Hell Yeah....

Images of mad cheering and a jubilant crowd stream across the TV screen as a 5ft 5in demigod jumps with joy at having steered his country to a historic victory. And as I watch all these sitting in the comfort of my couch I cannot help but wonder how a game stretching over 5 days in the grueling heat of the tropics can affect the lives of a hundred million people and how one man can orchestrate the serenade of 30,000 people in a stadium.
The 4th highest run chase in history, the highest in the sub-continent, one of the most memorable for this generation, and you cannot help but wonder how what was once a one man show has turned into a spectacular team effort. There is not one single person responsible for this victory yet without each one’s contribution this would have been impossible and we would have resigned to the old ‘Indians choke under pressure’ adage. There are pundits all over the world who would analyze this match to threadbare, I do not want to be one of them. I am not going to be one to point out technicalities and all that but I will talk of what I felt as a mere spectator witnessing India playing its favorite sport and in what style.
For the past 5 days, this match has swung from end to end like a pendulum on cocaine. Here is a list of players I think were essential towards the outcome of the match.
India: Batting order wise
Viru: Single handedly put India in the front seat. He played like a nymphomaniac in a men’s restroom. Every ball that came his way was wacked. The only reason India went from defensive to outright attacking was due to his doing. The fastest 50 by an Indian against England could not come at a better time
Gauti: No one seems to notice this small guy and he, between that ruthless onslaught that we have come to know as Viru, goes about collecting runs. His support is invaluable to the partnership in frustrating the bowlers, and the runs he scores don’t hurt either.
Rahul: The Wall is crumbling at the edges. What was once an impasse for bowlers has started to spring leaks. It is really important that this wall be temporarily be shut down for repair works else it’ll break and we would lose a great support structure for the team let alone a great batsman.
Sachin: The God, been there since I can remember. Comes up with the goods when most required, stays that eternal ray of hope in the India supporters heart. 20 years on he is a veteran, seen it done that. Must be saying to his juniors, ‘ I love the smell of leather in the morning. Smells like victory’. Number 41, and it keeps getting sweeter.
VVS: Classy Hyderabadi, got wrists made of roller balls. Turns and cuts like Houdini in a strait jacket, always manages to get out of the spot. Not a very large contribution today but provided the much needed support to prevent the collapse later.
Yuvi: You just cannot keep a sardar down. If you tie him down in words, you will be fetching your balls from all over the park. Sardar that he is, it is very easy to mess with his head much like the other sardar in the team, Bhajji, but today he showed he could control his feelings and came up with a very elegant show. Also it didn’t hurt that the opponents were England, his favorites.
MSD: The name so similar to LSD, the effect even better. Ever since he has taken over the reigns, India have been on a high, and a good one at that. For starters he has won all his test matches as captain and came up with also scored a 50 in the last 5 innings as captain. India’s good luck charm, came up with a skipper’s knock in the first innings to prevent the shame.
Bhajji: The colourful sardar, India’s senior spinner now, came up with a brilliant first innings show with the bat and the ball. Taking three wickets and scoring 40 runs but more crucially supporting MSD and steading the rocking ship. In the second innings he was not very useful though but towards the end helped wrap up the tail
Zaheer: India’s top striker and most trusted new ball bowler. Bowled exceedingly well in both innings, brought India back into the game in 1st day with 2 wonderful wickets. Very economical and very accurate, he was the best bowler in the entire match save for maybe Flintoff.
Ishant and Mishra: The delhi boys bowled really clean, and consistent. Gave a lot of trouble to the Lower and Middle order batsman.
For the English:
Andrew Strauss: Masterful. Outstanding shows on his return, century in both innings and utterly dominant. Did not let anything get to him and had England won, they would have owed a lot to this guy
KP: Ass in whites, disappointed with the bat, and even more with the captaincy. Not that I am complaining but he never gave a challenge.
Collingwood: Frustrating second innings knock. He along with Strauss were valium mixed with vodka, sure to put a man out. But good show though.
Flintoff: The only bowler worth mentioning. Bowled his heart out in both innings. Did everything he could to unnerve Yuvi, succeeding in one innings. A clap for the effort, clap,clap..
That’s about it. The architects of a great match and as I draw to an end I cannot help but recall a nursery rhyme, in my words:
“ Pussycat Pussycat where have you been?
I have been to Chennai to hump Kevin
Pussycat Pussycat what’d you do there?
I knocked his balls and left him short of air”
Cheers 