Yesterday while waiting for my turn at the hospital a person walked in introducing himself in a loud and convinced voice. The astounding nature of the address made me look at him before I got back into the book that I was reading. In a place like Tata Memorial Hospital it is common for people to show their positive side as everyone out there is fighting a battle and only way to emerge winner is by keeping up the spirit. However when the gentleman announced his age, a few heads turned around. At 91 years he looked fitter than an average senior citizen. From that very moment I was interested to strike a conversation with him because in today’s fast food world one rarely gets a chance to come in acquaintance with someone who has seen it all evolve in front of him. Like always the law attraction did the magic and created a situation wherein he had my uncle and me for his company in one corner of the waiting lounge.
The discussion began with both of us in awe of a person who had so much to share from his life experiences. Having witnessed nearly seven to eight generations unfold in front of his eyes he had stories that ranged from A to Z of life. The intense knowledge sharing session which lasted for around three hours created a student teacher bond between us. It was a delight to observe that at an age where many would not have ever dreamt to reach he was in control of his mind and had mastered his thoughts. His words were as sweet as nectar even though he spoke the naked reality of today’s world and the logic behind the occurrences that have surmounted today’s media crazy society.
The topics varied from world politics, government policies to the philosophy of life to the existence of God and he was as updated as a current quiz champion. He spoke his heart out and with that won our hearts. All his statements were nothing less than a verdict which could be not be challenged because he communicated what he meant and it signified truth. Among the various things that covered the duration of our meet what stood out as a message to the society were two facts that were filled with cent percent commonsense. Happiness is a scarce commodity in today’s society and it calls for immediate attention. He felt that human beings are to be held responsible for such a situation to have been presented to the most intelligent species of earth. In the process of making fast deals man has slightly miscalculated the equation and the gap continues to grow with every passing era. The concept of happiness lies within and over time mankind has reduced its effort to spend time with him/herself. It has led to the rise in the demand for God as the belief that irrespective of what one commits, right or wrong – one visit to a temple is the solution to every problem has blinded the society. However the reality is that every human being is himself a form of God and the body is the temple. Worshipping one’s own body by taking proper care of it and loving it with utmost precision should be the focus for everyone. If one can love his/her own self and spread the spirit of joy then attaining peace of mind would not be the hottest topic of discussion in various spiritual forums.
At 91, he is confident of scaling the 100 years mark because he knows the mantra to achieve it is to have a positive attitude and adapt to the changing society. With an open mind and the ‘can do’ spirit he is looking forward to celebrate his centenary year. The kind of live wire he presented himself to be I am certain that he has many more years of societal contribution left in his kitty before he decides to call it a day.
Having met someone who is a Sachin Tendulkar in the field of life I have mentally marked an age till when I want to remain alive with a perfect state of physical and mental being. With the spirit that he has injected into me there is only one way forward and that is to attain my target.
As the session came to an end when it was time to say good bye my uncle and me touched his feet for his blessings. His hand on our head was a significant moment which indicated that after having undergone the ordeal for a quarter it was time to begin life fresh. There are good things waiting to happen in the near future and the time has come to visualize and accelerate the speed towards those moments that are waiting to be captured. Change is the ubiquitous aspect of life and interaction with such individuals prepares one to brace the transformations with a positive attitude and spirit.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Rajasthan - The Ranji Trophy Champions
Rajasthan cricket has been an integral fabric of the Indian cricket set up and has rich historical significance dating back to 1887. Off field opulence and the flamboyancy have always been associated with Rajasthan cricket and its two famous sons have gone on to be top cricket administrators of the country. Late Raj Singh Dungapur and Lalit Modi have had their days influence on the world cricket order. However till the beginning of 2010-2011 season their standard of cricket performance in various domestic competitions had been average if leniency would be the basis of judgment. The script has now changed as the team has gone on to create history by winning this season’s Ranji Trophy. 15th January 2011 is a red lettered day for Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).
The intent was clear right from the beginning of the cricketing year and RCA did its homework by taking some brave decisions to set the house in order. Gagan Khoda, the face of Rajasthan’s on field woes for years was shown the door and fresh blood was injected in the form of youngsters. The significance of first innings lead in Ranji Trophy cricket is paramount therefore the batting was bolstered by signing Aakash Chopra, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Rashmi Ranjan Pardia as professionals for the year. Apart from bringing in the international experience, the three domestic giants along with the other veterans formed the core think tank of the team.
Irrespective of all the backend fine tuning and setting a strong base hardly anyone had taken notice of Rajasthan, quite predictable as they were one among many ‘I was also there’ teams in the Plate group. However when debutant Deepak Chahar bundled out Hyderabad for 21 runs courtesy his 8 wicket haul on the first day of the season (match haul – 12 wickets) perceptions changed. If there were still some doubters, the air was cleared by skipper Kanitkar (193*) as he batted Rajasthan to a position of victory. Kanitkar’s exposure to the big league was the rational behind his appointment as the team’s captain and as the season progressed his calming influence on the team was clearly on display as he scored bucketful of runs and made the right moves on the field.
The initial momentum created by the young Chahar and the seasoned pro Kanitkar was seized by the team and the aggressive mode was noticed by anyone and everyone. Tripura and Jharkhand were mauled whereas Goa and Madhya Pradesh were tamed and fittingly Rajasthan topped its group to qualify for the semifinals. Through out the season Aakash Chopra, one of the most media friendly Indian cricketer used his twitter account and cricinfo columns to generate enough interest about this fairytale ride. He celebrated the hype by scoring an unbeaten triple century in the semifinals against Maharashtra. After the cake walk the scene shifted to the quarterfinal stages of the elite group.
Rajasthan’s romantic journey would have led to many fans desire for a miracle but very few would have visualized what was about to unfold. A quarterfinal clash against 39 times Ranji Trophy champion Mumbai was a no brainer for the Pundits who had predicted a convincing win for Mumbai in their pre match analysis. Who knows what would have happened had Mumbai opted to bowl first but Wasim Jaffer committed the cardinal sin of deciding to take first strike on a green surface against an attack that consisted of the top bowlers of the season (Season haul: Pankaj Singh – 43 wickets, Deepak Chahar – 40 wickets, Vivek Yadav -22 wickets). On the lines of expectation the seamers ran through the Mumbai line up to dismiss them for a meager 252. With more than three days to go, Rajasthan made merry of Mumbai attack as Vineet Saxena and Hrishikesh Kanitkar registered centuries to their name and the young Ashok Menaria announced his arrival (121). Rajasthan ensured that the wounds inflicted on Mumbai are remembered when the two teams face off some other season.
After Mumbai it was time for to play checkmate against Tamil Nadu, who had managed to enter the knockout stage despite rain being a constant threat throughout their road to semifinals. Being put into bat Rajasthan found themselves in a familiar zone and the top order batsmen made optimum utilization of the opportunity by piling up a mammoth 552 at a snail’s pace of 2.9 runs per over. Tamil Nadu failed to catch up, albeit Subramanium Badrinath’s valiant unbeaten 175.
