Sachin's best 5 , My pick

Indian Media's frenzy mood for Sachin's half century of Test Centuries still continues after a week also. Its a celebrated journey of a legend, who started as a child prodigy and now a genius who is considered to be best of the best. As a sachin fan, I have not only watched each and every Innings of Sachin, but viewed , reviewed, discussed, marveled and remembered each of one of them. Here is my list of five top centuries where Sachin just expressed himself as a batsman. For a moment forget what happened to final result of the game and other blah blah of experts. Just on pure stroke plays these are the five Innings that I rate at the highest level.

5. 177 vs Australia 3rd Test Bangalore 1998

1998 was a time when Sachin was in his prime. The series was highly marketize as Sachin vs Warne, due to sheer brilliance of the two. But there was one run-away winner. With the series already in pocket, it was dominance time of Indian batting. Impetus and substance came from Sidhu, who hit eight fours and three sixes, and then Tendulkar, who scored 177 out of 281 added while he was in, with 29 fours and three sixes with an strike rate of almost 90. Tendulkar was impossible to contain, especially on the second morning, when he scored 60 in 64 balls. He fell to his own excesses, when he tried to hoist a straight ball from Dale to mid-wicket and was bowled. This was an Innings to savour for the batsmanship of the genius. Mark Waugh played an equally claass inning and a inspired performance by Michael Kasprowicz and Mark Taylor ensured a face saving win by aussies. Sachin was at his batting best in 1998, unfortunately India played only three tests that year, 2 out of 5 in this list from that 3 tests. The one test innings left out he scored 79 in 76 balls but that can not be in the list.

4. 155 vs South Africa Bloemfontein 2000-01

On the first day on an overseas series, India's plight is a familiar one - four down for 68, with all the wickets going just the way the South Africans expected - to rising balls. Tendulkar has a debutant for company, with another to follow. He takes 17 balls to score his first run, but 101 come off the next 97 deliveries. It isn't the prettiest of Tendulkar's Test tons, but it is one of the most savage, characterised by pulls and vicious upper-cuts. The South Africans have a plan for India, and Tendulkar makes a mockery of it. By the time Tendulkar's innings ends, India are reasonably well placed, though they go on to lose the Test. At one point, just before lunch, he hit eight fours in 18 balls. Unfortunately India could not seize the initiative and lost the test.

3. 169 Vs South Africa, Newlands, Cape Town 1997

This was only second time India was visiting rainbow nation with a very weak bowling attack, batting with virtually no body opening the innings. In the 1st test both the innings folded in 100 and 66. 2nd Test, Batting first, South Africa make a matchwinning 529. Playing only for honour, India find themselves groveling before Donald, Pollock, McMillan and Klusener. Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin get together at 58 for 5, and start spanking the bowling as if they were playing a club game in the park. They add 222 for the sixth wicket in less than two sessions, and Tendulkar has 26 boundaries in his score of 169. Even Donald says that he felt like clapping. This was the day when all shots were on display and it was an incredible catch by Adam Bacher can end this epic. Again India lost but this batting masterclass can not be forgotten any day.

2. 114 Vs Australia, Perth 1992

This innings has been widely written and talked about. It was for the first time wonder boy became poster boy of Indian cricket. The fastest pitch in Australia has been reserved for the last Test. India have been beaten already, only humiliation awaits. Batting first, Australia score 346. Tendulkar enters at a relatively comfortable 69 for 2, but watches the next six wickets go down for 90. Tendulkar is the next man out... at 240. He has scored 114 of the 171 runs added while he is at the crease, and has made them in such an awe-inspiring manner that commentators are asking themselves when they last saw an innings as good.

1. 155* Vs Australia, Chennai 1998

Sachin Tendulkar was facing Shane Warne with India and Australia both battling for supremacy.

Seventy-one runs in arrears, India start the second innings and despite Navjot Singh Sidhu's 64 find themselves only 44 in front when Tendulkar joins Rahul Dravid. The duo has to contend with Shane Warne bowling from round the wicket and into the rough. Tendulkar, who has practised against Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and a few other bowlers on artificially created rough patch before this series, decides to take apart Warne. In a breathtaking assault, with the match hanging in balance, he deploys his unique slog sweeps against the spin to steer India past Australia and snatch a matchwinning 347-run lead. It was the inning that established his supremacy

Happy Independence Day

Wishing everyone a very happy Independence day. My country, My India celebrates her Independence Day. Since morning I wanted to write something, first I thought of writing about significance of the day, then I read some articles in morning newspaper, it was again full of articles arguing what freedom should mean and what it is currently meant. I was having a coffee on a sunday morning outside at my balcony then I heard band playing national anthem. I stood still, I could see a group of boys playing it in their school field. I sang the song, I salute the tri-color, felt so happy.

