India last made it to the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy eleven years back. Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid were in their prime and Yuvraj was en-route to becoming a superstar. This very fact tells us how much water has flown under the bridge since then. Subsequently, there have been three editions of this mini-World Cup between then and now and Team India managed to disappoint its fans every time, not clearing the group stages even once. But this time around, the much spoken of Indian line- up has made it to the finals and would be facing England at Birmingham on Sunday. By winning all the warm up and league matches, this performance can be called no short of being ‘clinical’. It’s indeed a time to merry because India now has a chance to reaffirm the tag of being world-champions, MS Dhoni‘s collection of all major silverware will finally be complete and Indian cricket will have moved beyond one of its all time lows. In the celebration and pomp, let us not forget that Uttarakhand has been devastated by floods, 500 are feared dead and thousands missing. Property has been destroyed, lands have been submerged, crops have been damaged and survival has been put to question. Amidst all the chaos, there is mismanagement of food supplies, medical treatment and provision of other amenities. Thousands stay stranded, not knowing when the army or the ITBP are going to come by and rescue them. It’s sad to say that displays of nature’s wrath like these are far worse than a million years of spot-fixing scandals combined. Cricket, they say, in India is a religion. It has that magical ability to heal wounds and cut through the skin at the same time. When Shoaib Akhtar didn’t let Tendulkar complete the run in 1998, Eden rioted; when India toured Pakistan in 2003-04, new friendships were made and people were won over with love and affection; when match-fixing happened in 2000, humbling the kangaroos at home assuaged fans. Over the years, cricket has shared an unimaginable bond with its fans, not just in India but all over the world. It has somehow been a barometer of public sentiment. Ask the Sri Lankans or the Zimbabweans what cricket means to their socio-political existence and you will understand its impact. Major proponents of the ‘cricket-is-just-a-game’ theory will beg to differ with me, but the fact that cricket unites is simply undeniable. Take the instance of cross- border tensions between India and Pakistan – even today, when India wins a cricket match against Pakistan, the cease-fire agreement is violated and bullets are volleyed from either side. Now, because of this deep rooted connection between cricket and society, it is important to understand that simple words of encouragement and solidarity from any member of Team India currently playing in England would go a long way in boosting the morale of the public. It is unfortunate that the captain of our team and his wife hail from Uttarakhand and while Bhuvi, Shikhar and Ishant’s performances were appreciated during press conferences, not a word went out to the Ram or Shyam, who lost his mother, his sister or his child. One can always say that it is beyond the ambit of press-conferences that are meant to focus on the game and game alone. But then, has it not been used as a platform before? – is something I ask. Sachin Tendulkar dedicated his Chennai hundred (in 2008, vs England) to the Mumbai victims and we saw what happiness it brought. Yuvraj Singh, quite recently in December, dedicated his Man of the Match award to the Delhi braveheart and Manoj Tiwary, a year back, dedicated his first MoM to the victims of the fire tragedy in AMRI Hospital, Kolkata. MS Dhoni is know for his quip and presence of mind. No hard- feelings would’ve come by by saying, ’ Uttarakhand, we are playing for you’ , rather good wishes and blessings would be earned. Along with a billion Indians, I wish the team success and hope that they win the cup for the country. However, as a faithful fan I support my favourite players when they are experiencing horrid runs of form, I pledge my allegiance over Twitter and on the streets, I scream my lungs out and say, ‘No matter what, I am by your side. I believe in you, you’ll do well and you’ll come back with a bang!’ But when the same isn’t reciprocated during my lows, I feel a tad cheated. Australian cricketers could extend their condolences to the families of the bush-fire victims and the Sri Lankans could pledge support to those affected by the horror of political clashes and ethnic- conflicts – Mother Nature has just broken us into two pieces, where are the voices of the cricketers we love?
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:27:27 +0000
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