Baroda, another minnow in the Ranji Trophy circuit were the other finalists though their victory against Karnataka in the semifinals had raised many eyebrows. The stage was set for a final that would go down the folklore for the teams it featured. Baroda became yet another team to play into the strength of Rajasthan as they decided to bowl first on their home ground. Rajasthan cherished the familiarity of the circumstances on the big match day and put up a competitive 394 (Kanitkar – 61, Robin Bist – 77, RR Parida – 56, A. Menaria – 45). Most of the Baroda batsmen failed to apply themselves as Deepak Chahar yet again joined the party (wickets) and helped Rajasthan take a vital 33 runs lead. There were quite celebrations in the Rajasthan camp but they slipped to 11/3 and then 61/4 in the second innings. Baroda’s hope for a dramatic comeback was kept at bay as Rashmi Ranjan Pardia (89) and Ashok Menaria (101) stitched a 165 runs partnership and with that the verdict was sealed – maiden Ranji Trophy title for Rajasthan. Fittingly Rashmi Ranjan Parida was adjudged as the man of the match (In 2000-01 while playing for Orissa he had scored 94 and 71 at the same ground against the same opponent in the semifinals but Baroda had proceeded to the finals on the basis of the first innings lead). Immediate rewards were showered on the team as the chief minister of Rajasthan Mr. Ashok Gehlot announced a cash award Rs. 1 crore for the team and promised to allocate 16.18 hectare land for the proposed construction of a state of art cricket stadium. This victory is a tribute to the late Raj Singh Dungapur who had been a part of Rajasthan’s eight failed attempts to lay their hand on the coveted Ranji trophy. He must be smiling upstairs.
The Ranji Trophy champions for the season Rajasthan achieved only two outright wins and were declared winners in the remaining seven matches on the basis of first innings lead. Is domestic cricket hampering the overall competitive standard? As the season comes to an end there are many such critical questions that BCCI has to answer but for the moment it is time to celebrate the victory of cricket. Rajasthan’s win has the potential to inspire an entire new generation to aspire to play for their state cricket teams across the country. It is a romantic season that will be remembered and spoken about in the corridors of Indian cricket for many many years to come.
The intent was clear right from the beginning of the cricketing year and RCA did its homework by taking some brave decisions to set the house in order. Gagan Khoda, the face of Rajasthan’s on field woes for years was shown the door and fresh blood was injected in the form of youngsters. The significance of first innings lead in Ranji Trophy cricket is paramount therefore the batting was bolstered by signing Aakash Chopra, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Rashmi Ranjan Pardia as professionals for the year. Apart from bringing in the international experience, the three domestic giants along with the other veterans formed the core think tank of the team.
Irrespective of all the backend fine tuning and setting a strong base hardly anyone had taken notice of Rajasthan, quite predictable as they were one among many ‘I was also there’ teams in the Plate group. However when debutant Deepak Chahar bundled out Hyderabad for 21 runs courtesy his 8 wicket haul on the first day of the season (match haul – 12 wickets) perceptions changed. If there were still some doubters, the air was cleared by skipper Kanitkar (193*) as he batted Rajasthan to a position of victory. Kanitkar’s exposure to the big league was the rational behind his appointment as the team’s captain and as the season progressed his calming influence on the team was clearly on display as he scored bucketful of runs and made the right moves on the field.
The initial momentum created by the young Chahar and the seasoned pro Kanitkar was seized by the team and the aggressive mode was noticed by anyone and everyone. Tripura and Jharkhand were mauled whereas Goa and Madhya Pradesh were tamed and fittingly Rajasthan topped its group to qualify for the semifinals. Through out the season Aakash Chopra, one of the most media friendly Indian cricketer used his twitter account and cricinfo columns to generate enough interest about this fairytale ride. He celebrated the hype by scoring an unbeaten triple century in the semifinals against Maharashtra. After the cake walk the scene shifted to the quarterfinal stages of the elite group.
Rajasthan’s romantic journey would have led to many fans desire for a miracle but very few would have visualized what was about to unfold. A quarterfinal clash against 39 times Ranji Trophy champion Mumbai was a no brainer for the Pundits who had predicted a convincing win for Mumbai in their pre match analysis. Who knows what would have happened had Mumbai opted to bowl first but Wasim Jaffer committed the cardinal sin of deciding to take first strike on a green surface against an attack that consisted of the top bowlers of the season (Season haul: Pankaj Singh – 43 wickets, Deepak Chahar – 40 wickets, Vivek Yadav -22 wickets). On the lines of expectation the seamers ran through the Mumbai line up to dismiss them for a meager 252. With more than three days to go, Rajasthan made merry of Mumbai attack as Vineet Saxena and Hrishikesh Kanitkar registered centuries to their name and the young Ashok Menaria announced his arrival (121). Rajasthan ensured that the wounds inflicted on Mumbai are remembered when the two teams face off some other season.
After Mumbai it was time for to play checkmate against Tamil Nadu, who had managed to enter the knockout stage despite rain being a constant threat throughout their road to semifinals. Being put into bat Rajasthan found themselves in a familiar zone and the top order batsmen made optimum utilization of the opportunity by piling up a mammoth 552 at a snail’s pace of 2.9 runs per over. Tamil Nadu failed to catch up, albeit Subramanium Badrinath’s valiant unbeaten 175.
Baroda, another minnow in the Ranji Trophy circuit were the other finalists though their victory against Karnataka in the semifinals had raised many eyebrows. The stage was set for a final that would go down the folklore for the teams it featured. Baroda became yet another team to play into the strength of Rajasthan as they decided to bowl first on their home ground. Rajasthan cherished the familiarity of the circumstances on the big match day and put up a competitive 394 (Kanitkar – 61, Robin Bist – 77, RR Parida – 56, A. Menaria – 45). Most of the Baroda batsmen failed to apply themselves as Deepak Chahar yet again joined the party (wickets) and helped Rajasthan take a vital 33 runs lead. There were quite celebrations in the Rajasthan camp but they slipped to 11/3 and then 61/4 in the second innings. Baroda’s hope for a dramatic comeback was kept at bay as Rashmi Ranjan Pardia (89) and Ashok Menaria (101) stitched a 165 runs partnership and with that the verdict was sealed – maiden Ranji Trophy title for Rajasthan. Fittingly Rashmi Ranjan Parida was adjudged as the man of the match (In 2000-01 while playing for Orissa he had scored 94 and 71 at the same ground against the same opponent in the semifinals but Baroda had proceeded to the finals on the basis of the first innings lead). Immediate rewards were showered on the team as the chief minister of Rajasthan Mr. Ashok Gehlot announced a cash award Rs. 1 crore for the team and promised to allocate 16.18 hectare land for the proposed construction of a state of art cricket stadium. This victory is a tribute to the late Raj Singh Dungapur who had been a part of Rajasthan’s eight failed attempts to lay their hand on the coveted Ranji trophy. He must be smiling upstairs.
The Ranji Trophy champions for the season Rajasthan achieved only two outright wins and were declared winners in the remaining seven matches on the basis of first innings lead. Is domestic cricket hampering the overall competitive standard? As the season comes to an end there are many such critical questions that BCCI has to answer but for the moment it is time to celebrate the victory of cricket. Rajasthan’s win has the potential to inspire an entire new generation to aspire to play for their state cricket teams across the country. It is a romantic season that will be remembered and spoken about in the corridors of Indian cricket for many many years to come.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Indian cricket market
The other day when cricketers turned commodities at the auctioning of The Indian Premier League (IPL), the whole country was curious to witness the rates at which their favourite stars were being sold to the franchisees, just the way a common man buys his ration from the local grocery shop. If the steep rise in onion price was considered as a mass failure of the system, the news of instant millionaire being created at the IPL auction was much of a reason to feel elevated about as if a partly amount from the whole sum would be deposited into the common man’s personal account. The society hovers between the two ends of this spectrum and clearly cherishes being in the double standard zone. Arguments can be for and against the credibility of the spectrum as the micro-economics for the two news that have grabbed highest TRPs in the last fortnight are entirely different but to reach a clear conclusion is as difficult as dreaming to live in a society of justice. It can be left to another day to compare and analyze the two ends but what needs immediate addressing is the impact of over commercialization of cricket on the future generations.