I rewind myself to fifteen-years down the line, 15th August 1995, that was a new school I joined just a month back. Since I was a short guy that time, I was inducted into Scout Group,instead of NCC. A huge lead-up to Independence day celebration, about a fortnight before preparation started rolling. I was rejected in the audition from the School's Scout Band. They had the best dress among all the boys. We had a grey shirts and navy-blue half-pants, Cap in blue colour with BS&G Logo, Specially designed scarf, A black pouch with belt worn around waist and finally Black Hunter Shoes. We had practiced parade for two weeks. Since we had to do a right salute and I was chosen as right marker, there was special emphasis on my training. Right marker is the guy who is at right hand corner in the first line of a parade troop. When the troop does a right salute, everyone turns their heads to right and salute, only right marker has to keep his head steady and salute to keep the troop straight. When the I-day came, the morning started with all patriotic songs, that we sadly keep for only two days out of 365. After flag hoisting and slogans I should be charged up but I was feeling cold feet. I still remember it was a damp day with heavy rain fall overnight. Then we gathered at a Parade ground, an assimilation of three schools. Being from Boys High school , it was chance to have a glimpse of Girls from the Girl High School, and also from Convent School. The Parade was lead by NCC Band, then our schools Senior NCC, Girls high school's JRC ( Junior Red Cross) , then a troop from Convent followed by junior NCC , then Scout Band, then my own Scout Troop and finally a troop of Girl's Guide. As the Band started my heart started pumping first, I was determined not to make any mistake but to my dismay , when I heard Parade "Daeen Mood" ( Turn Right) , I was trained not to turn my head right, but guess what I did , All my troop was out of track, and girls behind us were anyway lost it . After around ten steps we were outside when someone shouted at us. Funniest part we ran for our lives to catch-up and somehow came to finish line. I was utterly disgusted for letting my troop and school down. I had a bad couple of weeks where I had to face some criticism and friendly banter from mates.

The Incident, still puts a smile in my face, seeing that band I went to nostalgia of school days. Independence day meant a lot in those innocent days, now so many of us just ruing that it is on a Sunday which means a one less national holiday this year.

Wish everyone a very happy Independence day!!!!!!!!!

Peepli [Live] - A satire yet brilliant

Its been a great year for Indian Movie, Udaan set an example of new age bollywood director, nuances in Anusha Rizvi’s “Peepli Live” is not every day hindi masala movie.What is portrayed harsh reality of farmer suicide without being melodramatic or condescending. The lot of the Indian farmer has not improved much since the days of Munshi Premchand's Godaan set in pre-Independence India [ Images ]. Actually, Natha (Omkar Das Manipuri) and Budhia (Raghubir Yadav) remind me of Hori Mahato. Hari Mahato hero of Godaan, In fact, there's a reference to him in the film; the malnourished farmer, also called Hori Mahato digging rough patches of earth to survive? Hori's plight hasn't changed even after more than six decades.

As someone who belongs to a relatively contemporary, metropolitan-bred generation, I could relate to the unfortunate divide between the urban mind-set and rural set-up. There is an urgent need to bridge the gap. We cannot be India in halves; one has to have a better understanding of where the other is coming from. Peepli [Live] provides insightful subtext to the same. But there's never any attempt to provide answers. But there is a strong slap on the bureaucracy. Marie Antoinette's famous blooper: 'If they don't have food, give them cakes!' And finally, there are the state officials who go through their entire gamut of garibi-hatao schemes, only to realise there is nothing tailor-made to prevent a farmer from committing suicide. It is the comic treatment of a cruel situation that has made it so engrossing. The entire rigmarole of breaking news, TRPs, villager bytes and grass-root opportunism is both believable and hilarious. We, as a nation, lack the ability to laugh at ourselves. Peepli [Live] not only does so but does it with a healthy irreverence. Hope it gets appreciated.

It gives the whole effort a healthy freshness. The fish bowl effect that you have while watching a village-based movie is totally absent here as I felt like a participant and not an observer of the unfolding drama. It's a compact script which has been executed with equal passion. There are no actors here only characters that all of us have seen or met at some point. I appreciate how Anusha has chosen unfamiliar faces with sound background in theatre.For all its engaging wit, every scene and close-up is a compelling study or an untold story. Bottom-line: Peepli [Live] is a well-researched, brilliantly-written and effectively documented creation that hasn't negotiated its wry vision for big screen.

