Kohli's body language gave it away

This happened in the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians in Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium.

Kieron Pollard was on strike to Vinay Kumar, Pollard hit the call to mid-off and Ambati Rayudu was backing up. Kohli who with a direct throw a ball earlier had got Dinesh Karthik run-out, hit the stumps once again. Vinay Kumar in trying to get behind the stumps somehow got Rayudu in a tangle which made him raise the bat at the same time as the ball hit the wicket. Kohli appealed and eventually the umpire gave it out, the Mumbaikars started chanting 'cheater cheater' for Kohli as it was unsporting of him to run the batsman out since it was the bowler whose leg struck Rayudu's bat and made him go out of the crease after it was in the first time. To understand how it happened, see it for yourself below: Watch from 11:10 to 11:45.

Whatever may be the people's reaction to what Kohli did on the filed or what transpired between him and the Mumbai Indians supporters, what I did not appreciate was the arrogant body language that Virat Kohli expressed during the post match presentation. (From 4:01:54 to 4: 03: 21)

Now, I may be reading too much into the body language but also pay heed to the words he uses and how he dismisses the opposition. One ignore the aggressive stance for confidence or consider it a sign of arrogance. It is something that is open for debate. Take a look at Kohli, arms on his waist, chest a little out, not a smile but a smirk on his face. He is not holding anything back and is in a very defensive mode. His words are also as sharp as a big knife. He does mince any words in attacking the opposition. He defends his team mates which is a good thing as a captain but completely ignoring his team's lack of a good middle-order will not help RCB in the long run.

I best love his aggression on the field. There are, of course, people who think that his abusive ways are not justified at all, but I think its part of his personality. I mean, if his way of showing aggression is by abusing how does it matter. He is obviously not abusing anyone, and definitely not bad mouthing any players. For eg. when he got his Test match hundred he did say B^&*$%^#D, but was it to someone? No!

I, for one, think it is a bit of the arrogant nature that Kohli has managed to tone down a bit since his Under-19 days. The man is known to have a hot temper, just like his Delhi-team mate Gautam Gambhir with whom he had a small tiff a few weeks ago. What I see as bad body language could just be a defensive and a little angry Kohli though!

The dream walk

For a city that never sleeps waking up on a chilly Sunday morning at 5:30 am must have been a task. No wonder then that the 'Spirit of Mumbai' was the thing that was the most talked about at the annual Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2013!

For a city that is known to be rude, lazy, insensitive, full of workaholics and most leading a very unhealthy lifestyle it was a pleasure to see thousands assembling at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus right on time for a 42 km marathon!

I, myself a hardcore Mumbaikar, never fail to come up with an excuse for arriving late at meetings/dates/office, etc surprisingly made it on time for the start of the race. Although, let me admit, I was there for the poor man's marathon, also known as 'The Dream run'. It was a mere 6km run which was to begin at 9:00 am. I tried to hide my embarrassment by not letting most of my friends/acquaintances know that I was going for it by shying away from putting up pictures or posts about it on Facebook. Because, let's face it, how tough is it to run/walk 6 kms on empty and clean Mumbai roads, especially in comparison with those running the 42 and 21 kms!

My dream run or rather the dream walk as I would like to call it, was sponsored by my company. It garnered good response with about 50-60 mostly 30+ people making it on the day. With NGO banners in one hand and shouts of 'Mumbai Mumbai' we all looked like a bunch of protesters out to fight some MNC trying to overtake our city.

That embarrassment apart, what I saw were some very interesting scenes. As our battalion started moving ahead from the start line, we saw other athletes on the other side of the road about to complete their marathons. There were hoardes of Mumbaikars who had come to support those who were running and merely cheer the others. I saw some really old people running, a man in his 80s suffering from Parkinsons disease running for a charity that supported such patients. A lady running with a chair in her hand was the reason for a lot of amusement until people found out that she was carrying the chair for an old man running right behind her being. Helped by his assistant and a friend, this man could've easily stayed at home and relaxed with his grand kids but he decided against it.

There were some who had already started discussing where to eat after the run gets over, some women were overheard planning a 'dessert marathon' since they had burnt a hell lot of calories! A few giggles here, a few laughters there, some being sarcastic about people coming in for a 6 km run and calling themselves marathoners and some admiring the spirit of the audience who came in to watch and cheer.

