The Lion with a Bat

When the winners lose or the losers win it evokes emotions never witnessed before. Everyone is bond to it and there is so much debate over who is better than whom and predictions fill the air and we inhale it more than oxygen. Our everyday life is divided between before and after the event, between anticipation and retrospection. We are hit by the impact of what seems like a cricketing circus where each day we witness new tricks that are unveiled by the pros and the wannabes. Gimmicks and off the field drama provide enough fodder for the gossips and the infield prowess entertains the billions of fans in India and non residing Indians across the globe.

The hilt got longer, the man looks stronger and when he is out to slaughter the short ones over the top the extra swing projects the white leather into the infinite skies with a lot more ease or so it seems to me at least. He is so much in love with what he does and it’s evident when he is in the middle, on the boundary or even in the dugout. His presence equates explosive action and a knockout punch awaits the opposition which he is ready to unleash any time. The Australian Giant!

One man from an average background with not many feathers attached to his wings made his way to the centre with lots of hope and a very big heart that is hungry all the time. His will precedes his ability, his instinct supersedes talent and his grit & determination surpasses the insecurities that arise from within someone who has little to offer. When it was time to fly with the others who had a lot more feathers attached to their wings this man put all his energy into staying on course. When the others unleashed their frills and went on a swirl he just did what he had to and kept things simple through his own unorthodox approach. His book had one rule – get busy with the target and not with the strings attached to it. The Indian Mr.Cool, Captain.

Years of twisting have not weakened his wrists, the fire in his eyes shine bright as always and each move is executed with a sage like devotion. The worse the condition gets, the harder he tries and his ability to push against the odds and collect himself after getting hit hard is humungous. The Sultan of Spin from Srilanka.

It’s raining sixes when he is on the job.” Little to lose, everything to win”, is the hat he wears and his skill does help. The baggage seems to be getting bigger with the weight of responsibilities multiplying by the minute. He tries to hit and then tries to not get hit. In his home ground if it rained you can hear people say, “Rainaaaa (an expression used to ask if it was raining)????”

With some firepower in the form of youngsters and an arc angel named “ Morkel” that super kings forge their way through the battle field that has warriors like Sachin, Sehwag, Ganguly or Y Pathan and terminators like Warne, Malinga, Kumble or Harbhajan who do not make life easy in the middle. Will the mongoose win? Can Dhoni stand tall as captain and use his unorthodox means to stay on course to sail past the finish line? Will the fire burn the opposition and spin its way to success, will it rain when it’s needed the most and will the Aussi turned Madarasi kiss the infinite skies as much as he would want to? Will the “Super Kings” engrave their names on the Trophy this year? In two and a half weeks time we’ll know. Now then let me get back to the anticipation mode for the next game, let me figure out who’s wearing the orange cap, let me impatiently wait for cricinfo’s updates and also follow the batman who tweets at night about his team(that he owns) and his suppressed and not so suppressed reactions.

Have fun and let’s enjoy some big hitting, let the one who deserves to be the winner win!

- Renald