Ever since Kapil Dev lifted the Prudential World Cup in 1983, cricket has remained the number one passion for this over populated country where meeting ends is considered to be the biggest challenge of humanity. Cricket has provided much needed solace and the route to escapism. The ruling governments have been clever enough to understand the relationship and its impact on the society and have always played it safe. The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has used its position to advantage and raked in the moolahs by selling the hope of the billion Indians to the ever ambitious advertiser. All was well until India accidentally won the inaugural T20 world championship. Since then the game has changed at triple pace rate and today the ravenousness of capital has overpowered the system to an extent that has left every honest follower of the game questioning the intent of the game administrators. The windfall of cash has been so tempting that the board has been strangled by its own myopic view. The vision for producing world class cricketers and being a top ranked team seems to have been diluted. Had everything been alright then the board should have scheduled a few practice games in South Africa before the beginning of the first test which India lost in a humiliating manner as recently as 20th December 2010. Similarly a much more result oriented domestic cricket season can yield better fortunes for the country’s cricketing future. Instead of answering these issues, the board is indulged in matters irrelevant in the larger scheme of things.
If Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in 1970s repackaged the game to keep the fans excited in an otherwise mundane environment, BCCI through its sheer greediness has managed to slowly but steadily suck the pulse away from the common man in a peculiar manner. The hunger to fill in the coffins continues to be on the steep rise and it is being felt in the surrounding. In remote cities across India where live cricket on television was the lifeblood of social pastime now remains a distant desire as the common man is unable to afford pay channels. India’s historic stalemate in South Africa did not reach the rural and that automatically fails to inspire the young kid to take up his bat and go to the local farmland to have a hit. Here lies an answer to a question of why the local grounds in the tier two cities of India look empty these days in comparison to the previous generation. Wherever there is access to live cricket on television, it is stuffed in with commercials that an aspiring youngster might contemplate of modeling as a better career option than being a cricketer.
At the face of things it is easy to blame the broadcaster for selling its free commercial time beyond the accepted standards but being fair to them one has to understand the business cycle of professional team sport. It is a seller’s market and operates in a complex micro-economy where the teams avail the services of the players and coaches and fans buy game tickets, TV subscription and merchandise, media houses buy the broadcasting rights, corporate buy executive suites and related services. This leads to the ever persistent price-rise syndrome, which increases the gap between the poor and rich players in the market leading to breakaway factions; the now defunct ICL is a case in example. The broadcasters and the advertisers have a business to run and revenues to clock which can only be attained by going on the overdrive; such has been the rise in the demand for broadcast rights and monopolistic control of BCCI in a country where commercialization of sports was an unsolved equation till as late as early 1990s.
The board is for sure having the last laugh but had it been truly aware of the indirect damage it is causing to the overall cricket system of the country then there would be a few chuckles less. The board has been conveniently diverting the allegations over the years by testifying its financial contribution to the various state cricket associations across the country for grassroots development. Does the state cricket associations spend the allocated budget justifiably calls for another debate. However the issue here is about the common man who has no ambition to play for the country but to be associated with the peripherals associated with the game. Being the parent body it becomes paramount responsibility for BCCI to secure the common man’s interest at a time when other sports are on the rise in the country.
Lack of proper leadership management and big egos of the office bearers has led to the precarious position that Indian cricket administration is in today. The system needs to be modified by incorporating the best practices from the finest models made available by Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa and England Cricket Board. Fresh brains need to be inculcated into the system who can implement the needed changes without being influenced by forces of resistance.
Indian cricket cannot afford to go the West Indian way because the influence of the game is pivotal in the sustenance of a healthy economy of the country and anyone who has little commonsense of the country’s dynamics understands that. It is not long before Sachin Tendulkar retires and that will mark the transition of fan following from one generation to another. Today Arsenal and Manchester United are a part of the Indian living room set up which was not the case a generation earlier. The switch over phase will throw many uncomfortable questions and if not answered aptly the system might come crashing down. Now is the time for BCCI to come out of the delusion of being in a demand driven market and prepare for the future by taking the common man into confidence or else it might just crumble at its own fate.
Sidhanta Patnaik
9th January 2011
10.48am
BJB Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Ever since Kapil Dev lifted the Prudential World Cup in 1983, cricket has remained the number one passion for this over populated country where meeting ends is considered to be the biggest challenge of humanity. Cricket has provided much needed solace and the route to escapism. The ruling governments have been clever enough to understand the relationship and its impact on the society and have always played it safe. The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has used its position to advantage and raked in the moolahs by selling the hope of the billion Indians to the ever ambitious advertiser. All was well until India accidentally won the inaugural T20 world championship. Since then the game has changed at triple pace rate and today the ravenousness of capital has overpowered the system to an extent that has left every honest follower of the game questioning the intent of the game administrators. The windfall of cash has been so tempting that the board has been strangled by its own myopic view. The vision for producing world class cricketers and being a top ranked team seems to have been diluted. Had everything been alright then the board should have scheduled a few practice games in South Africa before the beginning of the first test which India lost in a humiliating manner as recently as 20th December 2010. Similarly a much more result oriented domestic cricket season can yield better fortunes for the country’s cricketing future. Instead of answering these issues, the board is indulged in matters irrelevant in the larger scheme of things.
If Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in 1970s repackaged the game to keep the fans excited in an otherwise mundane environment, BCCI through its sheer greediness has managed to slowly but steadily suck the pulse away from the common man in a peculiar manner. The hunger to fill in the coffins continues to be on the steep rise and it is being felt in the surrounding. In remote cities across India where live cricket on television was the lifeblood of social pastime now remains a distant desire as the common man is unable to afford pay channels. India’s historic stalemate in South Africa did not reach the rural and that automatically fails to inspire the young kid to take up his bat and go to the local farmland to have a hit. Here lies an answer to a question of why the local grounds in the tier two cities of India look empty these days in comparison to the previous generation. Wherever there is access to live cricket on television, it is stuffed in with commercials that an aspiring youngster might contemplate of modeling as a better career option than being a cricketer.
At the face of things it is easy to blame the broadcaster for selling its free commercial time beyond the accepted standards but being fair to them one has to understand the business cycle of professional team sport. It is a seller’s market and operates in a complex micro-economy where the teams avail the services of the players and coaches and fans buy game tickets, TV subscription and merchandise, media houses buy the broadcasting rights, corporate buy executive suites and related services. This leads to the ever persistent price-rise syndrome, which increases the gap between the poor and rich players in the market leading to breakaway factions; the now defunct ICL is a case in example. The broadcasters and the advertisers have a business to run and revenues to clock which can only be attained by going on the overdrive; such has been the rise in the demand for broadcast rights and monopolistic control of BCCI in a country where commercialization of sports was an unsolved equation till as late as early 1990s.
