The Beauty of Knowing (3): Adam Gilcrist, The Definition of Cricket
Who can forget the moment when Sreesanth caught the ball! I almost thought he had dropped it, but he had not!!! India, having humiliatingly exited a world tournament, that very year had won another. I still vividly remember everything as if it had happened yesterday! I had no time to pity the valiant efforts of Misbah, I was literally jumping up and down in my house like a monkey!
Cricket had been an integral part of my life all through my childhood and adoloscence. I used to watch each ball bowdled of all the five days of a test match! I dared not change channels even for commercials, for fear of missing something crucial (as if it would not be replayed! Well, no reason against passion!). Of all players my favourite was, is, and ever will be, Viru paji! Man, he was something! Could hit you for a six of the very first ball and get out in the very next, trying to hit another sixer! I still remember this funny anecdote in connection with him. I was a kid and in two days time my end exams (or some exam) was going to start. India was playing Pakistan (always an exiting contest); I bargained with my mother that I would start studying as soon as Viru got out and my mother readily consented, for, a few minitues of fireworks and he would take the long walk to the pavilion. But, could you beleive it! That was the match Viru scored his first triple! He did not get out the whole day and I did not study the whole day! Well, it was too much for my mother, she made me study after the third session ended. And only Viru could throw away the chance of setting the unique record of three triples and only an amazing wizard like Muralitharan could stop him! But what do records matter when you have given us so many memories to cherish! I remember other non-Viru instances as well. The whole crowd in the English ground standing up in honour of the class of a man that could not be but appreciated! When the whole Indian team was crumbling, this man defied all odds. He oppened the innings, saw all members on the other end march back to the pavilion till he was the last man standing, went into the dressing room and in minutes returned for the follow-on. Name: The Wall. Feeling: Respect. Other things that stick out are ABD 360’s quickest hundred, Gayle’s take-it-easy spirit, stylish umpire Billy, Warne lifting the first IPL trophy, Hayden’s funny commentary wit and the list might never end.
But through all the years, India was at its most formidable in and around 2010, with the likes of Gautam, Viru, Dravid, Sachin, VVS, MS, Bajji, Kumble and Zak, all in their prime. Only this star studded team could, in any given day, hold fort against the legendary Aussies in their hay day (two different eras, of course). Having thus come to the Kangaroos at last, let me move on to Gilly! When it comes to India vs Australia, the first thing that comes to my mind is ‘that’ series which had no lack of controversies. What with good old Steve Buckner and all! And if one had watched that series one could hardly have kept from shrieking out each time a buddy in bagie green did something notoriously funny! But, now on looking back I wonder, Gilly, the guy who walks off not even waiting to look at the umpire, was in the same team! As I have said already, Viru is my favourite, but only next to Gilly! Paradoxical, right? I can’t help it. Who can! And my happiest moment of cricket: It’s the final over. Kings 11 are sure to win. The commercial ends. And voila! Praveen Kumar, the one supposed to bowl the over, is standing rather ridiculously smiling with a helmet on, and Gilly, the one supposed to have the helmet on, is standing with the ball in hand. Bajji, the batsman at the crease, can’t help smiling. Gilly, who has never bowled, bowls; Bajji dances down the crease and scoops the ball up, only to be caught in the deep and end the line-up! And behold: The legend is doing a Gangnam! The best retirement gift anyone can ever dream of!
If cricket is the gentleman’s game, Gilly is the definition of the game, and I am happy to have known from him.
