Being a ‘curious’ cricket fan, nothing draws me more than the game towards controversies. My continuous engagements of arguments only yielded hostile comments and commensurate rhetoric. Nevertheless, my relentless support for Indian Cricket Team unabatedly walk the talk. Just before the World Cup build-up, several of my wonderful friends had discussed and are discussing spending considerable amount of their lifetimes (nonetheless, I always win in quantities!) analyzing and anticipating the outcome. One thing that always stood common among everyone except me (till now) is that they never refute from passing on invaluable comments on the team.

I always wondered, what it takes to be a good Cricket Team and I do not have to think for a second for an answer. Its the opposition. More nerd, this is not an uncommon feature of all our friendly debates. The media, commentary and even our lunch chat always end up in the same mundane analysis that, it make me think often, why are people so dumb? Its so easy to ‘pass on’ comments on a team sitting relaxed in a chair with little bellies popping up while the receiving end is a fit gentleman, who knew nothing but Cricket and works out 10-16 hours a day, thinking, walking, talking and eating the game.

The media never hesitates to criticize the team when they loose and never backs out to demoralize if they win, small. In the end, the headlines bring me more boredom and dissatisfaction than enjoying the win.  If India drew against England, they feel bad that we did not win and could not stop England hitting that last minute six that Munaf conceded. While it really goes behind the scene how the other 5 balls in the over prevented them from actually winning it. So, I ask my friends to think like this. “You worked so hard all your life till now and you are finally recognized to be fit to play for Indian Cricket team out of billions of people. On top of it, you are selected for the World Cup squad. Now, you are asked to bowl to an opposition who requires 10 runs to win from the last over. What are your chances that you would want to bowl a bad ball that even a tail-ender from a stupid team like England can hit a six?” Think!

So, before we even talk about competition, we have totally eliminated it. Whom does Indian Team have to play against. Unfortunate but totally true, it will have to play against its own people, who love and die for a game that is bigger than their religion. It is so sad, that thousands of people come to look up to their team and still are not satisfied with their team’s win. I feel pity for those unfortunate souls. A heart or brain that cannot rejoice a victory is worthless to the core. Mahabharata was actually called ‘Jay’ and not ‘Vijay’. As Devdutt Patnaik puts it, “Vijay mean victory over someone, where you always win because someone looses, Jay mean victory and yet no one loose”. Now, you decide, you want India to be Jay or Vijay; I should put that right, you want to believe that  you want to side with Jay or Vijay.

Not England, not South Africa, not Australia and neither Pakistan and either Sri Lanka, India’s biggest opponent is YOU!