We Indians every single second think and talk about cricket and only cricket. One day I was chatting to someone and he suddenly asked me a simple question, why you Indians are so much into cricket, what it means to you? I was shell shocked I replied writing something which I don’t remember now, but I still know it was absurd on my part, I was not self satisfied with my own answer. After that I started searching for answer, I took back myself decades back when this game was dominated by two powerhouses, England and Australia. Seeing both of them playing made me feel it is game of superiority or I can say somewhat competitiveness. But after that I was confused once again when I saw videos of 1932-33 Ashes, England turned Australia and won 4-1, but this series was famous for something very unheard and unrealistic till that time “Body Line Series”. Then I started thinking is this gentlemen’s game started becoming a rivalry between both nations. The woos and cheers-up of spectators made the scene realistic.
Then came time of one other nation west indies, seeing greats of this team made me feel it’s a game of class, excellence, perfectness. Their legends made me believe cricket is not about rivalry or modesty. It’s about sweating in between 22 yards, working hard, giving your 100 percent.
Steadily the game globalised, more countries started playing and appreciating this game then I thought it’s a game of competitiveness, countries are willing to compete to their best efforts and in doing that if they went down they had no shame, they were proud of putting such a great show. Making us believe it is about giving your best.
Then came one more version of cricket i.e. one day game, more rules, more restrictions. Now we can see the more actual side of team and individual. They came with more spark in their eyes, more willingness, more competitiveness and more will to succeed to do better. It revolutionized this game by giving a new definition to this game. Seeing players fighting to win, exciting us. Now our view of watching cricket was changed. We gave it a new definition of rivalry. We wanted our country to win at any cost putting extra pressure on players to succeed.
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Then came a mix of “Modesty and Aggression”. Greats like Sachin, Dravid, Kallis gave new definition to this game that is modesty in nature and aggressive in act. Then it came to the real definition of this game i.e. “Aggressiveness with Modesty”. I was more satisfied with this definition of the game.
But seeing today’s youngsters of game, playing and fighting really makes me worry, Am I right with my definition of this game or what?
