My Cricketography !!!

The title of this post appears as if its a biography of a retired professional cricketer!!! Neither am I retired nor am I a professional cricketer. I am just an amateur cricketer who during his childhood (like every second child in India) dreamt of making into Indian cricket team.

In India only a few lucky children get requisite support from their families to play a full time cricket. I unfortunately was not among those lucky ones. My sports career (amateur) started as a cricketer and since I had an exceptional aptitude for sports and thirst to do well, I could play almost every game i tried playing (well! exceptions are always there). I played football, volleyball, basketball, badminton and was a sprinter as well. I have tried my hands at lawn tennis, table tennis and squash as well (which i confess i am not so good at). So, in absence of luck, support and courage(to go against the flow), I became jack of all trades and master of none (though I believe I was talented). And I did law as well. Earlier they used to say about LAW that who did not have anything to do, did law. So many times it happens that professional sports person too do law. I call them "Sportsmen who do law" and people like me "lawyers who play sports". The same was a good line for our defence when we played against GLC Calicut (who were Sportsmen who do law) at Spiritus (an inter-law school sports fest). We had almost won then but lost in last minute. Ashu (a batchmate of mine at NLIU) ! U should have scored man! Anyways what is done is done and it cannot be undone (Mr. Ghayur Alam's favourite line is guess. I respect him alot !!). Okay I have told you all this to tell that I am lawyer who plays sports !!!


Let us come back to the topic. When I try remembering when I started playing cricket, I see the image of myself playing cricket with my dad and brother in front of garage at our house in Raipur. I guess my brother started playing cricket before I did and he was the one taught me how to bowl properly with full shoulder movement, jump and everything (as per the rules of the game). I think bowling is difficult while batting comes naturally to everyone. So my brother gave me the game or cricket. He was my first coach. I have never ever taken any professional coaching from anyone. May be i did not want to become a cricketer so desperately.


Then I remember being a part of team of Godavari house in Gyan Ganga Educational Academy Raipur. At a very young age ( i dont remeber age but yeah it was Class 3), i got to play in a inter-house match. Sadly no one identified me as I was wearing a helmet. But yeah i wont forget that.


Then dad was transferred and we came to Bhopal and when I joined fourth standard, Cricket gave me a very precious and important friend in my life. Rishi. Just like kids who are newly admitted in a school, I did not have friends and during sports period i was sitting in a corner watching fellow students play cricket. Rishi (who was a giant kid then) came to me and asked me if i play cricket. Upon my nod he sent me to bat and I remember I hit some good shots. Hitting those shots never meant anything to us, but that moment did. Sometimes only a single moment is sufficient to know the person and sometimes even after spending ages you cannot know the person. Former was the case with us and thereafter we have spent ages with each other. I cannot put down in words what he means to me. Even if I did not know how to play cricket and even if I would not even have hit those shots, we still would have been the best of friends. This defines our friendship. “Come what may” !!! I can proudly say that.


I need not mention that by then I had improved my batting and I used to think of myself as an all-rounder (that’s another word which defines my life!).


Cricket had other effects has well. I desperately wanted a cricket kit with those fancy bat, pads, gloves, guards etc. And dad had promised me that if I get good marks, he will get a kit for me. And Cricket forced me to get good marks as well and I got a kit.


Then I remember those days in Shahpura. The hardcore tennis ball cricket era. There were quite a few grounds in shahpura and I used to play with the junior team (my age group) and my brother used to play with the senior team (his age group and above excluding uncles). Those were really good days and I enjoyed being the captain of the team and one of the best players of the team (I believe that I have been one of the best player of whichever team I have played for. I am not self-obsessed. Its true. Ask anyone!). We used to play matches with other local teams and win. And once I got an opportunity to play with the senior team as their 11th player did not turn up. That’s how even players in reserves in our national team get a chance in the playing 11. The phenonmenon is same everywhere. Only the level changes. And I remember a guy from the opponent team pushed me on my chest as I was a umpire and did not give a batsman run out. And then when he was batting, I took an astonishing catch to get him out. I took my revenge and made it permanently in the senior team. So like the Waughs, the Flowers and the Chappels, “Gopals” too played cricket together in the same team. We (me n my brother) used to fight a lot. And then we shifted to Char Imli. I was in 6th standard then. Couple of times I tried to go till shahpura just to play cricket but then the link was broken n everything got lost somewhere. But the lessons I got shall always be there. The thing is that whenever you are doing anything anywhere u learn from it without realizing and later on at some point of time when you look back, you realize what u had learned !!!


