The state of Cricket in India - sweet, sour, combined with masti and a lot more

Cricket in India

The camera zooms through a serene arena, with an alluring green grass spread over a 2-acre land. The scenic galleries filled with thousands and thousands of supporters who have thronged the stadium from the entire globe, leaving everything behind them. The crowd becomes louder and louder by every passing minute. The electric atmosphere is all about madness, craze, music and dance. The only reason behind all these, is the extremity of love, passion and delight of a sport.

Yes, this is, this is Cricket in India!

Seemingly interminable monologues on the case of the overseas performance and the lack of discipline from the bowling unit of a cricket team, which has its own bequest on the arena of international cricket. On match day, with all these talks shut and done, we install ourselves before the television sets waiting for the toss.

With all set for the million people, hoping a bossy performance from the men in blue, the moustache man and the one in many Sharmas, stroll down to the middle wearing a rickety look. Marking their guards calmly and swaying their eyes all over the field and finally, get ready to face the challenge.

An array of shots played and missed, the lucky boundary of the inside edge, an hurried call for a tight single; the events tend to unfurl one by one. As the match goes on, the population starts again from where it left before the start of the match.

If the opener is dismissed cheaply, we hope for a Virat Kholi masterclass.

If the VK influence doesn’t arrive, we hope for the Jinx.

If the Jinx didn’t fancy us, we hope for a Ramesh or Suresh to stay ground.

If that didn’t materialize, we believe the man with the Nerves of Steel to lift the team up.

If he fails, we imagine a miracle from our 'all-rounders' to get out with a decent enough number which we can only assume to defend with 'the' bowling attack.

Midway through the match...

The huddle is broken and the fielders spread out to take their positions. A few missed chances, a few wickets here and there and some tight bowling through the middle overs, we believe to be in control of the match. Then come the 'overs of death' for the bowling unit where they are thrashed everywhere to accept defeat. The weary captain walks up to the post match presentation to highlight what went wrong during the course of the match.

The TV is switched off with vexation, grief and desperation; we get back to what we should be doing and the next day, pour our emotions out to smear the performance of the team on social media. This is what largely happens when the team ends up on the losing side.

When this same team is on the winning side, we all know it, the moods are festive. The team is celebrated. The moments are joyous, accomplishment and pride. It is larger than life, nothing else is more than that.

Thinking about this every time, oh my goodness! Cricket is such a great leveller. One day you taste triumph and you're pushed to the ground the other. But the game is always there with us, no matter we succeed or succumb. We as fans must learn to pillar the team through the fires and storms. Offering them our hand every single time they breakdown. Of course, Victory is to celebrate but defeat is also to be received fairly.

Victory and Defeat is a pair that can never be split. But there is a very thin line where an ardent supporter should stand to welcome both with an ironic smile. Ultimately, the sport educates us a lot in life. Just sit back and enjoy the gentlemen's game, as they take us through the exciting and enthralling contests.

Cricket is beyond religion and caste,Cricket is an household, Cricket is a celebration,Cricket is sweet, Cricket is sour, Cricket is masti and Cricket is more,Cricket is more than just cricket.

The Grandest of the Celebrations of the Game has triggered and Get ready folks, it’s game time!

On behalf of the whole of India, wishes for the Indian Cricket Team to give the world cup trophy their best shot!

Bleeding Blue!