All eyes on India !

The Delhi assembly election is over, Arvind Kejriwal led AAP has got a landslide victory and broomed out BJP securing 67 seats out of 70! Perhaps he will take oath on Feb 14...that will again become the history and he will be CM of Delhi ....! plz someone talk about World Cup 2015 now !!!

When the clock struck 5PM at the Adelaide Oval, Color, Dance and Songs have formally announced the beginning of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

There were claps, whistles, a few smiles and a lot of joy in the eyes of cricket fans who had made their way to the stadium to catch a glimpse of their favorite cricket stars.

14 teams, 49 matches, 14 different stadia across Australia and New Zealand and in the end we will get one world champion. We Indians are no different, every Indian who loves cricket is not just a fan of this game but fanatic when it comes to special occasion like world cup.

I remind the matches of 2007 world cup when as a student we had no TVs we use to listen tuning on ball by ball commentary on All India Radio and used to watch the matches standing for hours on street before a shop or even praying to the almighty God to bring light after a light cut during the match way back in 90's. This was the height of craziness.

The "I-N-D-I-A, I-N-D-I-A" chants will be heard the day-long @ Adelaide Oval where all is set to stage the big game between India and Pakistan on the 15th. There is a tournament to be won. And there is a cricket match to be won. The first must be the destination, the second the milestone you drive by.

As an Indian We hardly accept less than a win against Pakistan.This would not be first time when more than 1.25 billion people back here in India will keep all eyes on team India to do a miracle once again and defend the World Champion title.

The India team will be facing the arch-rival Pakistan in a High voltage match at Adelaide Oval, a venue that has been home for Team India for quite some time now.

Hundreds of thousands of people will watch this match again, there will be a packed house, don't know about the results but the fact is Pakistan has never ever won any match in world cup. But one thing is sure even according to cricket pandits India team is not among the top favorites but there will be an unseen burden of the cricket lovers on the shoulder of Indian Players.

South Africa, Australia, New zealand are the most favourite. Don't know why but the guts feeling is saying that the chances of "Won't give it back and chalo phir se dekhein wahi sapna" are looking slim. After a lack luster preparation and winless down under aussies tour ( If i am right Team India has last won an ODI match way back in November 2014 at Ranchi) , only this week against Afghanistan did they finally manage to win a match. The Body language of team India is portraying a different picture.

Tired, too long away from home and the loved ones, lack of form and fitness, injuries, no right opening combination, Dhoni still in doubt on a perfect playing eleven and the right batting and bowling combination are forcing many ifs and buts in the minds of spectator like us. The team was still struggling to get 10 wickets even in a warm up match against Afghansitan. In recent past three years the team has lost the tempo winning away from home.
Wish May the team will do good demolishing all the ifs and buts and will do good in the tournament. As a cricket lover defeat is unacceptable and victory is a reason of joy.

Tears were rolling through my eyes when Ravi Shastri had said "Dhoni finishes in style and lifts the world cup after 28 years, the party begins in Mumbai" way back on April 02, 2011. Wish the team India will do the miracle again.

Good luck team India for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Bring the glory and pride of being world champion back home !!!

Make "Winning the Habit"

TICKET TO 2016 OLYMPICS

Being an avid fan of sports writing anything on it gives me immense pleasure. The Asian Games 2014 has forced me to pen down something about this mega sporting event.

A spectacular ceremony at Incheon has brought an end to two weeks of intense competition, drama and controversy that shone a light on the best and worst of a region that will host the world's biggest events for the next decade. 

Doing GOOOOOGLE for everything has become our daily lives habit...whether you agree or not but this is the hard truth. I am no different....doing the same before writing this piece about the 2014 Asian Games revealed altogether a different story.

We have the habit of making comparison.....India ended its 17th Asian Games campaign at the eighth spot on the medals tally, a drop of two positions from the previous edition of the mega-event which drew to a close with glittering ceremony in Incheon. India signed off with 57 medals -- 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze. The tally dipped considerably compared to the 2010 edition in Guangzhou, China where we had ended sixth with 65 medals -- 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze.

My intention is not to pin point the number of medals that we lost or we remained short but to instill the habit in our athletes of winning medals. We won the Gold medal in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout to end 16 years drought if winning Gold in Hockey. We won both the Kabaddi Gold medals (Men &Women) and some of the medals in Individual games as well while some of the big names couldn't live to the expectation.

Winning should be the habit :
As a nation there are many question that flashes within second in mind that why the Nation of 1.25 billion people always stands from the bottom on podiums in medal tally ? Why the attitude of our sports authority are huffing and puffing to these games? Why the athletes don't get the basis infrastructures in such games with a hunger of "Go for Gold" ? There are many whys that need answers....! 

   
Another GOLD for Mary Kom

Perhaps this is the high time when we should avoid the habit of being complacent and look to improve this medal tally and try to bring more pride and glory to the country. Our sports authorities and sports ministry must introspect and the answer will be surely before us.

