for all the comforts he has granted me.
We stopped to fiil the fuel tank and that time I realised that yes I am growing old, my back started paining and had already become stiff. We moved ahead and approached the factory road which is the only connection point for our house and the factory, I asked dinesh bhaiya “is that road re-laid?”. He nodded his head and I felt OK. We were on the road and amazingly that was one of the shabbiest and pathetic roads I have ever seen in the NCR, and God that too on a scooter ride. I then made sure to hold something so that I wont fall down on the road. Moving ahead was a big pothole which had a water blockage, we had to cross that. I felt like we are taking a deep dive in the water ourselves as the scooter was almost sunk inside the water which changed the sound of the engine as if someone had been trying to kill you with a pillow on your mouth. My legs were in the air saving myself from that infectious water. Thank God we managed to cross. By now I felt like scratching my body all over, there was irritation all over my body and first time really I was feeling sorry at my state. Dinesh Bhaiya was normal and was like an elephant who doesn’t care of any problem it faces in the Jungle but for me it was already becoming painful and not enjoyable anymore.
We reached factory full of dusty clothes and hair but in this I learned one thing that how much god loves me and may be he wanted me to see that we need to stop cribbing on our condition but instead thank god for all the provision and comforts he has given to us.
I was not born with a golden spoon in my hand but I Consider myself as a child of god chosen by Jesus himself for a special reason. I got right things at right time but it was not easy as I had my own struggles and tests but am thankful that I have passed those tests with good marks in God’s report card.
Praise you Jesus
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