Then are the days of cricket in school. We did not play so much cricket in school that time as there used to be only 40 minutes in a sports period for you to play. I always wondered that whenever teachers are teaching those 40 minutes seem to be 2-3 hours and when we are playing those 40 minutes are like 20 minutes only.


Around 7th - 8th standard there used to be a myth in our school. Myth of a school team (which never played any match with any team but still it was there!). So they selected a school team and I never came to know about the same. Then one day I was told that we had a school team. And once we had a match in Co-curricular activities period between the School Team and Rest of the School team (I was picked up in the rest of the school team). I don’t remember anything much except the fact that we needed 6 runs to win in the last ball and I hit a six of the last ball to win (I still believe an over was remaining but the news that got spread was that I hit the six of the last ball. This fact is disputed.) I had become a hero for sometime then.


Then there are those days when we used to play with season ball. We used to practice and then play matches with other teams. But it wasn’t regular. But that is when we actually got the feel of playing real cricket. I believe that tennis ball cricket is not the real cricket. There only I learned the preliminary lessons of using the season ball for batting, bowling and fielding. I used to cycle from my home till medical ground. And since used to get very tired, I remember calling my dad to pick me up alongwith my cycle.


Then came the higher classes of 10th, 11th and 12th. When we were busy doing other mischief and cricket become very less. In fact instead of cricket ground, the basketball court became our cricket field. Just like the way 20-20`s have sort of replaced 50-50`s. Total fun cricket.

Next is cricket at NLIU. The 5 years at NLIU made me see the making of a team and evolution of team spirit. These were golden years though it was still the unreal tennis ball seasonal cricket. The way each and every player applied himself was commendable. If a few of us failed on a day, the others stood up and raised their level to make up and convert the win. There was no void. We played in finals for four consecutive years and won three of them in a row. Though there are few who question the rules in our final years (though they knew we were a better side). But I disagree as all the decisions were based on consensus and everyone got a fair chance. But I cannot forget our huddles and “DHAWA”, I cannot forget Sanjeev’s “Thande dimag se soch soch ke” and everyone`s “Shabas boys ! Chadh ke khelo!” and yeah “Chalaawa” too. I learned how to handle the losing and winning strides. I learned how to be patient and how to pull it back. In my views, the best match we played in college was when we played in our fourth year against our immediate seniors in the final year. I think no one can ever forget that. Cricket at NLIU gave me another important friend (a gem) in my life. Yadav Yadav Ashish Yadav. The malpuaman and the practice match player. At NLIU, I batted, bowled and fielded almost in every possible position. I kept the wickets as well.

And then life at NLIU got over and I thought Cricket too got over. But life had some exciting package to offer. I am working but still playing cricket. The real cricket and on a much more regular basis than ever. I have always been silent n introvert types. Ever since I joined WG, I have been the quiet and unsocial types. I mind my own business. Some people say that they did not even know who I was until they saw me playing cricket. And then we were runners up in the last ELP Cup. Some people in my office have nicknamed me Cheetah coz of my fielding. This year, in the kich-off practice session, I broke a colleague`s wrist bone while bowling. And now some call me “Hitman” and “Silent Assasin”. Some even tried spreading the word in other law firms so that we get a psychological advantage of having a “Fierece” bowler in our team. The best experience eill date has been of our journey to victory in ELP Cup-2010 final. We lost the very first match in the tournament and considering the format of the tournament, everyone thought we were knocked out. I wasn’t able to sleep and kept thinking inspite of so much practice what went wrong. We all were under tremendous pressure. A message was circulated to all the team members-

“Hey guys, we are down but not out ! Success is how high you bounce after you hit the bottom. So let us give our best shot tomorrow and show everyone what we are made of. Wahe guruji ka khalsa, wahe guruji ki fateh. So let us kick ass tomorrow and have fun.”

On this promise and assurance (I guess like my other teammates) I slept with a promise to bounce back next day. And what happened that day is a history. We ended up winning the CUP. I might be sounding as if I won the world cup. But trust me, the feeling was somewhat like that only. That was really a moment of glory for us.

I just realized how much I have written. Too long, boring and may be at places self-flattery and glorification. But this is what Cricket has been for me. Cricket has given me some of the most memorable moments in life. Cricket has given me some important lessons in life. Cricket has given me friends, team spirit, patience and confidence to pull yourself back in life. Cricket has also given a popularity. Cricket has not been just a game for me. It has been much more than that. And its not over yet. I am not retired. I am not in the Indian Cricket team. I am just an amateur cricketer and still cricket has given a lot to me. And I am still playing CRICKET.

Life Kya Kehti hai ? - This question was asked to me once by Danish ! A reply was a poem of 4 lines. Here is the full version.