Amidst this, there were a bunch of school kids standing at a turn with their guitars and mouth organs and lovely voices, waiting to greet the runners. An orphanage had set-up a small deck with 8-9 year-old singing old hindi film songs. It was a good fun walk and although it seemed like the SCMM guys had marketed the marathon well enough to get TV show guys to perform gigs and stuff, it was also a time to see the average Mumbaikar come out on a Sunday morning, walk and run with their friends and family, albeit in the name of 'Spirit of Mumbai' or to post on their Facebook walls 'I finished the Mumbai Marathon' etc, etc

Faith in the 'fun' Mumbaikar was restored and even though it lasted a couple of hours, it gave a lot of us that sense of accomplishment, that smile on our face, that reason to celebrate, that we had done something good today! This city sometimes needs such moments to come out and live life normally. Thanks, SCMM 2013!

Koi toh batao usse

Koi toh jaaye aur bataye usse,
Main jee raha hoon khushi se,
Kabhi kabhi dard jab hota hai,
Pee jaata hoon khud hi ki marzi se,
Dekh kar uski harkatein puchta hoon khud se,
Ki kisse maine pyar kiya,
Kya yehi woh ek hasi thi,
Jiske liye main ab bhi ghut raha hoon,
Usse toh zara bhi fikar nahin,
Bas main hi hoon jo jee kar bhi mar raha hoon,
Chahta hoon ki koi toh bataye usse,
Ki haal theek nahin hain mere,
Magar phir yeh khayal aata hai,
Ki kya usse qadar bhi hai meri,
Main hi hoon jo ab tak uski yaad mein,
Aansu yunhi baha raha hoon,
Usse toh padi bhi nahin hai meri,
Ki main jee raha hoon ya mar gaya hoon,
Mere marne ke baad bhi khabar na dena yaaron,
Shayad tab bhi main khud hi batane chala jaun.

What if a band was to take over another band?

They say comedy comes when you think of different situations, mix them up with something and imagine the outcome. This is one of the rules of stand-up artist. If you notice, all they do is paint you a picture of a 'what if..' and then go crazy with it.

I too, want to try my hand at stand-up and one day will. But until then I can try and think of such situation and may be give an idea to someone who is looking for one!

So, the other day I was just thinking about how companies take over companies and then change everything that was good about the company they just over took. What if bands were to do the same thing and what would the outcome be like? Have you ever imagined? Let me pair some similar artists and bands and wonder what were to happen...what if...

Boyzone was to take over say Metallica, what would happen if Pritam took over PSY, or Bappi Da took over Michael Jackson...can you imagine the bizarre collaborations!

A Beat it style Ooh La La Ooh La La, Metallica getting all gayed with Words kinda music or may be the other way around, Words getting on a full on metal feel! An Indian version of Gangnam style, imagine Gangnam style in Ganpati style music, full on with Nashik Dhols,

I am literally getting the jitters! The possibilities are just amazing.

These take overs can go onto a different theme and the final outcomes even crazy.For example, imagine a sport taking over another sport. Football players taking over Hockey, Cricket being taken over by Squash. Imaging how much running the lazy cricketers will have to do, the ball size changes dramatically, imagine Football guys asking Hockey players to stop the ball with their feet!

Ok, this might not be funny but can be injurious actually, but what the hell!

Why the rain wouldn't stay

This year it hasn't rained as much as it usually does in Mumbai. The reason, unknown. I decided to put a thought to this and came up with the following.

Imagine the rain clouds to be a little kid wanting to play with new friends. 'You' being the new friend. Every year a new cloud forms, aka a new kid comes down wanting to play with us. What do we do instead? We open up our umbrellas. We cover ourselves. We wear jackets and go in disguise so that he does not recognize us. We shun all the excitement and eagerness the new kid has.

We go hide in our cars, we go find a building with a roof that can protect us. The new kid must feel like the sick child who comes down to play with us in the building and we because of our protective mothers would not go near him or let him touch us. 

Why then would he pour down? Why then will he open up and burst with joy? Why then will he smile and make that sacrifice?

Go welcome him. Play in the rains. Get wet in the monsoon. Hold someone's hand and go meet the new kid. 