Common Wealth Game Delhi 2010 - From Promise to a Hope

Four years ago, while watching the closing ceremony of Common Wealth Game 2006, Melbourne, I was full of emotion and chauvinistic feelings. Sitting in a cosy hotel in Antrewp, Belgium I was overwhelm by the Idea of my current living city is going to host this Mega event in four years time. Film stars from Bollywood presented an extravaganza of event featuring Aishwarya Rai. The Indian extravaganza continued with golden rays unfurling all around the stage to represent the sun in all its glory, as monuments of India and Delhi were projected onto the main stage.A high-energy Bhangra performance followed - a lively form of north Indian folk music and dance - featuring Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee and hundreds of brightly costumed dancers.As a grand finale, the theme song for Delhi 2010 was performed by some of India’s finest singers including Sonu Nigam, Shiamak Davar, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal, before the MCG erupted in a dramatic pyrotechnics display, featuring the three colours of the Indian flag - saffron, white and green.Nameste! See you in Delhi 2010! Swagatam!

It was a promise, opportunity, vision, aspiration of developing country to portray boisterous presence in the world but fast forward to four years, what we have now. A mess, uncertainty, fragility, irresponsibility and ugly face of Indian political system of power carving people.Possibly the most crucial for us as a nation was to have used the opportunity to showcase to the world the strides the country has made in many spheres of modern life, and seek to attract gains in diverse areas on the basis of the favourable impression created. China should serve as an object lesson in this regard. The breathtaking show it put up when it hosted the Beijing Olympics in 2008 guaranteed its status as a nation and society that can deliver quality, and on schedule. The Olympics more than confirmed China’s position and image as a manufacturing megapower, and the envy of other leading nations.

The Commonwealth Games are much smaller in scale than the Olympics, and yet the privilege to host it is not easy to come by. Experts take a close look at a country’s ability to execute the Games infrastructure. India came through the scrutiny but runs the risk of faltering at the execution stage. This is a poor advertisement for its political executive, especially with those entrusted with overseeing the Games preparations. A little over two months to go for the opening of the Games a day after Gandhi Jayanti, and the nation’s capital is choking with uncleared debris, unfinished stadiums and other facilities associated with the Games. News reports highlight the last-minute rush and confusion to meet deadlines, and of passing the buck. Long before now, the dry runs should have commenced to ensure the success of the event on which about Rs 35,000 crores are said to have been spent. The plain reason for this not happening is that Delhi is virtually run by builder cabals that are in league with corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. These thrive on delays. When schedules are slipping, no questions are asked and cart blanche is given to take shortcuts, to cover up the use of below-par materials and shoddy execution through quick fixes, even if these will be exposed in weeks if not days.

There are many in our sports establishments who claim: Yes, we can. As far as claims are concerned, we have been the most fantastic claimers on this planet! No one can say Indian’s do not have commitment but when that comes to behaving as a nation, we are at a disadvantage, as we remain mired in politics more than economics; in speech more than action; in the game of playing ‘games’, than sports.

As a sports lover and die-hard chauvinist I wish for a magic wand that will sweep all everything away and a successful CW games that will enrich Indian status in the world.

Very Very Special Laxman

VVS Laxman, what a gem of an Innings Mr Special played on a 5th day of turning track. Really with all the glittering of Indian Middle order this star is always sidelined but time and again when glitters of other failed to show the path in the most toughest conditions, VVS steps up and shows what magician he is. Today was such day, Sewhag who can terrorize the opposition was unable to open his account, Dravid who grinds and accumulates runs fell in a tricky way, Sachin looked calmer and wanted to play in Dravid's Shoes, walks in Laxman on a pitch which was offering awkward moments of bounce and turn.

If someone want to guess, whether Lax is in zone or not, need not go to Paul the Octopus, just need to watch few strokes and his feet movement. Lax brings so serenity to batting, at times you wonder is he a magicians or playing a classical music. Today while Sachin played grafter role, Laxman was more offensive. It was tricky situation, too much of defensive mindset may pressed the self-destruction button but losing one wicket means momentum shifts to loosing barrel. No doubt VVS is a gifted player, how on the earth he has so much of time to play spins on turning track. It is one of romanticism of test match cricket to wacth VVS wristy flicks and blossoming cover drives. Exactly same delivery he can play a wristy flick from outside off to midwicket and if his mood is different carress through extra-cover.