Meri life kehti hai mujhse ki bas jiye jao !!!

koi manzil nahi saamne, koi dagar nahi mann mein
iraade nek hai toh raah khud hi banegi,
mann sachha toh mushkilein khud hi mitengi,
musafir ho tum aur bass yeh safar kiye jao !
Meri life kehti hai mujhse ki bas jiye jao !!!


Meri life kehti hai mujhse ki iss safar mein bahut log milenge,
kuch sachhe, kuch jhootee aur kuch achhe bhi,
sadhu bhi milenge aur sanyasi bhi,
daku bhi milenge aur apsaraien bhi,
ram bhi milenge aur ravan bhi,
kai asli bhi milenge aur kai behrupiye bhi!
in sabse milkar kabhi khush hogey, kabhi sochogey aur kabhi char aansoon rowgey bhi!
kaise bhi hon par sabse kuch na kuch seekhogey hi !
zindgi ke iss safar mein sabhi logon se miley jao,
Meri life kehti hai mujhse ki bas jiye jao !!!


Meri life kehti hai mujhse ki tumne apni zindgi mein kai kaam kiye,
Paap kiye aur punya bhi,
kuch kaam acchey kiye aur kuch burey bhi,
tum kabhi raja baney, kabhi saadhu baney aur kabhi daaku bhi,
tum prasiddh hue aur badnaam bhi hue,
kabhu khush hue, kabhi dukhi, kabhi naraaz bhi aur kabhi apni nazron mein girey,
khushi ke palon ko ek sweater ki tarah yaadon mein bunn liya,
Jab naraaz hue to kuch nahi hua par khud ka thoda sa khoon jal gaya,
Dukhi pal to surya-grahan ki tarah aatey hain chhip jaatey hain,
Lekin jab girey toh phir utthey apni galtiyaan maan kar,
khud ko maaf kiya aur chal diye nayi dagar ko mann mein thaan kar.

Meri life kehti hai ki yeh jaan lo ki Koi rahe naa rahe, tum rahoge sada khud ke sang,
isliye khud ko samjho, khud ko sudharo aur khud ko bas khush kiye jao,
meri life kehti hai mujhse ki bas jiye jao.


Isliye main bhi kehta hoon tumse ki iss life ko bass jiye jao.......

About my Journey back to Mumbai !!!!

Well, I would say this is my second post. First is the description of this blog. And my help and inspiration behind that is an artist. My friend Danish who is one of the most creative persons I have ever seen in my life.

My 10 day long winter vacation just got over yesterday and I came back to Mumbai. But I had quite an eventful journey on my way back to Bhopal. I met not less that 8 people i knew during my childhood in my flight. A very good coincidence. It was damn good to see all of them and felt very nostalgic. 9th known person was Mr. Sharat Saxena. Yes !!! the same Sharat Saxena who blew almost a fatal punch in Amitabh Bacchhan`s stomach and who played Ronny Singh in movie Ghulam. He looked old but still quite broad with well shaped biceps and triceps. His punches can still be fatal !!!!

Next was an incident that touched me so very much !!!! There was an eight year old kid, sitting with parents in a row behind mine, who looked kind of sick to me. May be he was really sick or could be because he was travelling in a flight for the first time (you can easily make out when people are travelling for the first time). Poor kid vomitted just before the flight could reach Indore. Fellow passengers were really troubled by the foul smell and were giving dirty looks (Luckily my nose was blocked). But neither the passengers, nor the poor kid were at fault. The real culprit was Indian Airlines who now, for cutting the cost, dont keep sickness bags in the seat pockets !!!! And obviously an eight year old kid does not know what to do when he is about to throw out. Then the crew tried making things better (infact worse) by emptying the cans of air fresheners and packets of tissues. After much efforts, a sweeper cleaned up the seat. Flight already got delayed by half and hour due to all this. And in everyone`s eye (as it looked to me), the culprit was still the poor kid. His father took him to loo where two people hardly fit. He cleaned his sons` clothes and gave his jacket to the poor kid. He did not look even one bit embarrassed for what all happened. Instead his full attention was at his son and he attended to the situation calmly. And when they came back, he made his son sit in his seat and himself sat in the dirty seat over which his son had puked. And later on he arranged a sickness bag from the cabin crew and was ready if required. I watched and observed all these things carefully and later on when the flight landed, I told the poor kid- "Koi baat nahi beta....hota hai !!!".  He was about to cry. Then i left the scene.

What i want to say is that no one else in this world but a father would do this !!! I just went into a flash back and thought about so many things that my father has done for me and my brother. So many selfless acts of kindness. Just imagine who would have done all that for you??? I just closed my eyes and thanked the father in the flight who gave me an opportunity to realise what my father has done for us.