What the world witnessed today (19.01.2021) and during this test series is meaning of life. Life may punch you hard in the face but it’s your ability to pick yourself up after the bloody punch in face is what defines you. India has done exactly the same. 36 All out in the first test match was disheartening / discomforting / embarrassing. It was the nadir for Indian cricket team and exactly one month after see where it has reached, to the its pinnacle. This is what new India is!! This is what a cricket test match / series teaches us!! This is what life teaches us!!! Be resilient / be gritty / stand your ground and above all believe in yourself regardless of what others say about you.
This series has shown us that even if all the money
/ luxuries / cushions / belongings are taken away from you, but you may still live
to fight on and show your intangible asset i.e. “attitude” and “Character” to
life and say I am here to live and live graciously. These are really cliched
terms but damn important. The importance of these two terms was on display by
Indian team through out this test series. Before even the test series started
one by one, all the jewels of Indian team were being taken away from them. Virat
Kohli had announced that he will only play the first test match (as he wanted
to be with to be mother of his first child at the time of arrival of the first
child). Ishant Sharma, Bhuwaneshwar Kumar and Hardik pandya were also not
available due to injuries. Rohit Sharma (the preferred opener) was not
available for first two test matches. Jadeja was concussed during the t20s and
was not available for the first test. To add to the salt to the wounds, the degree
of defeat in Adelaide was humongous. India had bettered their lowest ever total
in Adelaide.
The “Experts” said it would be a whitewash, 0-4
Australia’s way, India’s win in 2018-19 was because of no presence of key Australian
players etc. The Captain had already left for his once in lifetime moment. One
of their premier fast bowler Shami, also got injured and was ruled out of the
test series after the Adelaide test. The stand-in captain had to build this
team from ashes. The Indian team went to MCG believing in their skill sets and knowing
what they can do rather than what has happened in the past. Ajinkya Rahane
stated that they didn’t discuss what happened in Adelaide test in their
dressing room. It was all about what could be done and what needs to be done.
Such a simple thing, but I can’t stop myself but to draw a parallel with life.
No matter what has happened in past, it is your belief in yourself and belief
in future that will determine where are you headed. Don’t be a prisoner of
past, be a architect of the future. The display of Indian team’s “Character” and
“Attitude” was for the first time (and ofcourse not for the last time in the
series) on display in the MCG test match. First the bowlers (Bumrah and Ashwin)
toppled Australia for a low score and then the Captain lead them from the front
and hit a century to ensure India gets a sizable lead and rest was history. A noticeable
thing during the test match was during the second innings of Australia there
was one more addition to the list of Indian injured players i.e. Umesh Yadav. Hardly
bowled 4 overs and was injured. India with 10 players, still was able to win the
test match. Amazing.
Then there was the Sydney test. One of the
finest rearguard action done in a test match. This showed that in life winning
is not everything. It is also very important not to lose. If you can’t win a
match, don’t lose a match. Keep toiling, stand like a rock and see eye to eye
with the difficult situation and say if I can’t better you, doesn’t matter, I
will not let you better me. That’s what happened in Sydney. However, in process
of rearguard action, India’s resources were exhausted and the injury list kept
on ballooning. Before going into the Gabba test 9 of the established players of
Indian team were either unavailable or were injured.
Questions were raised on the ability of the Indian
team even to compete (let alone winning) against the mighty and full strength Australian
side on the ground which is fortress for them for 33 years. Australia last lost
a match in Gabba against a formidable and champion West Indies side consisting
of Gordon greenidge, desmond Haynes, viv Richards, Malcom marshall, curtly
ambrose, Courtney walsh etc. After 1988, the Tendulkars’, Akhtars’, Lara’s, Ranatungas’,
Smiths’, Pietersens’, Flemings’, all have come and gone however, Australia never
lost a test match at Gabba. However, as I mentioned above, this Indian team is
architect of future and not prisoner of past. The combined experience of 21
tests amongst Pant (15), Gill (2), Thakur (1), Sundar (0), Saini (1) and Siraj (2)
was the chief actors of India’s win at Gabba which will be cherished and remembered
for the years to come. However, the efforts of senior players such as Rahane, Pujara
and Sharma cannot at all be ignored. Be it be acting as a Insurance policy for
India (Pujara) or seeing of the new ball (Rohit) or leading from the front and
with an intent of street fighter (Rahane). All of this put together, what have
we got, a test series which explains us how to live. Difficult times come and
go however, character and attitude is something which is always with you and you
own it.
#Indiaaustralia2020-21 #Cricket #life