Due to some reason he is denied his recognition amidst star power of Sachin, Rahul and Sourav but if you ask the team-mates how vital his contributions are in winning overseas. Dravid wrote a nice little tribute to him on his cenetary test describing him 'Nothing Calms you like Laxman'. Australians normally mention Laxman in the same breath as Tendulkar but rarely would they have seen this side of him. Starting with his 95 in Kolkata, a forgotten gem from 1998 when he first drove Shane Warne inside out, he's been one to get instantly in the groove. Whether it's his epic 281, again in Kolkata, or his three classics in Sydney, or his cracker in Adelaide, or even his nuggets in Mumbai, Chennai and Brisbane and a majestic knock at Perth.

It is not only aussies anymore, Johannesburg he played a match-winning knock in 2006, Gambhir was architect in saving the test at eden park but Laxman pulvarises the last day with scintilatting century. Sometime it is tailor-made for him to step in, when writting is against the wall and he crawls back with his flamboyancy.

All is said and done, yet Very Very Special has always been subject of suspicion for his spot in middle order. To secure his spot he is asked to open initially but it is a spot he never really relished, so took a decision not to bend to open even if it costs him place in playing XI. He stuck to his decision and made his spot at lower middle order. For the number three position he had to fight with Dravid who has cemented that for decade and half. But every time when Dravid's form dropped and Laxman asked to put his pad on from the offset, he has delivered, and guess what delivered big,( Kolkata 2001, Sydney 2008). But he finally settle down for number 5, and he averages 85 this year, that is quite remarkable considering he is only playing one format. But still one innings from youngster triggers all debate about VVS's lack of agility in field. Mind you no Yuvis, Rainas, Kohlis has reached a level where they can play such innings on last day of a turning track. If Agility lacks, softness adds, India's one of the reliable sleep fielder who has a safe hands.

For now lets celebrate this special knock, in the hindsight I thank Mendis to put up a score to produce such a batting display by Lax. VVS you beauty.

Kishore Kumar: Quintessential Versatility

Paying tribute the most versatile singer of Indian cinema, Kishore Kumar on his birth day. While driving I listened to some of my favorite romantic songs of Kishore da, I could not guess any other Indian singer who can match this legend. I was so much into the songs, as soon as I reached home and googled some of best of kishore da to just yoodle.

Acting wise, he’s most noted for playing a motormouth or a loud caricature or the eminently lovable romantic in a slew of comedies, including Half Ticket, Padosan and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. He along with Mukesh and Rafi formed the triumvirate of playback singers who dominated Hindi music back in the days when a film’s songs decided its box office success.

Kishore Kumar is considered to be a “versatile genius” with so many outstanding facets of his artistic personality. If overall as an artist, Kishore is versatile, only in singing domain he is a “versatile singer” in a true nature. Right from romantic to sad to soulful to motivating to semi-classical to qawwali to patriotic and to ghazals, Kishore had shown his tremendous variety in his god-given voice each and every time he had stood behind the microphone.

If he could bring the house down with Cheel cheel chillake or sing for both the hero and the heroine with Le gayi mera dil teri zulmi nazariya, he could also hold his own against a schooled veteran in classical music like Manna Dey in Ek Chatur Naar. And if he could shame Tarzan with his yodelling, he could also see the world through the eyes of a drunken large-hearted man with Kucch toh log kahenge and woo his ladylove (or the hero’s) with a playful Bhanwre ki gunjan or a tenderly lustful Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si. Such was his versatility that R D Burman went on record to denounce the other two singers in favour of Kishore Kumar, with whom he formed a partnership that remains unparalleled even today in terms of musical artistry.

Kishore Kumar was a genius. His repertoire varied. and his legacy phenomenal. He was perfectly at ease with all kinds of music from the fun & frolic my name is anthony gonsalves; to the melancholy manzilen apni jagah hai from the soft wooing numbers (ek ajnabi hasina se) to the boisterous declaration of intent (haal kya hai dilon ka na pucho sanam). He also was great at the rebel anthem – muqaddar ka sikandar – and the whimsical folksy philo number -which Mukesh did very well – like ruk jaana nahin …

Behind the joie de vivre lay a child’s heart that dreamed of a brighter day; behind the lover and romantic lay a restless soul; behind the comedian who elicited laughs from his audience was a loner and an eccentric.

But there is one debate that will always, always have the world divided into three factions – who ruled the roost during Bollywood’s Golden Era of music, Kishore, Rafi or Mukesh?

And for that, we’re blessed. May we never decide.