The board is for sure having the last laugh but had it been truly aware of the indirect damage it is causing to the overall cricket system of the country then there would be a few chuckles less. The board has been conveniently diverting the allegations over the years by testifying its financial contribution to the various state cricket associations across the country for grassroots development. Does the state cricket associations spend the allocated budget justifiably calls for another debate. However the issue here is about the common man who has no ambition to play for the country but to be associated with the peripherals associated with the game. Being the parent body it becomes paramount responsibility for BCCI to secure the common man’s interest at a time when other sports are on the rise in the country.
Lack of proper leadership management and big egos of the office bearers has led to the precarious position that Indian cricket administration is in today. The system needs to be modified by incorporating the best practices from the finest models made available by Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa and England Cricket Board. Fresh brains need to be inculcated into the system who can implement the needed changes without being influenced by forces of resistance.
Indian cricket cannot afford to go the West Indian way because the influence of the game is pivotal in the sustenance of a healthy economy of the country and anyone who has little commonsense of the country’s dynamics understands that. It is not long before Sachin Tendulkar retires and that will mark the transition of fan following from one generation to another. Today Arsenal and Manchester United are a part of the Indian living room set up which was not the case a generation earlier. The switch over phase will throw many uncomfortable questions and if not answered aptly the system might come crashing down. Now is the time for BCCI to come out of the delusion of being in a demand driven market and prepare for the future by taking the common man into confidence or else it might just crumble at its own fate.
Sidhanta Patnaik
9th January 2011
10.48am
BJB Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Saturday, January 8, 2011
2000 to 2010: Indian cricket – From rabbits to fighters
Its 2011 and a decade has passed by witnessing the best of Indian cricket. There can be no better time than now to look back at how the journey has evolved over the last few years. This year’s first test at Cape Town was headed towards a draw or an Indian collapse after Boucher and Kallis did the resurrection job on the 4th day but such has been the change in expectation and attitude that the Indian fan went to sleep expecting a sparkling series win the next day and the status messages on social networking sites were filled with over optimism. Going back by a few years when Facebook was still an unknown component the average Indian fan would have put hundreds of offers in front of the almighty for the batsmen to draw strength and courage to see through a day of hostile bowling on a crumbling pitch. Today a draw is not considered to be a good enough result. Incidentally it was in the Port Elizabeth test of 2001 when a player by name Deep Dasgupta (more of a goal keeper than a wicket keeper) and Rahul Dravid had stonewalled for nearly three sessions on a 5th day track against the likes of Pollock, Ntini, Hayward, Klusener and Boje to save the test match. The test series was lost 0-1 and also ‘unofficial test match’ but that is exactly when the journey of hope had begun.
Going back to April 2000, Indian cricket had hit rock bottom. The gloomy weather of match fixing had shadowed the atmosphere and the casualty were many fans who till date are shocked to an unimaginable extent. Few big names of the game were humiliated and punished for the right reasons and change was the only way forward. In came Sourav Ganguly with this ‘whose father what goes’ spirit and was ably supported by one Jagmohan Dalmiya, the then BCCI president and ICC president elect. The backing was huge more so because both belonged to the same state association (Cricket Association of Bengal). Those were the days of state lobbies and zonal quotas. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the captain and the country’s newly appointed first foreign coach John Wright (recommend reading- The Indian Summers) went on a rampage from one end of the country to the other end in search of raw talent. BCCI’s Talent Resource Development team which is now defunct was being led by an earnest Dillip Vengsarkar those days and his seriousness complemented with the agenda of the team management.
Mohammed Kaif, SS Das, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, JP Yadav, Sanjay Bangar, MS Dhoni, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina and many more such unknown names became household figures in no time. Some were directly pooled into the national team whereas the others were molded through the junior teams and the National Cricket Academy. All of a sudden Indian cricket was no more a rich kid’s dream. From Rai Bareilly to Ranchi, the ‘aam junta’ now had their chance to have a go at the top prize as Indian cricket for the first time had truly entered the rural belts of the country. The connectivity factor was alive and kicking and when a little known left arm seamer from Shrirampur on his birthday (7th October 2000) yorked Steve Waugh in ICC Knock Out Cup, Nairobi the country erupted with joy. Those days this seamer used to play for Baroda in the Ranji Trophy as he could not break into the formidable Mumbai team. Today he is India’s bowling captain- Zaheer Khan. It was on this very day when Yuvraj Singh announced his arrival on the world stage; it was just their second international game.
Slowly the intent was changing and the desire to register foreign wins was becoming evident but there was some distance to cover as a major humiliation was never far away from the recipe. The rise of VVS Laxman and the change in India’s fortune abroad have run in sync with each other. For the first half of his career this Hyderabadi craftsman was considered to be a domestic wonder unable to go beyond classy 30s in the international circuit. However that blow on the helmet on 4th January 2000 in Sydney which floored him changed the dynamics. He went on to score a magnificent 167 in that innings for a losing cause – an innings that took an average Indian fan by surprise (those were the days when wicketkeeper MSK Prasad used to be the opener for the team in the absence of Debang Gandhi). The anger of that hit transformed into a miracle at Eden Gardens on 14th March 2001 (281) and since then there has been no looking back. His silken grace has been very very special and continues to charm the grounds across the globe and if India has not lost a test series for two years now then a major share of the credit goes to the once upon a time domestic giant. The four heavy weight innings coming from behind that were produced last year have not only elevated him to unparalleled level but also gave the team the tag of fighters, a title the Indian fans so yearned to be associated with but never managed to earn for many years.
Post 2001 the scenario changed as slowly but steadily wins started coming abroad and due credit goes to the positive vibe created by the seniors in the dressing room leading to the rise in confidence levels of the youngsters, something that had been lacking for long. The West Indies tour of 2002 gave a new lease of life to the Indian team. The five match test series was lost 1-2 but the one day series was won 2-1 (memories – Kumble’s broken jaw, Ajay Ratra’s century, Dravid-Sarandeep partnership to save the Georgetown test). For the first time Indian teenagers were witnessing test matches being saved outside the sub continent and it was good enough result to rejoice and celebrate, such low was the self esteem. The belief of better result abroad had been crucified over the years. The Durban disaster followed by the Barbados hara-kiri of 1997-1998 , the never ending Premadasa toils of mid 1990s, JY Lele’s (the then BCCI secretary) infamous 0-3 score line prediction of India’s tour to Australia in 1999-2000 and Ajit Agarkar’s crowning as Mumbai’s duck (7 consecutive blobs), Zimbabwe loss in 2001. To put statistics in place India had slipped to 8th in ICC’s test ranking after losing the 2001 test series in Srilanka.
The country had celebrated the arrival of two young talents in 1996 who made the world take a note of their talent in their debut test at Lord’s and it was again on these two pros in 2002 along with a few other seniors and a bunch of energetic youth to change the script in England. The test series was drawn courtesy a dodgy innings by Sanjay Bangar and some inspirational performance by the trusted trio of Sachin, Sourav and Rahul. It was the very series in which Ajit Agarkar managed to put up his name on the batting honour roll of Lord’s – miracles do happen! In the hindsight when years roll by the Natwest Series final against the hosts will be seen as a turning point in the way Indian cricket has proceeded ever since. One of the most dramatic storyline scripted on a cricket field ever. Chasing 326, India were 146/5 with Tendulkar back in the hut (he was batting at number 4 those days). It was nothing but over when the Yuvi-Kaif duo decided to earn the title ‘Lords of the ring’.