It seems someone has made the effort, the rain God is happy now and has sent some more kids to have fun. It's raining in Mumbai today!

Am outraged at this fixing!

The 49th match in IPL 2012 between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings was fixed! There, I said it.

There is nothing else that would have had more impact and would get the point across of what this blog is about than the first line. Yes, the match was fixed. Believe me you. I was right there witnessing the match in action sitting there right from ball one. 

Having won tickets through a radio channel who were proud to be associated with a team that boasts of the supposed God of cricket, it comes as a big surprise that God listens to only a couple of people's prayers.

I will tell you how it all began. 

I was super excited to be going for a cricket match after a long time and was really looking forward to this game. It promised to be a high-scoring affair with two of the big stars-laden teams in the competition. Both had a point to prove and a long standing rivalry. I was happily cheering the Mumbai bowlers as well as applauding some of the crisp shots by the Chennai batsmen. I am someone who enjoys cricket and is highly passionate about it. I live cricket, I talk cricket. As far as I can remember there hasn't been a day since 1996 when I have slept without having a minimum of 30 mins of cricket in the day for me. Be it in the way of watching it or playing it or reading about it or talking about it. Cricket is, and I am not exaggerating, life for 

me. 

I was happily enjoying the match sitting at Level 3 of the Sachin Tendulkar stand looking at what seemed like an interesting encounter. Somewhere during the match these two gentlemen came and sat besides me. Before them there were a couple of people who came, sat there for a while and shifted later. That's why when these two guys came I did not pay much heed to it. It was around the 9th or the 10th over that the first guy, whom from now on we will refer to as the 'fixer', spoke to his friend. He casually suggested that Mumbai will be chasing 175 runs for victory. I overheard it and was smiling at his confident prediction. I ignored it as just another fan prediction but did tell my friend about the supposed score! Both of us joked how he is a fixer and is probably telling the right score. 

As the first innings got over, somehow Mumbai did manage to restrict CSK to 173 giving them a target of 174. Pretty close, huh! Was our first reaction. But again we rubbished the thought of him being a fixer as it could have been a coincidence. Later, when MI came into bat we suddenly saw him looking at his iPhone every now and then and looking a bit restless. We assumed it was the hunger, the heat and the seating that were causing the restlessness. 

He then called up someone and was intensely discussing the game. He would be overjoyed at some occasions  and quiet on some. Would stand up and applaud if CSK got a wicket and at the same time would also show some appreciation for the boundaries hit by Mumbai. Since he was wearing a blue t-shirt I assumed his loyalties were for Mumbai. But he could just be wearing a blue t-shirt to play safe or may be did not even think about it. 

Anyway, as time passed his actions were getting weirder. He would mimic the IPL tune that the DJs would keep playing. He would cheer on Sachin and ridicule the bowlers when they would get hit. 

Here comes the moment of truth: Come the last three overs of the game, Mumbai was losing control of the game. Losing wickets and not scoring runs. This fixer was still smiling. Then he suddenly got a phone call and I tried to overhear him. He repeated what he was hearing,'Kya, is over mein abhi six lagega?' I heard and instantly turned towards my friends to share what I thought could be vital info. Just at that moment, while I was turning to share the news, I saw Dwayne Smith hitting the bowler for a six towards mid-wicket. Me and my friend both jumped for joy and were somehow laughing at how the fixer's prediction came true. 

By now we were sure he was involved somehow. Either had bet some money or was talking to some fixer. The overs were passing and his volume lowered. With an over to go and 16 to get off it, some people started leaving the ground. Just then, he stopped this family and said, "Ruk jao yaar, Mumbai Indians jeetega, guaranteed." 

Me and my friend we both looked at each other and shared a grin. As we turned around we saw him leaving the ground with a big smirk on his face. Confident as if he had seen it all. Then came the Hilfenhaus over. The man whom the MI guys could not score much off. The man who bowled a toe-crusher to get rid of Malinga of the second ball. With 4 balls left and 15 to get, we had given up. But were hoping that the fixer's prediction comes true. 3 balls to go now and 14 to get, we had by all means given up hope and were staring at yet another defeat for MI. But the fixers had a deal, in comes Hilfenhaus and bowls a full-toss. Smith hits it for a six towards long on, we were jumping in the stands as were the thousand other  MI fans. Smith had given us a glimmer of hope. Two balls later, MI had won, Smith had done the unexpected, CSK had lost a game that was theirs for the taking. 

