The TimePass of India

Nights like these need to live on - there are stats and there are how this night made you feel. 

I wrote about our 2007 win years ago (Read it here) and I wrote the following the night before the 2011 world cup clash - one of my best write-ups (read it here) I thought when will I write about this feeling again. Maybe it wont be as intense as 2007 or 2011 - I am much older, more accomplished - there are so many things in life that have given me joy that maybe this wont matter much. 

I was wrong. 

The way my heart sank after that 20+ run over - I felt again we will end up 2nd. Again! Then I saw Rohit's face on the screen, the pain on that face. At that moment, so many of us Indian men, bogged down by EMIs, and kids fees, working in bad companies, under terrible bosses, would give up anything to see the men in blue win. 

Kohli's last T20, can we do it for him? 

Dravid - that warhorse from the 90s, will he never be able to hold a trophy? How unfair is life on some men - Dravid is the guy who did everything right - I dont know him personally but I am sure he never gets batshit drunk, cant imagine him being late for a meeting. In fact if my wealth manager told me that he is transferring all my fund to Rahul Dravid's account and he is my new wealth manager I would honestly think Dravid would do better than my current guy. 

Then Bhumrah takes the ball in his hand. The warmth I felt at almost 39 years of age can only be described by being lost in the park and suddenly you find your dad. I knew he knew what is to be done. If my eye surgeon tell me it is Bhumrah who is going to perform LASIK on me, I will allow it. He knows what he is doing. 

I am not an IPL fan, but I would tune in to see Ab de Villers in action. The only Indian guy who is that entertaining is Surya. Unfortunately barely lasts. But that catch. What a catch. I jumped up from my chair clapping and my daughters ran in from the other room to see what is wrong with their very mild mannered dad. 

We saw Rohit cry, Virat cry, Hardik cry and Rahul Dravid punch the air - Grown men cry when does that happen! At the end of 15th over most Indian men in their 30s and 40s, accomplished or otherwise would be willing to give up whatever they were chasing in their personal lives for one chance to win the world cup. 

That promotion you were working for since 1 year? Exchanged for an Indian win

Cure to the back pain thats lasted for 10 months? Exchanged for an Indian win

My last heartbreak was the ODI world cup. We did so well, probably our best world cup outing in the history of the game and then to lose the final like that. Just broke our hearts. And the worse part was who do we blame? I wanted to give Rohit a hug, give him some pointers on life, on chance, on destiny and fate. I am older than him have seen more life than him, less cricket but more life. 

In the 15th over yesterday, I dont think if we had lost, I would have any words of wisdom for him - coz how brutal can life be? Something had to happen. Some stroke of luck. Something had to go right. And it did, a lot did. 

Rohit and team, thank you for the memories.

T20 world cup 2024 - Remember the name!