A series of ODI tournament wins later when things were starting to look rosy India toured to the Kiwi land to have their confidence shattered (losing test series 0-2 and ODI series 2-5). The pitch was blamed but it did not help the mind frame just before the world cup in South Africa. The safari campaign started modestly as Netherlands game was more of a warm up followed by a face hiding defeat to Australia. As was the norms those days, the privacy of the players’ family was intervened and it took none other than Sachin Tendulkar to come out in public and request for some order. Like the phoenix, the team rose to the occasion winning every remaining game on their way to the finals but at the last step the pressure of the occasion took over and much before the Australian innings was over, the conclusion was foregone. However the Indian fans basked in the glory of being runners up in World Cup and the wave carried the team to Australia. The clash was fitted as the top of the tables clash. A drawn test series courtesy some superlative performances by the old giants was seen as a victory (Steve Waugh’s farewell series). The standards were graduating to new levels and Pakistan was conquered twice as were Bangladesh (2004), Zimbabwe (2005) and West Indies (2006). By now Rahul Dravid had established himself as the leader of the troop and India had witnessed the Greg Chappel fiasco. Sourav Ganguly had already made a comeback in South Africa (2006-2007) where the celebrations of a lone test victory grabbed the headlines for the wrong reason. Lack of concentration led to the series loss (1-2) and history was repeated yet again. It was immediately followed by the disastrous 2007 World Cup and ‘guru Greg’ resigned to everyone’s pleasure. Sanity prevailed in Bangladesh before the team embarked on a much important tour to England. It was a triumph as after two decades the country won the test series there. Though the closely fought ODI series was lost (memories – Robin Utthapa’s heroics and Dimitri Mascarenhas’s attack on Yuvraj) yet the youth was slowly taking over and aptly the captaincy for the World T20 championship at South Africa was handed over to MS Dhoni. An accidental slower ball from Joginder Sharma followed by a miscalculated scoop by Mishbah-Ul-Haq earned India the world title and all hell broke loose. Celebrations and Indian Premier League were the post victory consequences.
Rahul Dravid’s desire to concentrate on batting led to Anil Kumble being handed over the test captaincy at the fag end of his career. His leadership was inspirational. The test series in Srilanka (2008) was lost courtesy Mendis carom ball but there was pride in the Perth test victory (2009) after what had conspired in Sydney. Kumble’s serenity was instrumental in enabling the team to show its true character during the tough times. In came Gary Kirsten and formed an able partnership with MS Dhoni to win the ODI series in Australia, a fitting tribute to the old boys who were slowly on their way out of the international circuit. Dada and Jumbo left the arena in a celebratory manner in the home series against Australia and with that the baton was officially passed to MSD. The dominancy post the changeover was articulated as another milestone was attained; complete series win in New Zealand (2009) something considered impossible in the recent past (memories – The meditation of Gautam ‘Buddha’ Gambir).
Sachin, Laxman and Dravid continue to form the nucleus of the test team but what has changed with MSD’s leadership is the entry of the countryside spirit into the dressing room. The fearless approach was there to be seen and it has seeped into the veins of every youngster walking into the team. The joy of winning has replaced the horror of loss. From outside the dressing room today looks much tighter, happier and more importantly much more professional than the days of Vikram Rathour and Paras Mhambrey.
It is the golden phase in the country’s cricketing history and fittingly enough this is the year when after a long gap the team will tour to all the cricketing continents. The results will give an indication of what lies in the future and a base to gauge the aura that the team has managed to create over the last decade.
For fans who have witnessed disasters in the past, these are better days to be cherished and as the flow of thoughts come to a halt the eternal hope of lifting the World Cup continues to take precedence over anything else.
Sidhanta Patnaik
8th January 2011
1.51pm
BJB Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Going back to April 2000, Indian cricket had hit rock bottom. The gloomy weather of match fixing had shadowed the atmosphere and the casualty were many fans who till date are shocked to an unimaginable extent. Few big names of the game were humiliated and punished for the right reasons and change was the only way forward. In came Sourav Ganguly with this ‘whose father what goes’ spirit and was ably supported by one Jagmohan Dalmiya, the then BCCI president and ICC president elect. The backing was huge more so because both belonged to the same state association (Cricket Association of Bengal). Those were the days of state lobbies and zonal quotas. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the captain and the country’s newly appointed first foreign coach John Wright (recommend reading- The Indian Summers) went on a rampage from one end of the country to the other end in search of raw talent. BCCI’s Talent Resource Development team which is now defunct was being led by an earnest Dillip Vengsarkar those days and his seriousness complemented with the agenda of the team management.
Mohammed Kaif, SS Das, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, JP Yadav, Sanjay Bangar, MS Dhoni, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina and many more such unknown names became household figures in no time. Some were directly pooled into the national team whereas the others were molded through the junior teams and the National Cricket Academy. All of a sudden Indian cricket was no more a rich kid’s dream. From Rai Bareilly to Ranchi, the ‘aam junta’ now had their chance to have a go at the top prize as Indian cricket for the first time had truly entered the rural belts of the country. The connectivity factor was alive and kicking and when a little known left arm seamer from Shrirampur on his birthday (7th October 2000) yorked Steve Waugh in ICC Knock Out Cup, Nairobi the country erupted with joy. Those days this seamer used to play for Baroda in the Ranji Trophy as he could not break into the formidable Mumbai team. Today he is India’s bowling captain- Zaheer Khan. It was on this very day when Yuvraj Singh announced his arrival on the world stage; it was just their second international game.
Slowly the intent was changing and the desire to register foreign wins was becoming evident but there was some distance to cover as a major humiliation was never far away from the recipe. The rise of VVS Laxman and the change in India’s fortune abroad have run in sync with each other. For the first half of his career this Hyderabadi craftsman was considered to be a domestic wonder unable to go beyond classy 30s in the international circuit. However that blow on the helmet on 4th January 2000 in Sydney which floored him changed the dynamics. He went on to score a magnificent 167 in that innings for a losing cause – an innings that took an average Indian fan by surprise (those were the days when wicketkeeper MSK Prasad used to be the opener for the team in the absence of Debang Gandhi). The anger of that hit transformed into a miracle at Eden Gardens on 14th March 2001 (281) and since then there has been no looking back. His silken grace has been very very special and continues to charm the grounds across the globe and if India has not lost a test series for two years now then a major share of the credit goes to the once upon a time domestic giant. The four heavy weight innings coming from behind that were produced last year have not only elevated him to unparalleled level but also gave the team the tag of fighters, a title the Indian fans so yearned to be associated with but never managed to earn for many years.
Post 2001 the scenario changed as slowly but steadily wins started coming abroad and due credit goes to the positive vibe created by the seniors in the dressing room leading to the rise in confidence levels of the youngsters, something that had been lacking for long. The West Indies tour of 2002 gave a new lease of life to the Indian team. The five match test series was lost 1-2 but the one day series was won 2-1 (memories – Kumble’s broken jaw, Ajay Ratra’s century, Dravid-Sarandeep partnership to save the Georgetown test). For the first time Indian teenagers were witnessing test matches being saved outside the sub continent and it was good enough result to rejoice and celebrate, such low was the self esteem. The belief of better result abroad had been crucified over the years. The Durban disaster followed by the Barbados hara-kiri of 1997-1998 , the never ending Premadasa toils of mid 1990s, JY Lele’s (the then BCCI secretary) infamous 0-3 score line prediction of India’s tour to Australia in 1999-2000 and Ajit Agarkar’s crowning as Mumbai’s duck (7 consecutive blobs), Zimbabwe loss in 2001. To put statistics in place India had slipped to 8th in ICC’s test ranking after losing the 2001 test series in Srilanka.
