INDIA WINS THE WORLD CUP – ITS GODS CHOICE AND DHONI’S FATE

My Brother in Law, Mr. Challa Bhimeshwara Rau has recently completed wrting a book titled “Man’s fate and God’s choice”. While the book has nothing to do with Cricket, I found the title most appropriate to India winning the world cup in 1983 and 2011. Having the fortune of watching both the finals on the Idiot Box (the TV in 1983 was definitely one), I feel, it’s just fate and Gods dispensation that enables teams and captains to win, lose and lift cups. Cricket, its nuances and the result of the choices a player or a captain makes or rather is forced to make takes me closer to believe that it’s nothing but “fate"!

In the crucial Semifinal, when Afridi joined Misbah in the middle and looked like settling down, I switched off the Television and rushed into my bedroom to try and sleep, but ended up constantly chanting and praying deeply. The prayer was to god to get me what I wanted! When the crackers burst, I knew someone got out and rushed to switch on the TV. I was happy to note that Afridi was out. Even when they needed to score 30 runs in the final over, I wasn’t quite sure about the outcome, and screamed at Zaheer when he bowled a wide trying to follow Misbah on the leg side. “Cool it Dad, there is no way they can make it” was my sons reaction, but I wasn’t sure. As a left arm medium pacer myself, I am not confident when a left arm bowler is given the ball to bowl in the death overs. Sometimes the angle of delivery can make it quite easy for the right hand batsmen who are predetermined to slog it to leg side for a four or a six. Thankfully, ALLAH was on my side, he gave me what I wanted. Munaf bowled a beauty to get rid of Razzak, Afridi chose the power play a bit too late, Misbah kept strike and bit off more than he could chew and we won to reach the finals.

DHONI is the chosen one to show the world the class and caliber of this Indian Team and the qualities a Leader should possess. The shot he played to win the cup for India and his focus on the ball even as it stayed hit, speaks volumes of his grit, determination and steadfastness. The Camera moved to the other side and showed an elated Kirsten. It reminded me of DRONA & ARJUNA and the great story from the Mahabharata about focusing on the object alone when aiming to shoot an arrow. Just like it did for Arjuna, “Fortune favors the Brave” and Dhoni’s courage and conviction ensures luck and fortune always stays with him. Arjuna had Drona and Dhoni had Kirsten to guide and coach him to success and fame. Blessed are these Leaders. The team and Indian cricket owe a lot to Gary Kirsten and the support staff he put in place.

I always felt Harbhajan, Zaheer, Yuvraj, Gambhir, Kohli, Raina and Pathan would make it big in this world cup. Of course Sachin and Sehwag are Gods and I wouldn’t even discuss them. Before the world cup one of my colleagues wanted Yuvraj to be dropped when I retorted spontaneously “Just watch he is the guy who would win us the World Cup”. It was GOD SPEAKING through me. I never considered Dhoni in my success list, for I started looking at him as a pure play Captain and Wicketkeeper. But he too has come to the party when it really mattered. A feeling that was constantly flowing inside me was asking a question: Why can’t we have 12 players playing to find a place for someone like Pathan. Maybe ICC should consider this option for Power plays. When Yuvraj allowed four dot balls in the first batting power play, this feeling once again surfaced. Tension crept quickly inside me and I wished someone like Pathan was there to finish it off hitting some sixes.

Things became tense when Jayewardene and Perera smashed Zaheer all over the park. It became worse for me when even before India started batting an SMS was sent by a colleague, which read “Zaheer’s pathetic bowling costed the match”. My response “He was the best bowler in the tournament and gave very few runs in his first spell” got me the response” But it costed the match”. Sehwag’s failure to get going made it even worse and disappointing, since my best batsman in the Indian team failed. I was ANGRY! Not at Sehwag but at my own fate for not getting what I wanted. While I was battling within myself, I received an SMS from a naysayer: “Sehwag didn’t disappoint on his incapability to play under pressure”. The message cracked me further making me respond: “BULL SHIT”. What ensued was a series of messages which scorched a budding relationship .In the meanwhile Sachin was also dismissed. I was completely lost and it was only prayer and miracle that could help. How many teams have turned it around from such a situation?

