Cricket – Vaccine OR Virus

Ha! Yes you can add me in the list of writers, commentators, reviewers, critics, spectators and the list goes on in the country that has a sport religion called – Cricket.

It’s such a wonderful game that no matter what level of expertise you hold, of over more than a billion population in India, people from all quarters – housewives, grandma, brother, father, neighbor, teacher, driver, traffic constable, bus conductor, barber, lawyer, doctor, journalist and so on every named section of people across the country has “Something” to say about this game. You won’t find a tribe, profession or society wherein you start the topic on “Cricket” and you don’t have few people to join you.

The best part is, though largely found in male species (female cricket is not even heard of), Indians are born with the Virus called Cricket. Its recorded that many with weak heart have lost their lives in the critical phase of this game. A game which is associated to heart for some and mind with others. This virus is loaded with emotions and performance, hatred and love and all the combination one can think off.

I have myself experienced the post match impacts like the one of earth quacks and tsunami, like morals are down the next day after India lose a match, I have seen people do end up even having heated argument over what has already happened.

However, the best part of this virus is that it gets activated only when India plays. I have tried many a times not to get involved and stay away as it is non productive – but yes the Sharukhan’s advertisement is true – “the big question is always there in the mind” - “What’s the score?”

I did try to analyze and do some root cause analysis as to why am I so addicted – as an average person I have not played great amount of cricket in my childhood to have such a preference, nor do I have adequate knowledge about the game for me to be attached as a profession. I am sure this is the case with majority. So Why – Why is this Virus in me.

I call this a Virus for the reason being had it been a love for a game I should be equally interested in all the leading games across all the leading countries (not involving India). I am sure among us those who fall on the other side and see the game as an true Hobby / Interest they would be surely following it. But I am more confident that we average Indians don’t fall in this category – so isn’t it a virus. I like many others have always written it in my Resume: Hobby – Cricket and thank god I have not been asked any question on my Hobby!!

Virus again because it behaves abnormally – the so called emotionally associated conveniently forgives the past performance of the people we watch and once again get in the web. It’s an addiction beyond imagination. Would we follow every match, would we leave office and go straight home or stand by a electronic shop or radio to check the score, would restaurant and bars run full of a tournament if we know India is more in the game?

Virus again because it’s an addiction to intangible -- the game is associated with a set of team players who we all have seen changed / retired in last 25+ years since I have understood and am following cricket.

Virus once again because - Why don’t we have even the base knowledge about any other sports like badminton, tennis, etc in masses compared to cricket – for sure some of us who would also be playing few of these games as an exercise in early morning – hope the objective is burning the fat.

I have no answer as to why do we get plagued with this virus – but I know one thing “Virus” is something defined (at least this is my definition if not defined) as an external gene entering from one body to another. Now this is primarily due to environment, so the moment we are born –
- Our parents have surely played cricket with us in our child hood
- Our school has promoted cricket
- Country has phenomenal infrastructure for playing cricket - lanes, roads, grounds, computer, mobile, etc (as compared to any other game)
- It’s the most eye catching game
- A lot is written about in media
- Its suppose to have lot of money
- It’s a great way to fame

I may be completely wrong in my opinion and surely there are many more sides and views to this topic but for sure this Virus is spreading like no other. Every new born is loaded with it. But sometime I surely feel that this is one big racket like in English movie where someone is controlling all this.

Even if not, If it is such a common virus found in all – what if it is used as a Vaccine for simulating a rapid growth to take our country to the next level. Why haven’t the land of rich virgin scientific minds not come up with an IDEA to use this as a platform to bring in a bigger revolution!

If mobile telecommunication is the largest successful revolution in the recent time connecting the village to towns and towns to cities and cities to world – why has only cricket scores reached as SMS and telecommunication tool?

I am sure we are having a Virus that can be a Vaccine which can take India far beyond where no other countries have gone – but it needs ONE IDEA SIRJI – NOW EVEN I AM THINKING ON IT. IF YOU GET ONE PLEASE POST IT!!
Happy Cricketing!!

The Art of Getting Carried Away

Hi Friends,

I am back though after are long time. I have decided to be active on my blog now onwards. So here is the latest experience of today morning. Over the week end my family -- mom and wife -- were pestering me for the ongoing buy back – “juna do naaya lo” at Big Bazzar. We worked overtime and collected all the newspapers, utensils, clothes and other junk from house. We went on Saturday to surrender these valuables to the lords of retail.

Myself and mom reached early morning to Big Bazaar doors at Thane – Majiwada wherein the gentlemen managing the buy-back was busy cleaning his seat and arranging papers. He took weight of our junk -- newspaper 7.4 kgs, bottles 3 kgs and so on. Finally these valuables were translated into coupons of 1800 Rs. Yahoo see my mom was so happy that we could never have got Rs 30 per kg for newspaper.

She gave me proud examples of rich and famous how they don’t find it embarrassing getting all their junks in their expensive cars -- used as garbage van -- to tow junk to the gates of Big Bazzar and here I am -- feeling shy of submitting "Bhangar" as if my ego and status has been demoted.

Myself and my brother were yet to clean up our cupboard and on Sunday which we managed added few more kgs to the junk collection – I wondered if the same inspiration was kept to clean the unwanted stuff from our house – new collections would surely get a day to be used and old will finds its way out – but no in that case old is gold and has so much of utility value.

In the afternoon we completed the second day exercise of collecting some more junk. On Sunday – being a HOLI – we decided to hit the store in the afternoon assuming that masses would be tired playing HOLI and we would make it fast. We took off in the afternoon bang into Rickshaw and reached the gates only to be surprised that forget we being first not even a single dog was around – it was closed for HOLI – we returned in the same RICK spending few bucks.

We said how fool we were that we didn’t think about it and so on. Being a professional I kept wondering what is in store for Big Bazaar for buying such junk at high price – and coming from the field of analytics and associated to stock market – I assumed that how smart is Mr Biyani that he buys junk at high price and offsets it against the purchases. A smart way to show a bump in the top line – I thought.

Third day ordeal – Monday – with 1800 Rs + coupon in hand and more junk on our back we – myself, mom and my wife – marched to Big Bazaar to make the killing. Once again we were the first to bring in fresh junks. This time we got 600 Rs odd coupon and now we had over 2400 Rs coupon in hand and went straight to pick up equivalent (otherwise we don’t shop at Big Bazzar). After spending an hour we were back at cash counter with a billing of around 3000 bucks – we all were smiling at each other that we have to shell out only 400 Rs odd.

The sparkle and smile vanished in no time as the billing girl said –“Coupon hai kya pehle bolne ka na 10 percent discount hai”. My wife stood confused, mom was not having a clue what we are discussing about and finally I settled the bill with still 2000 Rs coupon still in hand.

I wondered that how can I get carried away – simple I didn’t bother to read the Terms and Conditions. So what I am smart enough to understand that surely this cannot be a deal for such a big retailer that he is sitting to buy our junks at 200 Rs, 30 Rs per kg and so on – of course not. Still not having answer to my own questions I even wondered how cum others like me also drive down with such junks – the travelling time, petrol and other cost put together is not worth the 10 percent discount he gives. Surely though someone told me give the coupons to others in the payment queues who are not having it and exchange it for 5 percent cash – still some profits.

In the end – “The Art of Getting Carried Away” is the lesson I have learnt.