The country had celebrated the arrival of two young talents in 1996 who made the world take a note of their talent in their debut test at Lord’s and it was again on these two pros in 2002 along with a few other seniors and a bunch of energetic youth to change the script in England. The test series was drawn courtesy a dodgy innings by Sanjay Bangar and some inspirational performance by the trusted trio of Sachin, Sourav and Rahul. It was the very series in which Ajit Agarkar managed to put up his name on the batting honour roll of Lord’s – miracles do happen! In the hindsight when years roll by the Natwest Series final against the hosts will be seen as a turning point in the way Indian cricket has proceeded ever since. One of the most dramatic storyline scripted on a cricket field ever. Chasing 326, India were 146/5 with Tendulkar back in the hut (he was batting at number 4 those days). It was nothing but over when the Yuvi-Kaif duo decided to earn the title ‘Lords of the ring’.
A series of ODI tournament wins later when things were starting to look rosy India toured to the Kiwi land to have their confidence shattered (losing test series 0-2 and ODI series 2-5). The pitch was blamed but it did not help the mind frame just before the world cup in South Africa. The safari campaign started modestly as Netherlands game was more of a warm up followed by a face hiding defeat to Australia. As was the norms those days, the privacy of the players’ family was intervened and it took none other than Sachin Tendulkar to come out in public and request for some order. Like the phoenix, the team rose to the occasion winning every remaining game on their way to the finals but at the last step the pressure of the occasion took over and much before the Australian innings was over, the conclusion was foregone. However the Indian fans basked in the glory of being runners up in World Cup and the wave carried the team to Australia. The clash was fitted as the top of the tables clash. A drawn test series courtesy some superlative performances by the old giants was seen as a victory (Steve Waugh’s farewell series). The standards were graduating to new levels and Pakistan was conquered twice as were Bangladesh (2004), Zimbabwe (2005) and West Indies (2006). By now Rahul Dravid had established himself as the leader of the troop and India had witnessed the Greg Chappel fiasco. Sourav Ganguly had already made a comeback in South Africa (2006-2007) where the celebrations of a lone test victory grabbed the headlines for the wrong reason. Lack of concentration led to the series loss (1-2) and history was repeated yet again. It was immediately followed by the disastrous 2007 World Cup and ‘guru Greg’ resigned to everyone’s pleasure. Sanity prevailed in Bangladesh before the team embarked on a much important tour to England. It was a triumph as after two decades the country won the test series there. Though the closely fought ODI series was lost (memories – Robin Utthapa’s heroics and Dimitri Mascarenhas’s attack on Yuvraj) yet the youth was slowly taking over and aptly the captaincy for the World T20 championship at South Africa was handed over to MS Dhoni. An accidental slower ball from Joginder Sharma followed by a miscalculated scoop by Mishbah-Ul-Haq earned India the world title and all hell broke loose. Celebrations and Indian Premier League were the post victory consequences.
Rahul Dravid’s desire to concentrate on batting led to Anil Kumble being handed over the test captaincy at the fag end of his career. His leadership was inspirational. The test series in Srilanka (2008) was lost courtesy Mendis carom ball but there was pride in the Perth test victory (2009) after what had conspired in Sydney. Kumble’s serenity was instrumental in enabling the team to show its true character during the tough times. In came Gary Kirsten and formed an able partnership with MS Dhoni to win the ODI series in Australia, a fitting tribute to the old boys who were slowly on their way out of the international circuit. Dada and Jumbo left the arena in a celebratory manner in the home series against Australia and with that the baton was officially passed to MSD. The dominancy post the changeover was articulated as another milestone was attained; complete series win in New Zealand (2009) something considered impossible in the recent past (memories – The meditation of Gautam ‘Buddha’ Gambir).
Sachin, Laxman and Dravid continue to form the nucleus of the test team but what has changed with MSD’s leadership is the entry of the countryside spirit into the dressing room. The fearless approach was there to be seen and it has seeped into the veins of every youngster walking into the team. The joy of winning has replaced the horror of loss. From outside the dressing room today looks much tighter, happier and more importantly much more professional than the days of Vikram Rathour and Paras Mhambrey.
It is the golden phase in the country’s cricketing history and fittingly enough this is the year when after a long gap the team will tour to all the cricketing continents. The results will give an indication of what lies in the future and a base to gauge the aura that the team has managed to create over the last decade.
For fans who have witnessed disasters in the past, these are better days to be cherished and as the flow of thoughts come to a halt the eternal hope of lifting the World Cup continues to take precedence over anything else.
Sidhanta Patnaik
8th January 2011
1.51pm
BJB Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Selling Your Intent
Representing one’s country is something everyone dreams of but a very few go on to achieve and that is why those who attain it are seen as special. They not only carry the pride of the nation on their sleeves but also act as an inspiration to their generation and propel youngsters to strive towards bigger goals. Especially in the Asian subcontinent where the sociological conditions are not always great and every day is a challenge in its own way these stars are hailed and revered as their escapades are an avenue to detach oneself from the grinds of the daily mundane life and that is one of the primary reason for cricket’s meteoric rise in Pakistan and India. The personal milestones of players are considered to be achievements of the citizens who could not break their shackles and it offers content for casual conversations in public joints and dinner tables across the geographical stretch. It is not a secret why Asian cricketers are the fulcrum to any ICC competition’s market profitability.
The players thrive on their popularity and the stardom status as they are aware of the roots, having travelled the same lanes and gone through the identical routine for years before wearing the country cap. While in their moulding stage many sleepless nights are spent dreaming and visualising the role of being a match winner in a world cup final or having the name enrolled on the honours board at the home of cricket. They rehearsal the victory laps, the celebratory antics and the stares at the opponent in front of their mirror at the expense of their social life and promise to themselves of remaining firmly intact with their background when the reality takes centre stage.
The selector’s phone call opens the door to international prominence and with it comes the biggest challenge of protecting one’s sanity of living up to the promises made in front of the mirror. The past has witnessed an enriching number of excellent craftsmen coming through the pipeline but the ‘legends’ differentiated themselves from the rest through their moral values and simplistic lifestyle which earned them respect in every country they played in whereas the stars have always been susceptible to the clutches of glamour that looks for opportunities to strengthen its claws on these ‘innocent’ minds. The same continues to be the scenario today as the lure of commercial riches have raised key questions on the mental toughness yet again and has resulted in the nation’s pride being tainted.
It is easy to point fingers at the parent body but no coaching and no education can teach a person the virtues of having the right intent and strong character. Citizens of a geographical zone where instability is the order of the day have every right to be disappointed but what about the individual’s promise much before he earned his cap. Did all those promises made in front of the mirror not haunt him before he overstepped the line or did he succumb to an uncontrollable environment which was set up by his fellow team mates? Can the youngster’s parents who were proudly boasting of their son’s heroic in a separate continent now visit their nearest grocery shop or resume their daily chores after this lustful act of their son. Did it all mean nothing when he used his bargaining power to tilt the equation in balance of ‘acts of shame’.
The beauty of sports lies in its ability to bring the best out of the performers without an assurance on the result in a fiercely competitive atmosphere but the noise in the media suggest that the line is slowly disappearing and if the allegations are true then sport might just have lost its unique advantage.