The only picture in my head was of the fixer who left with a smirk and a confident around him knowing that the team he had chosen, may be, had won, before the game was complete.

I was shattered, outraged, disgusted. I still am. 

He was never no.1, always India's no.3 batsman!

He never was India's no.1 batsman and never can be. He was and shall remain India's no.3 batsman.

He was India's best no.3! Ever!

It's the end of an era. The wall has left. Rahul Dravid has retired from all domestic and international cricket for good. He leaves behind what is a Rahul Dravid of a hole! 16 glorious years of Test cricket, One Day cricket and a one-off T20. He has given us infinite memorable moments.

223* at Adelaide, 180 At Kolkata, 145 at Taunton, that quickfire 53 off 22 balls, those two slam-bam towering sixes in his only T20 appearance! The man has time and again done what many other greats could not. Face the toughest of situations with a straight bat. From once being labelled as a Test-match only cricketer to being picked up in the T20 side in 2011, to scoring India's second fastest fifty to captaining the side to wins in Pakistan and West Indies to keeping wickets in 2002-03 just to get the balance right and play with an extra batsman. Rahul, err...Sir Rahul Dravid has done and seen each and everything he could in his tenure as a cricketer for India.

I remember how at one point of time, kids playing in the building would ridicule batsman who played slowly by calling them Rahul Dravid. It was a synonym for batsman who cannot score runs quickly. It is very important in building cricket to be able to score runs quickly. To not waste any balls and get off strike if you cannot hit the big ones.

From that to now any player who can give a straight bat to the fastest delivery hurled at you and manage to drop it dead right next to the bat and be called Rahul Dravid and be respected for it, things have come a long way. Tables have turned. From being hated for 'boring' people in Test Matches to people longing for guys like him in the team.


I remember how I myself would look at Sir Rahul Dravid when he would come to the crease and score his 152 ball-50! He would bring the run-rate down from 4+ to just hovering around 3. He would tire the bowlers by showing them the 'Britannia' bat! Only for players like Sachin, Mongia, Sehwag, Azharuddin, etc to run amok in the last session and the last hour before end of day's play. Who will do that now?

A lot of the Indian fans must be wondering who will take his place and who will survive in tough situations like the ones we have faced in England, West Indies, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Do we have any batsman half as talented as Sir Rahul Dravid? We are scared to admit but we will be worried every time a new no.3 steps out on the crease. We will all secretly are waiting for his son to be big enough to be taller than the stumps and willing to play for the national team.

He has got statistics all on his side, 164 tests, 13288 runs, 210 catches in tests, 10,000+ runs in ODIs, 93 test appearances without a break, and the list goes on and on and on. One list which he most definitely is not the most proud of must be the nervous 90s list. In his early days in Test cricket, Sir Rahul Dravid would often get out in the 90s. Not that he had a fear for them or would act nervous and edgy, but it just was so that he was too unlucky at times. At one point of time he had 9 90 plus scores and had equalled Steve Waugh for the batsman with the most 90s.

The fact that he did end up getting 36 is a testimony to the patience and perseverance of this guy. Add those 9 90 plus scores which so easily could have been hundreds and you have a number that is even more impressive.

Well, we can go on and on about his achievements and his victorious knocks and memorable matches. And to be frank there are hundreds of writers who will do that. Taking a note out of Sir Rahul Dravid's book I shall call it quits before someone else asks me to stop.

Thanks a lot for all those concentration-filled hours you spent at the crease and made me feel as if I was part of that fight India was putting up. Thanks for the amazing cover drives that give me the goosebumps even now. Thanks for those pullshots that I shall use one day to teach my son how to play the shot better than what the coaches and books can ever teach. Thanks for those straight bat defence shots which I try and emulate in my room to a invisible ball and yet get it wrong. Thanks for the moment when you decided to don the gloves just so that India can have a well balanced team and can pose a threat to the world. Thanks for showing us how without saying a word, without chirping from the slips, without arguing with the bowler you can still be as aggressive. You can still be as respected. You can still be as feared.

And mostly thanks for making the defense shot the most aggressive shots ever! Sir Rahul Dravid...LEGEND! 'Enough said!