Just finished watching "the boys" beat Bangladesh…heart beat is slowly returning to normal, my body has finally stopped shaking, fingers can just about type and there is a smile playing at the corners of my mouth. I don’t want to pay attention to “ we almost lost that”, “undeserved win” and yes - “both teams tried to lose”.
Oh for heavens sake! No sportsman, professional, amateur, weekend or of any other kind ever wants to lose. Sometimes the players preparation, training - technical or mental might not be enough. Her gut might be giving way, the heart might not be playing fair, anything….just about anything could be happening but I repeat “ NO ONE WANTS TO LOSE”. Don’t believe the commentators when they say it. They need to say things to fill airspace/airtime - ab itna mehenga contract sign kiya hai, mike haath mein hai, kuch toh bolna hai na. Those 22 boys on the field today and the 8 sitting in the dugout with their innumerable support staff all wanted to win and the 22 did what they could to win.
And, what happened? Experience won! How many times have we been in this position and in the position that Bangladesh finds itself in? I’m sure if I wakeup my 13 year old son (who has finally gone to sleep) he’ll be able to give me the statistics. Every defeat tastes like shit (not that I’ve tasted shit but the smell is bad enough) and you never want to taste/feel it ever again. Every win feels like pakoras on a rainy day or hot chocolate on a cold one and you want more of it.
"Never say die” won! No, Pandya didn’t win it for us. Burma’s 19th over, Ashwin’s last, Jadeja’s catch, Dhoni’s run out …. I could go on. At all times everyone was in there - thinking, strategising, agonising, focussing on just one thing - how to win the match.
Doesn’t the cheshire cat smile on Pandya’s face, the focus on Nehra's, the “I want to punch someone” on Kohli’s say something as do those excruciatingly long conferences over each ball. My older son said “Now what are they saying to him(Pandya)? Bechara! Dhoni, Nehra, loh now even Rohit - what can he advice him?” It wasn’t so much a case of advising as a much as a show of support and belief, as if to say - kiddo, you can do it and we’re going to make sure you do. And, hey, he did - they did!
So Thank you Team India - for the near heart attack, the ruined manicure and the lesson in Self Belief! Just one request…please can you dig a bit deeper against Australia? I don’t think my heart or waistline could take another…..
