Squash – ed

Since, I can’t play tennis these days, I have started the next best thing-Squash. There are two main reasons for that :

1. It is like Tennis ( ie hitting a ball with a racquet). I try to ignore the fact that the feeling is not quite as the lawn tennis.

2. It is a great exercise and calorie burner. Of course, since I mostly practice alone, I am not playing full throttle most of the time and therefore do not burn as many calories as I should.

But still, since the time I have started( which will be two weeks now), I dedicate about one hour daily to this sport and I have to say that I am loving it. It is refreshing.Clears the head and tones the body.

When I started, I expected the ball to bounce like just the tennis ones. You can understand why I never was able to take even one shot in the first few minutes. After I adjusted to the bounce, there was this question of running around the court. Now, I am inherently, genetically, bodily, mentally, any-ly, a lazy bum. So moving around in any sport is a problem for me but this time I challenged myself to take low shots, far away shots and run basically. After two weeks, today, I found that I am improving in the movement department. I am finding my feet under myself. I presume that in about a week or so, I will be able to play a match for half an hour. As of now, I have done horrible in matches, losing one by 9-0, 9-3.

Sometimes, people, who are visiting the court come and see me hit the ball. It is embarassing to say the least. Just as soon as I realize someone is watching, I am unable to hit it well. Spectator nervousness. Although that was before. Now, I am as shameless as one could be. So, I play bad. So what?

Anyway, I did not know much about squash . I mean I had never heard about any of its players or tournaments. So, I searched on the internet and you tube. Found out that Jonathan Power is a great squash player. Joshna Chinappa from India does very well and British Open ( or something like it) is a very coveted tournament.

Squash is not exactly a spectator sport. I mean, the viewers only get to see the player’s behinds and the ball is so small too and the game is played so fast also. I mean, the enthusiasts obviously enjoy it, but for general public, it is a little difficult game to follow. I have heard that Pakistan produces some great squash players. The culture for squash is very good there. For the most part, it is a club game since the courts are to be found in clubs only as it cannot be played in an open field.

I am loving it. Every evening I look forward to hitting the ball and sweating out the worries and the weariness and the boredom.

Roger! Roger!!

What’s up with you Roger?? Just take a chill pill.You are unnecessarily getting riled up. We know what you can do with your potential. So, I say and does you sponsor : “JUST DO IT!! ”

But, a teeny weeny bit of me is happy. Because since Nadal is out it is kinda good that Roger is out too. But, for the most part, I felt a curious emotion yesterday which was a mix of agaony like most Federophiles and joy like Djoker fans.

So it’s all good. Right now the ATP tour is juicy. If Azarenka is able to beat Serena, and I hope she does, WTA will also become a little interesting. But really, I want Dinara Safina to start winning. Why is she so nervous and self beating all the time? I do not get it.

India NZ Test 3

What the hell is wrong with the batsmen? Why can they not drop an anchor and stay on the crease and hit a century or two?? Is this supposed to be the team taking on the number one spot? I don’t think so! Achieving 50 something runs has become a big deal. This is not done. Harbhajan Singh, 7th down bowler is making as many runs as Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and The Mighty Sehwag.

The less said about Yuvraj Singh, the better it is. He has totally disappointed. And now, I think he has had enough chances in Test matches. He now needs to desperately play in the second innings otherwise he will be reduced to the one day side forever. We cannot keep hoping that some day, some day in the future of unknown he will regain his form. I mean that is not we are looking for really, for him to be comfortable. We are looking for results. Laxman only comes to his form when there is a test match to be saved. All the other time, he leaves it totally upto other batsmen and he himself relaxes.

Is this the world’s best batting line up?? I dont think so at all. World’s best are supposed to perform in all conditions. If they cannot they are not world’s best. They are just good.

I am a fuming, angry fan here right now.!! Disgruntled !!!

Gone Bonkers about Tennis

Since the last week some bug has bitten me and I have become so obsessed with tennis that I can’t seem to get enough of it even after I have followed all the matches of Indian Wells and am following the Miami Open. I have lapped up all the info that the internet has to throw at me, be it the player profiles, rankings, their career paths, habits, management deals they have made, gossips, scandals, humour, and lastly but most importantly all the magical momemts that have been fortunately shared on the youtube( those serves, volleys, smashes, crosscourt angles ). I am just going crazy reading about what Federer thinks is going on with Rafa and himself, what others think about it, how Verdasco has become the black widower sort of, why Tisparevic became almost deluded from tennis due to reading too much philosophy, marat safin and his explosive ways, his sister Dinara’s nervous exits, Serena’s smugness, Ivanovic and her hotness, Djokovic with his funny impersonations and controversies and match retirements, the Frenchie trio, the hawtt Spanish league, return of the Taylor Dent, Roddick as the coming back kid……and on and on and on.

