"The Wall".........Always stands tall!

Once upon a time I was a teenager.
A gigantic source of energy who had only sky as the limit.
Back then I loved to play and watch sports except cricket.
I was not interested in cricket unlike my friends who used to sing ,eat, and love cricket.
They were in their dreams Sachin, Kapil or so many cricketers and legends whom I had never heard of even.
They just adored them.I did not understand why? I never understood what this game all about ........
Remember way back in 1996 when I used to be a adolescent of just 16 years pretending to be a man knowing all about everything.What a shames it was then not to know the heroics of these immortal characters in Indian cricket.
Then Sahara cup took place in Canada; about which I used to read only available newspaper in Hindi "Amar Ujala".
Sorry I forgot to tell that I had a hobby to read .Anything.. about anything you know!.
I had limited options for that. Newspaper was one of them.
At my place as I told earlier it was "Amar Ujala" which in every shiny morning brought me good news and bad too.
I loved that paper because it made me confident that I knew about rest of the world without caring what my own opinion was for rest of the world.

Coming back again to Sahara cup in 96 or 97.Not sure.
I read about this decent guy in Indian cricket team who does not make fuss about anything. He was down to earth and just 21, representing Karnataka Ranjee team.
I was fascinated about him.I didn't know but I, kind of fell in love with him.May be it was writer's perception that suddenly I started to look into the cricket due to this gentleman.I started to watch cricket. Then I knew what is " flick" and what is " cut! I knew what was a glorious cover drive.

His scores were not in centuries but considering that Toronto has always windy weather so even a half century puts you in such a position where you establish yourself reconised.A process, a development of "The Wall" founded. That was the moment I drew a conclusion: This gentlemen has arrived at par with Royal Bengal tiger: Sourav Ganguly. From that moment I knew it was a super star has born.

As per my then prediction:
RAHUL DRAVID had arrived:To write history in Indian Cricket.To set a new level of professionalism and dedication for the game.To give cricket a new genuine class and definition.He was happy so was I.He has been my hero for his sacrifices for being unsung hero.But he never complaints you know that.He developed himself as a complete personality.He was successful in both professional and personal front.He never compromised his class,his virtue he was known for.The real "Wall" never cracks with pressure you see.

That game took it's toll.
It started to affect me too as does it to you.I often cried with joy when India won.You remember India beating Pakistan in WC??
I wept when India lost.
I felt my wains racing when India under crunch.

It got upset when Rahul did not score.
I never knew when I got started kind of worshipping this gentleman.
I have a different story to tell today.

Today when I am grown up into my early thirties and he, not at his prime, I realise it was perhaps his set of qualities that I admired him most.
I never saw such a beautiful 'late cut' except from him.
I never felt any other batsmen could have 'cover drived' with as much perfection as him.
I loved his thinking ability.I liked his reading habit.May be that was the reason he never was in the war of words.
But I was at war with my friends who was the best.
Still I loved this war because I enjoyed it.
Was it Rahul? or Sachin or Ganguly?
For last decades we are still at war.
Mean times I got married as did Rahul! But I was like a kid when it came to cricket.
Like any fanatic I kept on knowing about him.I felt pain for him as despite scoring 496 in world cup; the highest rungetter in the tournament Man of the series being awarded to someone else.
I did not mind like Rahul I hope; for each time when he scored good some other performed better.It was perhaps fate.Sometime you have to think philosophically.That has been his charatcter.That too mine I know.

Then the day arrived.
I came to know he was being talked about for a reason I never thought of.
He was being pushed to take retirement despite scoring.
I was hurt as was he.
But he kept silence.You know his steely silence.

Well, as expected he was axed from India oneday squad, one day.
It was kind of lightening effect on me.
Not because he was axed. Because....
Suddenly I realised how old I have grown to!
I turned thirty as did he entered into his 35th year.
Frankly speaking it was painful.You know we never want our heroes to be aged nor we ourselves.For us they are eternal. At leasts from our memory.
I do not know whether Rahul will ever read it?
But I felt ...." ohhh I am not young blood now!" when did it happen?
Then I turned to my friends who were already lost.
Because their own hero Saurav had retired just now.
We wanted to look into new generation replacing the legends. But we could not.

We saw our age.No excuse.

We are thankful to these three for sure.I am thankful; Rahul played many great innings. They made us forget our age.
I really do not know when I went into thirties! My friends do not even!
Anyway when Saurav is out, Rahul half on his way and Sachin almost at the verge, we friends are nostalgic!
It is painful but like their our era too is over.We are over to youth now.
Let the new people takeover.it is the time to say "goodbye".

Thank you fab three for making our life beautiful. For all that we have had for so many years.
And Rahul! Hats off !! You deserve and command the respect till we last.
My friends admire you like I do sachin and Ganguly thinking ones I was dead against Sachin and Saurav as they were against you.
No further words.

Wish you a new inning!
Amen!