Players like Sachin and Sehwag play well when they bat first or in the first innings. But this in no way reduces their greatness. It’s once again God’s choice and their fate. It’s God’s plan that situations are so created to make this beautiful game what it is, filled with Suspense, Intrigue and the resultant Thrills. When VVS Laxman got out playing a cut shot in the first innings in the third test against Sri Lanka, I cursed myself. But then it created the situation for Laxman to score that magnificent century in the second innings to set up an Indian win. Similarly in the second test against South Africa at Durban, Laxman was playing beautifully before getting out to a brilliant catch trying to pull Steyn. But then that set up an opportunity for him to score that brilliant knock in the second innings to beat South Africa and square the series. Comparisons are immediately made, but such statistics and analysis are illogical since both the first and second innings are equally important and its God’s choice and Man’s fate once again to play the part they are destined to, and succeed or fail as per the script written and chosen for each of them in the divine drama.

DHONI decided to select Sreesanth ahead of Ashwin in the finals. The move boomeranged. Similarly he decided to pick up Nehra ahead of Ashwin in the Semifinals. The move didn’t boomerang but it was definitely felt Aswin would have been a better choice considering the state of the wicket and the manner in which Ajmal and Hafeez bowled. In the initial part of the tournament Dhoni repeatedly chose Piyush Chawla ahead of Ashwin perplexing cricket pundits. In the two matches Ashwin played he accredited himself quite well. But then that was all that he got and the rest of the time he lazed on the bench. His role in the world cup got restricted thanks to God’s choice. Similarly Pathan for no fault of his, seemed to have been caught up in the constant changes in the batting order and wasn’t quite intelligent or certain on what was expected of him. Ultimately he lost his form and place in the side to Raina who seems to be God’s choice to perform in the Quarter and Semifinal of this world cup.

Yuvraj might have been the batting hero in the finals if he had come in at number four. But Dhoni decided to come ahead by promoting himself. The reason being the two off spinners in the Sri Lankan side could have become a formidable combination if bowling in tandem against two left handers. If Dhoni failed, the move would have been a disaster, since Yuvi would have had the additional burden to play a responsible knock since there would be fewer batsmen to follow. Along with the pressure the run rate would have also mounted. In all the previous occasions in this world cup whenever Dhoni decided to change the batting order, the move failed, but it was not to be the case in the finals, since God’s choice was to make his favored leader lead the side from the front, play brilliantly and demonstrate by example. Yuvraj – “The player of the tournament”, who can easily hit sixes all-round the park, refused to take an easy second run and had to face the ignominy of being fired in the open by a normally cool and stoic Dhoni.

The victory celebrations went as predicted. I made my tall son pull down a few crackers stacked in the attic, scrambled to the terrace and made him burst them, just to stay with my countrymen and neighbors in the celebrations. I sent out an SMS: Vandemataram, Vandemataram, for except Cricket I do not find any other Pidilite that binds this country. I told myself repeatedly that this was one of the happiest moments in my life. I remembered the day we won the 1983 world cup, when I was running up and down the staircase after each West Indian batsman was dismissed. Comparatively it was quite and I still remember watching the match with my Daddy.

I laughed out loud listening to Sidhu’s post match comments and just didn’t want those happy moments to end. I also loved the sentiments expressed by Harbhajan and Yuvraj who much against their demeanor thanked their Gods and Guru’s for helping them and India win the World cup. But definitely a statement such as we won this for Sachin didn’t quite make any sense to me for when you play the game, you play it for your team, for the country and for yourself. Comparisons started and Dhoni out of the blue became the greatest Captain India has ever produced. Sidhu was mentioning that he won us the 20/20 world cup. True, but Dhoni also lost the latest 20/20 world cup played in West Indies. I guess ours is a nation which cannot live without making such Comparisons. One must remember that Dhoni is still in the prime of his career and there would be many more years to go before he hangs his shoes.

A fleeting thought sadly reminded me that Laxman was not destined to play in the World Cup arena. He should have definitely played in 2003. I suppose it’s once again God’s choice and Laxman’s fate that he was not even present at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai to cheer his colleagues. It might be God’s choice once again to make him shoulder substantial responsibility in Test Cricket, to shore up our fortunes when we play England in England and Australia in Australia.

Thank God for making the match referee repeat the toss for who knows what would have happened if Dhoni won the toss and we batted first? Thank God for winning us the World Cup and lets me also Thank God for making us the number one Test Team in the World. Thank God for giving me the Game of Cricket, the choicest of all Games, without which my life would be half empty. It’s been my fate to be in love with this wonderful game.