Sidhanta Patnaik
29th August 2010
18.38
Sheffield
(This piece was written after the completion of 4th test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s played from 26th – 29th August where Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir were alleged to have bowled no-balls which were pre planned for an exchanged amount of £150,000)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Indian Football - Just Do It
The mention of Indian football raises eyebrows because of its inability to produce an internationally successful team. Since yesterday (5th August 2010) was my first live experience of watching an Indian football team play in an international competition, I do not qualify to point out the system’s loopholes and moreover I have never made an earnest attempt to understand the dynamics of Indian football set up. However after witnessing Shillong Lajong Football Club represent India at Manchester United Premier Cup 2010 (MUPC) , I had enough reasons to be convinced that though India may not qualify for 2014 FIFA world cup yet there lies hope for the future.
MUPC has been a regular fixture in the international football calendar since 1993 with able support from Nike and is held at Manchester United’s practice grounds in Carrington. This year the under 15 teams of various clubs in 43 nations competed in their respective country and the winners qualified for the zonal finals. The top 20 club teams booked their flight to Manchester to compete in the finals (The Indian winners have got direct entry into the finals since 2 years). India’s Shillong Lajong Football Club was slotted in group A and lost all the four group matches without scoring a single goal and conceded 15 goals. It will play its table positioning match today afternoon and will attempt to avoid the wooden spoon. Had results and statistics been the only measure for judging a team’s performance and in the process a country’s progress in a particular sport then this drubbing experience counts for little but the journey begins where the score line halts.
For long, Indian football was majorly restricted to Goa, Kerala and West Bengal and there were only a handful of clubs that were recognised nationally. Matters were in a state of shamble because no corporate was interested to engage itself in a relationship with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) because the bureaucratic system had made the parent body directionless. There has not been a major transitional change in the ground realities however Nike, india has taken the first giant step in building a process that could help the game penetrate into the grassroots among the wider segment of the society and in the process give the due recognition to this wonderful sport in the second most populous country in the years to come. By engaging more that 70 clubs across the country at the pre qualifying stage and 32 clubs in the finals of the MUPC country qualifying round, Nike India has sparked a football movement among the youngsters of the country who a few years back irrespective of their possessed talent were clueless about how the game would benefit them. Last year Salgaocar Sports Club represented India in the finals and this year the city of Shillong gained prominence in the world football map. This is a clear sign of how right intent and dedicated effort can create a platform for anyone in any corner of the world to gain global reputation in this boundary less environment.
Today after the match when I looked into the eyes of these young footballers, they were beaming with confidence and the grin on their face was that of happiness and satisfaction of having done something under the country’s banner at such a young age. At the age of 15 or less these players are highly spirited and too young to be saddened by the defeats. For them what matters is a chance to play the game that they love the most in an environment that their seniors would not have dreamt of in the past. Shillong Lajong FC may end up as the 20th ranked team of the tournament but the opportunity to have played a few matches in Europe and the exposure gained will remain with these skilled players for their entire life and if the administrators understand the significance of this movement that Nike, India has initiated then these moments of truths can be leveraged to take the campaign to an entirely new level. If there has to be a fairytale plot then in this decade, a few Indian names might figure in the starting line up of the premier European football clubs.
On 8th August, Shillong Lajong FC players will land in Mumbai followed by a 36 hours train journey to Guwahati and then another three hours on road in three Tata Sumos* to reach their home town. The tiredness of the journey will disappear in no time as the city will be waiting to ceremonially welcome its boys who have made the country proud and will remain as the only Indian football team to have played in an international tournament in the European continent in the year 2010.
This is the beginning.
*Tata Sumo – It is an Indian four wheeler with a seating capacity of 12.
Sidhanta Patnaik
Sheffield
2.16am
6th August 2010
On 13th March 2010, NDTV had done a special 20 minutes programme on Shillong Lajong FC (http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1208811)
(Special thanks to Siddhant Narayan from Nike, India for having invited me to watch Shillong Lajong FC play in MUPC 2010)
MUPC has been a regular fixture in the international football calendar since 1993 with able support from Nike and is held at Manchester United’s practice grounds in Carrington. This year the under 15 teams of various clubs in 43 nations competed in their respective country and the winners qualified for the zonal finals. The top 20 club teams booked their flight to Manchester to compete in the finals (The Indian winners have got direct entry into the finals since 2 years). India’s Shillong Lajong Football Club was slotted in group A and lost all the four group matches without scoring a single goal and conceded 15 goals. It will play its table positioning match today afternoon and will attempt to avoid the wooden spoon. Had results and statistics been the only measure for judging a team’s performance and in the process a country’s progress in a particular sport then this drubbing experience counts for little but the journey begins where the score line halts.
For long, Indian football was majorly restricted to Goa, Kerala and West Bengal and there were only a handful of clubs that were recognised nationally. Matters were in a state of shamble because no corporate was interested to engage itself in a relationship with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) because the bureaucratic system had made the parent body directionless. There has not been a major transitional change in the ground realities however Nike, india has taken the first giant step in building a process that could help the game penetrate into the grassroots among the wider segment of the society and in the process give the due recognition to this wonderful sport in the second most populous country in the years to come. By engaging more that 70 clubs across the country at the pre qualifying stage and 32 clubs in the finals of the MUPC country qualifying round, Nike India has sparked a football movement among the youngsters of the country who a few years back irrespective of their possessed talent were clueless about how the game would benefit them. Last year Salgaocar Sports Club represented India in the finals and this year the city of Shillong gained prominence in the world football map. This is a clear sign of how right intent and dedicated effort can create a platform for anyone in any corner of the world to gain global reputation in this boundary less environment.
Today after the match when I looked into the eyes of these young footballers, they were beaming with confidence and the grin on their face was that of happiness and satisfaction of having done something under the country’s banner at such a young age. At the age of 15 or less these players are highly spirited and too young to be saddened by the defeats. For them what matters is a chance to play the game that they love the most in an environment that their seniors would not have dreamt of in the past. Shillong Lajong FC may end up as the 20th ranked team of the tournament but the opportunity to have played a few matches in Europe and the exposure gained will remain with these skilled players for their entire life and if the administrators understand the significance of this movement that Nike, India has initiated then these moments of truths can be leveraged to take the campaign to an entirely new level. If there has to be a fairytale plot then in this decade, a few Indian names might figure in the starting line up of the premier European football clubs.
On 8th August, Shillong Lajong FC players will land in Mumbai followed by a 36 hours train journey to Guwahati and then another three hours on road in three Tata Sumos* to reach their home town. The tiredness of the journey will disappear in no time as the city will be waiting to ceremonially welcome its boys who have made the country proud and will remain as the only Indian football team to have played in an international tournament in the European continent in the year 2010.
This is the beginning.
*Tata Sumo – It is an Indian four wheeler with a seating capacity of 12.
Sidhanta Patnaik
Sheffield
2.16am
6th August 2010
On 13th March 2010, NDTV had done a special 20 minutes programme on Shillong Lajong FC (http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1208811)
(Special thanks to Siddhant Narayan from Nike, India for having invited me to watch Shillong Lajong FC play in MUPC 2010)
English league cricket – Window of opportunity for Orissa cricketers
The old adage of ‘practice makes a man perfect’ fits well for the game of cricket in India where the demands and expectations have changed in the last decade. With the evolution of Twenty 20 cricket, hike in the pay structure of domestic cricketers and boost in the volume of matches played in various competitions, the requirement for quality players has increased enormously and every single performance makes an impact unlike the case in the past. Therefore for a professional who plays the game for a living, the pressure is twofold to convert every single opportunity into an outstanding performance in order to secure his financial position and aspire to go on to achieve bigger things.
Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) scheduling allows a cricketer to play matches in a series of tournaments and leagues from November when the Ranji Trophy season starts till May when the Indian Premier League (IPL) ends. However for a player, one level below international cricket, the calendar offers not much encouragement during the offseason between May and October due to weather constraints. In Orissa, apart from the Kalahandi cup there is not much to look forward to during this phase. Without match practice, it becomes really challenging for a player to remain in his prime touch and with the calendar getting crowded every season, the onus lies on the individual to prepare himself during the offseason in the best possible manner in order to hold a chance to get spotted by a talent seeker.
This is where the role of league cricket becomes so important. The massive league structure of The United Kingdom (UK)* offers the best solution with cricket being played in the European continent only between April and August. The window of opportunity opens up for every cricketer across the globe who is focussed on making the best usage of the offseason and Orissa cricketers have taken to it like duck to water. It is a culture that started developing in the state during early 2000s and gained significant prominence and as a phenomenon is slowly seeping into the roots of Orissa cricket which will reap benefits for the state in the years to come. The success of many state cricketers can be credited to their proactive step of continuously playing in English league, prominent among them are SS Das, Pravanjan Mullick, Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Deepak Mangaraj, Niranjan Behera amongst others. They also need to be recognised for the efforts taken in building a pipeline through which they have over the period introduced many young talented players from Orissa to clubs in various leagues in UK.
Though many view it is an off season bonanza to earn some extra penny in a circuit where the levels are a tinge below first class level yet the importance of league cricket goes beyond the runs scored and wickets taken and plays a significant role in shaping up a youngster’s career. Make no mistake, it is no paid holiday. Performance is the only true friend for the professionals who join these clubs and the moment the graph takes a dip southward, the work ethic and level of commitment comes under scrutiny because for these clubs, the professional is a product they have invested in with an aim to derive the maximum economic value out of him before the season expires.
Apart from acclimatising to new conditions, working on weaknesses and putting in the hard steps away from the constant media glare, this stint offers lessons beyond the cricket field and prepares a cricketer for the bigger challenges that lay ahead. A stint here offers the right experience and exposes the players to turf wickets at quite an early age which is a rarity in Orissa cricket (Though of late, OCA has taken initiatives to encourage clubs to come up with their own turf wickets). Beyond the on field performances, the players get a picture of the global cricketing world which enhances their spectrum and gives them an opportunity to communicate with foreign cricketers and learn their style of game and add new skills to the repertoire. The season also gives them the chance to be involved with the game at an altogether different level by engaging themselves in cricket development projects around the club which might include coaching the kids or preparing a turf wicket or maintaining the ground. All this puts the player in the process that not only enhances his level of confidence and leadership skills but also shapes up his off field mannerism and character. This eventually reflects on their scorecard which can only benefit the teams that they go on to represent in the future.
There have been constant criticism in the cricketing circle of Orissa about the disadvantages of playing league cricket as a youngster and the opinions may be credible however during the offseason it is much better an option to enhance ones credibility and peep into an alternative future rather than wildering in the darkness and whiling away time in public joints doing things that one is not always proud of.
With the past generation of Orissa cricketers having led the path now it is up to the present young generation to take decisions and enrol with clubs in UK in order to prudently shape their careers as league cricket is a way to ensure that opportunity meets luck at the right time at the right place. After all today cricket is a mainstream profession that offers an opportunity to make a living.
* United Kingdom constitutes of England, Scotland and Ireland
Sidhanta Patnaik
Sheffield
(This piece was produced at 1.53am on 31st July 2010 and was published in www.orisports.com on 2nd August 2010)
http://orisports.com/NewsDetails.aspx?nId=MjUxMg%3D%3D
Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) scheduling allows a cricketer to play matches in a series of tournaments and leagues from November when the Ranji Trophy season starts till May when the Indian Premier League (IPL) ends. However for a player, one level below international cricket, the calendar offers not much encouragement during the offseason between May and October due to weather constraints. In Orissa, apart from the Kalahandi cup there is not much to look forward to during this phase. Without match practice, it becomes really challenging for a player to remain in his prime touch and with the calendar getting crowded every season, the onus lies on the individual to prepare himself during the offseason in the best possible manner in order to hold a chance to get spotted by a talent seeker.
This is where the role of league cricket becomes so important. The massive league structure of The United Kingdom (UK)* offers the best solution with cricket being played in the European continent only between April and August. The window of opportunity opens up for every cricketer across the globe who is focussed on making the best usage of the offseason and Orissa cricketers have taken to it like duck to water. It is a culture that started developing in the state during early 2000s and gained significant prominence and as a phenomenon is slowly seeping into the roots of Orissa cricket which will reap benefits for the state in the years to come. The success of many state cricketers can be credited to their proactive step of continuously playing in English league, prominent among them are SS Das, Pravanjan Mullick, Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Deepak Mangaraj, Niranjan Behera amongst others. They also need to be recognised for the efforts taken in building a pipeline through which they have over the period introduced many young talented players from Orissa to clubs in various leagues in UK.
Though many view it is an off season bonanza to earn some extra penny in a circuit where the levels are a tinge below first class level yet the importance of league cricket goes beyond the runs scored and wickets taken and plays a significant role in shaping up a youngster’s career. Make no mistake, it is no paid holiday. Performance is the only true friend for the professionals who join these clubs and the moment the graph takes a dip southward, the work ethic and level of commitment comes under scrutiny because for these clubs, the professional is a product they have invested in with an aim to derive the maximum economic value out of him before the season expires.
Apart from acclimatising to new conditions, working on weaknesses and putting in the hard steps away from the constant media glare, this stint offers lessons beyond the cricket field and prepares a cricketer for the bigger challenges that lay ahead. A stint here offers the right experience and exposes the players to turf wickets at quite an early age which is a rarity in Orissa cricket (Though of late, OCA has taken initiatives to encourage clubs to come up with their own turf wickets). Beyond the on field performances, the players get a picture of the global cricketing world which enhances their spectrum and gives them an opportunity to communicate with foreign cricketers and learn their style of game and add new skills to the repertoire. The season also gives them the chance to be involved with the game at an altogether different level by engaging themselves in cricket development projects around the club which might include coaching the kids or preparing a turf wicket or maintaining the ground. All this puts the player in the process that not only enhances his level of confidence and leadership skills but also shapes up his off field mannerism and character. This eventually reflects on their scorecard which can only benefit the teams that they go on to represent in the future.
There have been constant criticism in the cricketing circle of Orissa about the disadvantages of playing league cricket as a youngster and the opinions may be credible however during the offseason it is much better an option to enhance ones credibility and peep into an alternative future rather than wildering in the darkness and whiling away time in public joints doing things that one is not always proud of.
With the past generation of Orissa cricketers having led the path now it is up to the present young generation to take decisions and enrol with clubs in UK in order to prudently shape their careers as league cricket is a way to ensure that opportunity meets luck at the right time at the right place. After all today cricket is a mainstream profession that offers an opportunity to make a living.
* United Kingdom constitutes of England, Scotland and Ireland
Sidhanta Patnaik
Sheffield
(This piece was produced at 1.53am on 31st July 2010 and was published in www.orisports.com on 2nd August 2010)
http://orisports.com/NewsDetails.aspx?nId=MjUxMg%3D%3D
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)