And this is just the most recent of the contemporary tennis. I have also looked into the archives and studied them deeply . Heck!!! I have even read some fan fiction written about the players. That’s why I said, I have gone bonkers – totally tennis crazy this week. Perhaps it is because I want to play it so badly but just cannot do it right now so in a way I am trying to satisfy that appettite by watching and reading about it.
Damn! I miss that sound when a ball is hit by the racquet. I miss those one or two good shots that I was able to make in the days that I played. Aah! That was so fun!

Love love love Tennis.

At this point of time, the scene in Men’s tour is glowing hot. There are about 10-12 contenders who make the tournaments right from the quarterfinals very very interesting. Even if not a nail biter, almost every match is watchable. Sad that I cannot watch it and thank god for that else I would lose my mind totally.

Off course there is the forever interesting debate of Rafa-Roger going on and it enhances the x- factor of the game, its appeal. To add in, occasional upsets by players like Djokovic and Murray add to the thrill. It is all just delicious.

I have been in the Vamos Rafa! group for long time now. But admiration for Federer is something which has to be there whichever camp you belong to. The sheer beauty of his game and the ease and the fluidity with which he plays compels one to do so. I think that Federer has had his share of demotivations for long now and he is now refreshed and enthused.  He was caught in a rut before, everytime losing an important match to Nadal. That psychologically becomes very disturbing. Now, that he has faced defeat from others also (like Murray in Indian Wells), he is out of that rut. He has now broken the circle. Now he knows that it was just a bad phase and is recharged and I am afraid that means trouble for Rafa which kinda makes me unhapp but makes for a super spectacular match sometime very soon.

I am very very excited!

captain uncool??

I think that Dhoni’s decision to bat on and on and on and keeping the centuries of Yuvraj and Gambhir in mind rather than declaring the match and try to win it is in a bad taste. Personal interests coming up hmm. If they had declared earlier, they would have had a fair chance to win the game fiven that the score was already 350+. I think that now drawing is a compromise with a lesser result and the fact that it was done for records(which unfortunately did not even get made) has made it very negative. That was uncool of Dhoni.

Not Just Another Brick In the Wall

The Wall is mending itself – is the headline in most of the sports news. We are talking about Rahul Dravid here who after a year long dry spell, deep trough, scored a 136 in Mohali today. The runs came slow and steady but they came and brought with each of them a return to his original self and confidence. He said it was relieving to be contributing to the team and doing what you can do with the bat. that is why it is not just another milestone ( or a brick in the wall) for him. It is a significant milestone. I can empathize totally. Just imagine that for a man who is in the top 5 most run scorers of the world, it would be like to be said to have run dry, to have cast doubts on himself from critics and fans alike. Such is the nature of failure. Everyone doubts even the previously established facts. One has to reestablish and the circle of non performance is viscious. It sucks you deeper and deeper. It is a demon which feasts on one’s confidence and spawns self doubt and nrevousness. What else could explain the continuous faltering of Dravid at the crease who is considered the maestro of technique? Earlier, even on his worst days he at least stuck on the crease without giving his wicket: hence, THE WALL. But of late, he was out within an over or two. To have him say today that Gambhir’s runs took pressure off him made me feel very bad. This is not the Dravid we have all loved and praised to heaven. He is just a shadow of that one. But the shadow is returning to merge with the body and it will unite gloriously. He will shine and outshine others.

It is a happy day for Dravid, for me and for India. We are your walls here Dravid. Stay strong

Cricket Satire

CricInfo has staretd a column called “The Confectionary Stall” by Andy Zaltzman. This is very nice. A satirical blog on cricket. Just what is needed to get some respite from the high controversy game that it is becoming these days. English satirists have a unique way of writing. It tingles at all the right places. Ever so sweetly they kill their target. Also, they have a take on their own and that makes them even funnier. The language is not crass and derogatory but it humiliates the shit alright. Just go have a look and you will know. It is not the best but it is good enough to have a smile or two or more.

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andy-zaltzman/

Captain Cool!

I am talking about none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni, fondly called MS.

CAPTAIN COOL - MS DHONI

I think that would it make for a great comic book character which will be based on Mahendra Singh Dhoni who is a superhero with a bat. He is that- a superhero!! He is just so amazingly calm and yet so aggressive and has a perfect winning record under his captaincy. Some say he has got the midas touch. Well, lucky for us!! But also he is so cool and calm and composed and so positive. There is hardly anyone who does not like or appreciate Dhoni. Initially, some people criticized that he only did pinch hitting and that he was not really a fine batsman. Well , over the past many matches he has proved otherwise by scoring consistently. That pinch hitting is his strength should not be a problem. In him, India has got a wonderful gift. I am beginning to wonder if Indians are genetically gifted in cricket. The Britons, the inventors of the game have now been completely sidelined and are whining and complaining about the Indian ascendency on the cricket scence.

With IPL, we have just launched forward into the next tier of cricket and there will be no looking back now. Right now, it is all very positive and happening and looking good. With Dhoni at the helm, we can relax and leave it to his luck or demeanor or talent or whatever you call it. He will take us forward. He is our Captain Cool and we all love him.