This is the irony of of our country that the athletes don't get the support as they want. The controversial bout of Sarita Devi was a candid example of that. Once she raised the voice for justice and truth our sports authorities were to take action against her was she in tears for no reason? The sports staffs enjoy the honeymoon period during these events and forget such incident by a fighter who gives everything (she was saying in an interview to a TV channel that her one and half year child doesn't recognize her because she was preparing for the bout since one year being away from home)  to bring glory and pride for the country.

Lack of preparation, the huffing and puffing attitude of our sports authorities to these sports and the unavailability of basic infrastructures are the prime reasons that force us as a nation to finish low on podiums.

This attitude must be changed, the country is going through a transition period of change then why not to bring a change which may inculcate the habit of winning. The political pundits say that our Prime Minister is a great visionary...i urge him to make some vision for the sake of these sports and athletes as well. 

Mr. Prime Minister is keen to make India of 21st century...hope he would pay attention on bringing glory to the country. It will certainly help bring more respect and pride. If we will provide the basic facilities to the athletes and groom them accordingly we may stand high headed in the medals tally.

Being an avid fan of sports these words seem harsh even to me but we as a nation have the habit of hoping and expecting more and more.

Look for Bright Future :

Our athletes win the medals, we feel proud, sometimes we see some officials going to the airport to receive the medlains. But there is different story behind winning the medlas for country, standing on the podiums, seeing the National Flag being hoisted on the tunes of National Anthem. Sometimes we should try to peep into the story behind the success.

GOLDEN MOMENT IN KABADDI

Lots of hard work, dedication, devotion and fanatic love for the country propels an athlete to pour out their skin to get a medal. Those athletes hardly get the due credit and honour as they deserve. Rigorous training despite lack of basic facilities, concrete resolution and the faith in oneself yields an athlete among 1.25 billion people who brings honour and pride to the country.

Why not special coverage for Asian Games...why there is no live telecast of Asian Games on our National Television ; If our national channel DD can cover more than one hour speech of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the PMO can retweet his speech why this step-mother behaviour to those athletes who give everything to bring pride to the country ? There are many whys and we always strive for an answer...still waiting and will this wait end ?

The Govt must work out to build training camps in every state and districts of the country to churn out the athlete and better this medal tally. Working on paper will never yield athletes and medals for country but the ground work will. A hunger must be invoked in the desired athletes to give out their skin to "Go for Gold". The win- win word must be in the lexicon of every athlete and the Government and every citizen of this country must pay the due respect to every athlete they deserve in whichever manner they want.

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom popularly known as MC Mary Kom would have hardly earned so much money doing boxing in her entire life while Priyanka did by acting in a biopic inspired by her life. I wish the adequate royalty would have been paid to her. 

This is the irony of our country that the athletes don't get the due credit what they deserve. But thanks to those directors who are making such movies by which the nation has come to known about  Milkha Singh, Pan Singh Tomar, Mary Kom and many more in the queue .

With a hope that Incheon has brought glory and pride to our country and Indonesia, the hosts of the next Asian Games in 2018 will bring more glory and medals if the attitude of our sports authority change in coming years. We must hope for the change in attitude and medal tally both !!!

Will miss you Sachin!

Being the die hard fan of Sachin the first sentence that comes in our mind after his retirement from ODIs is that flick would be missed; the delicately placed shot off the pads, the trademark straight-drive with the manufacturer’s logo so visible; the punch to cover; it will all be missed.It was an amazing night of April 2, 2011 when Sachin lived his dream as India won the World Cup after 28 years at the Wankhede Stadium.We will miss every run scored by you and every ball that you have faced to serve the Nation.

I could feel the tears in my eyes twice first when India lifted the world cup after the gap of 28 years and second when Sachin called it a day from ODIs.


yuvraj singh ‏@YUVSTRONG12

Yuvi considers him as GOD,there is no dearth of doubt that he is really god as Sachin not only inspired him in his lean phase but he won the world cup for this living legend.This remarks says much of it "In my heart and fellow indians! The pride of our country I salute to u for ur contribution to indian cricket @sachin_rt this has been retweeted 1501 times shows the love and affection that Sachin holds.  

Not a sudden decision:

He must be thinking for this day since long time,he must have talked with family and his friends.The decision to say good bye to one-day cricket was not sudden. For some time he had come to realise that the body was not listening to his brain. Fatigued legs and arms at the end of the day were clear indication to Sachin that he had to take the call. Test or one-day cricket, the choice was easy. He had valued Test cricket higher even though his recent form has meant a dent in his reputation.Sachin has conveyed a strong message to the world of cricket that Test cricket is still the best cricket.He would have retired from test why from ODIs.

Why not good bye on ground:

When you would have seen Sachin's retirement news either on TV or have heard it one question must have come through your mind why Sachin has not announced his retirement playing ODIs why living off the field.Sachin is great in test but greatest in ODIs and he will remain as same in the heart of millions of fans.I am still searching that what prompted this tough decision to quit ODIs?

Keen Observer:
Sachin was a great observer of the game either doing shadow practrices or seeing the wind blowing direction on the field are some important things that you must have witnessed during his palying game.He was a keen observer of the game and always thinks for the pride of country as he hanged his boot to prepare for 2015 world cup.

