Cricket without Aesthetics



Dec.23.2012






Today I am paralyzed as far as cricket is concerned. In fact for me, today the game of cricket itself has paralyzed beyond the possibility of any recovery. 

Wearing the blue jersey there was that man who would swiftly go back and across and then standing on his toes would produce that inimitable back foot punch through the covers, for the balls pitched up he would lean forward with his arms drawing the arc in the air unleashing that majestically delightful cover drive, then there was that straight drive, with a still head, a mere push per se, but so graceful and so perfect that even an artist would find it difficult to put it on his canvas. 

Yes, today the man behind all these aesthetics has decided to hang up his boots. Along with him, many like me are saying adieu to the world of one-day international cricket. For us cricket without aesthetics is like idli without sambar, vada without chutney and chaai without cheeni all served together - and for us he was the only man left to provide us the treat we are looking for, with all the ingredients right in place and in their perfect proportion.

Thanks Master for all those stories you crafted for us – even in the depths of dementia, we will be greeting our grand-children telling them the tales you have weaved – just for the contemporaries like us who are lucky enough to be born in your era.

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