He has been named the Man of the Match for the astonishing test match that India played against Australia. This match will be remembered for a lot of reasons. Of which, one of the bigger ones is the solidification of Dhoni on the test scene.

Cricket

In India, there is no national religion except CRICKET.  Yeah, we worship cricket here. And, there is a reason for that. Make that two, if you will. First, we are mad about cricket and second, it is only in Cricket where Indians dominate the world, more often than not, as splendidly as they did in Mohali Test against Australia. Our men in Blue wearing white though, made us extremely proud this last week. What a display of magnificence. Every one just shined and shined on and the Aussies got some bashing alright.

Sachin became the highest run scorer in the whole wide world ( Beat that!! ), Dada showed us why we love him and why he is so formidable, the Captain Cool was cool as usual and wielded his bat marvelously. Zaheer Khan came back with a vengeance, Ishant Sharma stood tall ( literally and figuratively ) and Amit Sharma made himself visible with a bang!! And I should not forget Gautam Gambhir and Bhajji .Super Performance and a knockout for Australia. Wonder what Symonds must be thinking?? Ponting is naturally disappointed. This was Australia’s heaviest Test defeat since April 1991, when West Indies had beaten them by 343 runs in Barbados. It was also only the tenth time in 96 matches since 2000 that Australia were bowled out for less than 200. [ source: cricinfo ]

It is only Team India which can get beaten in worst manner and yet turn around and beat the hell out of others. It was simply world class play at display and the fact that it was against Australia is the cherry on th cake or lets say the cake for the cherry. Oh, that is what makes us mad about cricket. It is the single most phenomena which can transport us Indians to the top of the world and above in a matter of days. Indian cricket makes us taste victory. It makes us feel proud. It makes us raise our heads after defeating the best, arguably.

Dhoni said he has never seen Australia being outplayed so much and he is damn right!! What with all the guns from our squad firing, and theirs a little rusted, Indian team did it. Now we have a lead of 1-0 in the series. Only if this could be maintained and India win the series to wash the stain of being defeated on the home ground by Australia after 20 something years, I would be max happy. But that is another thing with Team India, they are very very unexpected. The next thing we know, they could be miserably beaten in the next match.

However, the men in Blue have won some million more of admirers to the already billion numbered fan club.

Hoo Haa India, Jeetega India.

I love cricket!!

I love Sachin, Dhoni and Dada and others too but not so much. I want to write on them too but later.

Royal Bengal Tiger is leaving

Sourav Ganguly, the Royal Bengal Tiger, Dada, The Maharaj, former skipper, gangu teli and a person of many other names and perceptions is leaving. He has finally announced his retirement after the Australian test series. This is a big event in Indian cricket.

Ganguly, apart from being a fine batsman and spectacular run scorer has also been Indian team’s most successful captain, both on and off field. He introduced  the aggressiveness, the desire , the rawness and the much needed energy to the team. He was the one who taught the Indian team to dream high and talk big and then walk that talk. He diffused a new sort of electricity and it was under his captaincy that Team India finally looked like a TEAM. The fielding improved and there was visible bonding.

But this successful skipper has also seen many controversies and conflicts in his career. And every time, he has fought and come back. First, when he entered, he was sacked after his first series and remained so for four years. Then he came back four years later and shone and kept on shining. He became the part of dependable and revered Indian batting trio. Then, came the captaincy and the start of wins. It was all good when there was a very public tiff with Greg Chapell and he was asked to step down. He was said to be being manipulative and ruining the dressing room atmosphere. He was then very publicly ousted from the post of captain and later from the Indian team. People said that this was the end of his career and that he could not come back. But, the fighter within Dada never rested. He played at the domestic turf, scored runs and was once again chosen. Controversies, however, did not leave his side and he was said to have faked injury to avoid playing so that he cannot be blamed for poor performance. Again, all very publicly and a couple of matches and poor performances later, he was again dropped from team India. He then went back again the previous route of playing in the domestic turf but this time around Ranji team also did nor choose him. That’s how low it went for this once star of India. But, he persevered and swore that he would not go without a fight, that he would not go this way, that he would leave when he chooses to. And he did so. He has been chosen for the Australian series and this will be his last series and he hopes to end it on a winning note. He wants to go with his head held up high.

The story of Dada is one of patience and tenacity and perseverance and struggle. His is the spirit which never takes no for an answer. His is a courage which dares. He is the one who can battle the whole world and make his stand. As much as I admire him for his skills on the field, I admire him much more for what he is as a person, for what his values are. I admire him for his standing tall when everyone turned his back on him. I admire him for his determination and will to come back when everyone had written him off.

Now, when he says goodbye, Indians should salute him for giving us some fine cricketing moments. Indian team should thank him for giving them the momentum and the taste of winning back. And I thank him for the fire that his story lights up in my belly and the inspiration that he provides. We may get many left handed openers and successful skippers but there will be no other Dada , Royal Bengal Tiger, Gangu Teli or Maharaj.

I wish him good luck and good life. Oh, and my favorite moment of his was when he took off his shirt after the win at Lord’s stadium in England.