Experts say:

Sunil Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar says consistent criticism might have played a part in influencing Sachin Tendulkar's decision to quit one-day cricket and it would have been fantastic had he gone after completing 50 ODI centuries.

Harsha Bhogle ‏@bhogleharsha
on such a sad day for india a man who gave more joy than anyone else says he has had enough of odi cricket.

Sachin you are legend and will remain as the legend either you play or not.The moments that you gave to the nation will always be in the bottom of the heart.One sentence that i will always say is we will miss you in number 10 blue jersey.

Virat Kohli

"Emotional moment to not see the person who inspired me to play for india not play one dayers anymore.hats off paaji.we all love you.respect"India batsman  via Twitter



Rahul Dravid

If you look at the statistics, his greatness becomes even more evident in the sheer volume of runs he has scored and the huge gap between him and the next batsman. To bat consistently at the top-order and the aggressive manner in which he did that is a staggering achievement."
Commentator and former India batsman

I am Sachin........

Cricket's most prolific batsman stressed on his human side through the media-interaction. “I am not God, I am a cricketer and I am Sachin.”

This may be too personal but I don't feel very happy when cricket is criticized,I find my love for cricket assaulted from all directions.We lost against Bangladesh,there is no denying in the fact this is really an astonishing part of the game.

Even after that It's an honour and privilege to say that we are the habitats of a country from where the God of cricket Sachin Tendulkar hails.Sometimes we switch off our TV sets,we become angry and say will never watch cricket now but again we were drawn to this game that is the beauty of this game.

The reason of love:

Finally Sachin got his 100th ton.It is a great milestone and no one else is going to get there, but we don't watch a game merely for a milestone. We watch sport for the joy of seeing great performances not to bother that the defeat is only due to reaching the milestone.As a human being this is my question that would you love to see the matches only for milestones.The answer would be an obvious no.

How humble he is:

The statement made by little master just after reaching the milestone was never leave chasing your dreams,it may come true.The rough phase of 369 days have raised many questions,the cricket pandits were suggesting Sachin to hang his boots.The person who has served the Nation since last 22 years will not take minutes to come@ this decision to say good bye to cricket.

Rubbish talk shows:

Now there will be no talk or debate show on the news channels,there would be no TRP games.Sachin will play with an ease now a much relieved man must be feeling himself in comfort zone.Of course as he said “Yes, I have to be honest. I am human and I have emotions so I was frustrated. It does play on your mind,” Tendulkar told reporters at the post-match press conference.This shows the humbleness of this man.

Sachin Tendulkar admitted that the intervening journey between his 99th and 100th international hundreds, was one of the toughest he has faced in his career.

Perhaps the person who really loves cricket and this legend will have no question to ask now ,this is my humble request to all the cricket lovers to keep mum on the rubbish question of retirement,let him enjoy the game as longer as he wants.

From Sitab Diara to Delhi

The senior most leader of BJP L.K.Advani started his “Jan Chetna Yatra” form Sitab Diara.It is the birthplace of Jaiprakash Narain who is considered the father of agitation against corruption.

The journey from Somnath to Sitab Diara has witnessed lots of ups and downs.Advani is tagged with "PM in waiting" for last ten years.Will he be able to eradicate this tag .will this yatra do a favour to him to be the Prime Minister of India.

This yatra is being considered as his last chance to grab the opportunity to be the Prime minister.will he be the PM ,will the country witness the change,there are many more questions in the mind of the general people.The specific word Jan chetna reveals that the habitats of India are sleeping.BJP is trying to make them awaken.The internal rift amongst the leaders in BJP is known to all.Either the Sadbhavna mission of Narendra Modi or the question of projecting someone as the PM candidate is a matter of debate.what so ever it happens one thing has become very obvious that the political scenario of the country is changing with the amount of corruption and scams revealing day by day.

The birth of Anna and Anaagiri has raised the voice against govt.The initiatives that should be done by the opposition did by Anna and Ramdev.May be the opposition got the alarm.The common notion strike the iron while it is hot turned in make the iron hotter by striking it hard.BJP still is not aloof from the policy of hidutwa.RSS doesn't want Advani,Modi is showing his strength going beyond the politics of the state,in such condition the common people think that who is going to be the candidate of PM either Advani,Modi or anyone else as it has been always said by the party members that there are many more person who can be projected for the post of PM at the high time.

What is the destination for this yatra is not concrete,BJP is trying to regain its roots.This would be worthless to point out that not only the rath yatra of Advani is detined to Delhi but BJP is also heading its destination to Delhi to get the reign.The commoner are suppressed with price rise and inflation ,the corruption is also neck headed.

Now this would be worth watching that would the PM in waiting get the thrown or retire from the active politics.BJP has the chief ministers in five states and alliance in one(Bihar).Now the calculus of politics reveals that the integration of the power of these states may prove worthy in the centre also.There is no dearth of doubt that Annagiri is also propelling the people to bring the change.2014 loksabha elections is not far, all the political parties are cruising on the politics of rathyatra.

This would be very interesting to see that which political party is going to destined his rath to the throne of Delhi.Till then wait and watch analyze the politics of everyone.The tag of "PM in waiting" will loom on the haed of Advani or will he be the PM .