There they go again...

There’s a reason why Indians confuse everyone. Were loud, brash, sometimes mannerless, very uncouth and do as we feel in public. This does not go down well with other populations. Were also smart, well educated, extremely capable, proud and highly emotional. The Indian personality is filled with myriad traits, just as some of the recipes from our land.

Pride is very important for us. Whatever we do, we seem to be proud of it. It may not be apparent, but if you put an Indian tea vendor and Bill Gates in a room, you can be sure that the tea vendor will argue about how much important and better his job is.

We look for reasons to be proud. Apart from our personal achievements, we look for reasons to be proud of our country. Our heritage of the past has been shattered by the way religion, politics and human rights have been abused in this country. So your average Indian looks in every corner to find something to be proud of, and when he finds something worthy, he places it on the highest pedestal.

Over the last 2 decades, most Indians look at the Indian cricket team to find something to be proud of. The problem with us is that the moment a sports person does something slightly extraordinary, we are quick to elevate them to the highest pedestal. Once on the highest pedestal, these people, with the help of the media (another abused institution in this country) are glorified beyond anyone’s wildest dream.

We look for pride in cricket because its quick to achieve, it involves beating another country and its relatively non violent (unless you’re a Pakistani coach). Its only obvious that the national pastime in finding pride is to back your cricket team. No surprises that they are worshipped and revered.

Indians like to achieve and win. Some of us are aggressive, ruthless and fiercely competitive about it. So competitive that kids who get 90%+ marks in examinations these days fail to get the field of their choice, because a zillion other kids got more than 95%. Corporate houses are buying each other out in India and abroad, making statements about who we are. Were trying hard to send someone or something to the moon next year. Somewhere around the place, some Indian is doing something real hard, to be recognized, so that he can be proud of what he has achieved.

Now if you are among the 15 people selected to make your country really proud, how would you feel? A bit nervous maybe.. but you’ve been carrying that responsibility for the last few years. Whatever the negative feelings are, deep inside, you would think that if you had to, you would give your life to make your country proud.. or atleast put in an equal effort.

Yes, they lost to a Bangladeshi team full of school kids. They couldn’t make 250 after pompously making 400+ a few days earlier against a team of jelly bellies. The great cricket gurus within the team say “it happens”.

It shouldn’t

It shouldn’t happen if you play with some effort. It shouldn’t happen if all that you’ve done in your life is play cricket and aimed to get better everyday. It shouldn’t happen if you spent your free time trying to get better at your game rather than trying to sell a cola or a biscuit on TV. It shouldn’t happen if you’re proud that you have been given the opportunity to make a billion proud. It shouldn’t happen if you played for the pride of a billion.

It’s all our fault, we made heroes of people who didn’t deserve to be. Indian cricket has gotten much like the World Wrestling Federation. A total sham. The purity of cricket has gone with the way the game is being sold.

In the end, I’m a bit happy that they are coming back. It gives us a chance to watch some really good cricket, played by people who play the game with the heart and soul that it deserves.