Thank you for the laughter when we wanted to cry, Abhas Kumar Ganguly – and thank you for the dreams.

The Difficulty of Being Good and Mahabharat

Just finished the book, The Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma by Gurucharan Das.I am a big fan of the Author and My Sunday morning starts with his Article in Times of India. When I picked the book from the gallery I was fully aware of the context but could not stop reading till I finish.

It was my grandmother who introduced me to the Mahabharata in my childhood, then I read a book by R.K. Narayaran, and found the story is most enthralling ever I have come across, even Mario Puzo's The Godfather does not hold a chance with it. Now Gurcharan Das has taken on the difficult task of reading the Mahabharata and interpreting its many messages in light of contemporary circumstances.

Classics like the Mahabharata, The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid have a timeless appeal. But one should guard against reading too much into their relevance to understand our times. Gurcharan poses a simple question. How do we understand and interpret the word and the concept of ‘dharma’ in our lives? In seeking an answer he turns to the Mahabharata, and reads its versions in Sanskrit and English translations, and the many interpretations.

Gurcharan explores the idea of dharma in all its dimensions, while examining the frailties of human existence—envy, jealousy, greed, revenge, resentment, lust—and the many uplifting qualities of a righteous person, namely courage, valour, loyalty, selflessness, remorse, compassion, forgiveness and altruism.

Each of the major heroes have their failings. Dhritarashtra is blind to his eldest son’s faults. Duryodhana’s monumental envy is the driving force of calamity in the epic. Arjuna despairs over killing his kinsmen. The virtuous Yudhishthira has a weakness for gambling. The flaws of epic heroes show how difficult it is to be good in a world of moral haziness.

This tale of a family in crisis is a metaphor, in Gurcharan’s book, for the economic upheavals that have engulfed the world. Capitalism may be a mode of production but it also shapes the nature of social relations between human beings who buy and sell goods in the market.

There are similar parallels throughout the book. Investment bankers on Wall Street suffered from similar moral infirmities as the heroes in the Mahabharata; they exposed the flaws in the global capitalist system. Duryodhana’s envy and greed that makes him want to annex the Pandavas’ kingdom is in tune with what big fishes do to smaller ones.

In other words, the narrative fleshes out through a tale of sibling rivalry the brutal competition of ‘interests and passions’ that is the characterestic of a ‘free market’.

The best chapter in my view is the one that concerns Draupadi. Gurcharan has read the Bhandarkar Institute’s Critical Edition carefully and tells us that Krishna’s rescue of Draupadi is not in the original But that apart, Draupadi raises the question whether Yudhishthira had the right to stake her in a gamble when he had already staked and lost himself and his brothers. Whose property was she if Yudhishthira was not his own master? It is a question which hangs over the assembled men but few can give the answer. The epic itself resolves the rape scene by mentioning the miracle of many layers of garments. But the burning question of dharma and even of property rights remain.

Yet Gurcharan does not pursue the question of how much of the Mahabharata is a padding upon the original core Jaya and even the Bharata, which then became the Mahabharata. My own unscholarly hunch is that Jaya was a simple tale of the battle which raged over eighteen days in which Pandavas won. It was not clear that they deserved to win. But then as victors they invented the grievances which justified the dirty tricks employed with Krishna’s help. The gambling match and Yudhishthira’s behaviour defy belief unless he and his brothers were drugged as well. It is probably a later interpolation.

What is truly appealing about Gurcharan’s contemporaneous reading of the Mahabharata is his reinforcement of liberal values. The epic’s wisdom empowers the individual and shows us the way forward in dealing with daily challenges. It is not a ‘moral’ text, because the epic is characterised by moral ambiguity. It does not take a categorical position in the classic debate on ‘ends and means’, often interpreting ‘ends’ in a manner that would justify the ‘means’. Despite its moral ambiguity, it shows how one can act righteously in an amoral world.

At one stage, Gurcharan gives the example of the Ambani brothers to illustrate how such quarrels can get lethal. He pits Mukesh as Yudhishthira against Anil as Duryodhana. But surely we do not know yet. We need to wait till the end to see who wins. The winner will be Yudhishthira by definition and the loser will be Duryodhana. It is too early to say who will be which.

Are lessons from the Mahabharata enough to save capitalism? Gurcharan, certainly, thinks that a healthy dose of Dharma may restore trust in the system. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that this epic, like all classics, enriches one’s concept of Man. The Mahabharata is seven times as long as The Iliad and The Odyssey combined but it has not been translated in as many languages. It has had no Fagles.