After 5 year 1992-I have learnt few more things. We have to take wickets, we need to stop the batting team to score run, fielding is a part of defending your total so that your team's score can become the highest score. One name that was prominent in my mind-Sachin Tendulkar (who else). He was some sort of demi-God to me. Famous at the age of 17 years, success, win matches single handedly for India-the image of Sachin in my mind. I followed the 1992 World cup religiously- all the matches even those in which India wasn't playing. Things I didn't understand I bug others "why umpire did this; how it is out; what the meaning of the term commentator just said; what is the name of this shot; and heaven knows what hundreds of others questions.
After the world cup another cricketers came to fame-Anil Kumble. England toured India. Kumble bowling with spec took 30 wickets in the series. Since I too wear glasses he became my favourite players. He is an Engineer so I can now argue with my mother "Ones who is Good in sports can be good in studies too at the same time". Players like Sachin and Kumble became my Heroes and role models whom I admire. I had a poster of Azhar in my room-collar up, little smile and grabing a pepsi. I used to copy his flicks and wrist shots at "gully cricket" in evening.
Year 1996 World Cup in India, by now cricket has became a religion for me. Players profile, data, records, figures all were in my mind. I can discuss and argue on cricket non stop at any given time. Cricket has became a passion for me and I became a fanatic of cricket. Now I just don't talk cricket. I discuss cricket, I analyze cricket. I start playing cricket for teams, clubs, schools. No movies, no stage show. My life was just school, studies, and Cricket.
After the 1996 World cup India tour England and players like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid came to headlines. Since than for all most 10 years these players are like a real life Heroes who became the face of Indian cricket team. These players are inspiration to me for their passions, dedication, sincerity and success.
Today 9th November 2008 The Legendry Anil Kumble will say final adiue (officially he has retired) and our DADA Sourav Ganguly's last day on the field. How time goes by, a generation almost get over. Once I could never imagine Indian Team without these players. Today I wish Sachin and Dravid to retire on high note.
In India cricket is a must thing for people. I would say it only Sachin who is responsible for making all of us glued to TV. (Obviously 1983 World Cup is the one which make us believe that we have it in us to do-but I was exactly 1 years on that fateful day, 25th June 1983-knowing nothing about cricket). When there a India's match, no practice in evening but at 6:00am, after school straight back to home-no stop over at ice cream vendor stall or samosa stall and lunch at TV room. In inning break discussion and individual opinion with friends on phone and from balcony. It was as if whole life and world depends on the outcome of the match.
Today cricket may not be same for most of you compare to what it was some 8-10 years ago. For me cricket is still the same. I used to watch cricket at Pan shop for 6 hours standing, watch cricket at some shop standing out in scorching summer of Rajasthan, watch cricket whole night awake in US. For me cricket never change but cricket itself has changed. In early 1990's Test cricket was still the pinnacle, from there India for the first time host tri-nation tournament-Hero Cup in 1993. Today we talk about Twenty20, IPL and ICL.Those days we talked about win loss, today we talk about Yousuf back tracking between ICL, PCB, IPL, PCB, ICL....Cricket has changed. From soft team to aggressive Team India, from an image of "Lion at home, lamb outside" to Twenty20 World Champion...Change is there.
Today I would take the opportunity to thanks the adieu-ing cricketers who were once the Indian Team for me. I thanks Anil Kumble (mom-see Kumble the best spinner of India, he is an Engineer too...could you repeat what you just said :-) ). I thanks Sourav Ganguly (passion and feelings that he showed to cricket). I would like to thanks Sachin and Rahul too as today the core of my generation of Indian team is retiring.
Cricket has been the best thing to happen in my life. With these players retiring I am not sure whether cricket will be same for me, whether any cricketer will become demi-God for me, whether it will be religion for me anymore. Time will say whether Cricket will change for me, now! But my love for cricket will be the same. Change is a law of nature and things do change but something still never change...!!!
