Identity

as i was going up the stair

i saw a man who wasn’t there

he wasn’t there again today

i wish, i wish he'd go away

~*~
        

Khel Khel Mein..

So Irfan Pathan 'has a potential to develop into an all rounder', they keep on saying. Ain't he already an all rounder? How many matches does it take for one to prove himself as an allrounder? Cant we all see his ability by ourselves?

Just like most of you, I am a die hard fan of Sachin and I seriously wish he stays in people's mind forever as a God unlike Kapil Dev/Gavaskar whom people kept on blaming for underperforming in last 1-2 yrs just prior to retirement.

What happened with Saurabh after 2 average scores is a bit unjust. But his place in the playing eleven itself is worth questioning for. Every player has his own era. Saurabh has had his own. No doubt he is still good. But others are better.

I sorta like Chappell ajoba. I just love his experiments. Especially those with Dhoni and Irfan have done wonders for the team. Same players who constituted an average team look like world beaters today though I know its too early to comment.

Anybody can play as an opening batsman in one day. But sending Irfan as an opener in test match remains an awesome decision. I personally think it has done wonders to his confidence. He can bat any position now. Had he been continued at the no.7/8th position, his mentality would have been the same, just like a tailender. Thats what happened with Agarkar. But his approach towards batting is altogether different now. I so much wish Ajit Agarkar had same luck in the past. His batting talent was sorta wasted.

Also worth mentioning is the way Indians handled Murli in this series till now. No doubt he gots wickets. He always does. But everybody is playing well against him.

Kumble still remains the match winner. He probably has won more matches for India than any other Indian player.

*

PS - They never called Tendulkar as an All Rounder. Instead, they called him Batsmen who can bowl. Is it the rule that an all rounder always has to be a fast bowler?

PS2- There are high chances Narain Karthikeyan might be announced as William's third driver for the 2006 season !! Now can anyone enlighten me whether 3rd driver participates in all the races or is he sorta reserved player? As far as i know, i think 3 drivers from one team can race at a time. Not sure.

PS3-DD commentators are hilarious, my fav being Maninder Singh.

~*~

The Narrator

On a long enough time scale, the survival rate of everyone drops to zero.

~*~

Unrelated Incidents

Unrelated Incidents

this is thi
six a clock
news thi
man said n
thi reason
a talk wia
BBC accent
iz coz yi
widny wahnt
mi ti talk
aboot thi
trooth wia
voice lik
wanna yoo
scruff. if
a toktaboot
thi trooth
lik wanna yoo
scruff yi
widny thingk
it wuz troo.
jist wanna yoo
scruff tokn.
thirza right
way ti spell
ana right way
to tok it. this
is me tokn yir
right way a
spellin. this
is ma trooth.
yooz doant no
thi trooth
yirsellz cawz
yi canny talk
right. this is
the six a clock
nyooz. belt up.

Tom Leonard

~*~

Audio - http://www.tomleonard.co.uk/sixoclock.shtml

Kolkata

As i pass over the Howrah Bridge I have this nostalgic feel. Reminds me of something really close.

Taxi wala takes 'extra seat' ... and it happens to be a film actor. The extra one is very interesting.

"Hum bahut sara bengoli filmo mein kam kiya hu" he informs. "Aj 25 saal bad bombay gaya tha...udhar ka torokki dekh ke hum hairon reh goya"

I agree.

"Hum comedian hu". He appears so. "Chota mota kam kor leta hu filmo mein. Hum Kadar Khan se milne gaya tha...Bohot bada gentleman admi hai wo."

I stay in Maharastra Niwas as suggested by one of my dear friend. As i register, i get one soap as a compliment which i am supposed to use all along my stay. Interestingly, most of the staff members in Maharashtra Niwas are Biharis. You can also see lots of Biharis all over Kolkata.

As i am checking my mails, theres a knock on the door and Rajendar brings the much needed tea.

I ask "Chai ka paisa kitna hua?"

"Kuch nahi. Ek Kop chai sabko free hai"

He also inquires, "Apko khane mein nimok kam lagta hai ya jyada?". I opt for Kam nimok.

They say its easy to learn Bengali. Put a roshogulla in your mouth and speak Hindi. Thats Bengali.

Incidentally at the conference, an Australian asks me "Have you come here todie (today)?"

"No sir, I prefer to stay alive"

That is a very poor joke by his standards. So he doesn't smile.

Back at the hotel I ask Rajendar "Yaha ka climate kaisa hota hai?"

He says "Apka lock accha hai ap winter mein aya"

"Matlab?"

"Matlab ki apka lock bohot hi accha hai jo ap December mein yaha aya!"

"Lekin mere pas to koi lock nahi hai". I am confused.

4-5 Bengalis clad in their lungis laugh hysterically at me including Rajendar. I am embarrassed.

Then he says "Apkaa naseeb (luck) accha hai ap yaha winter mein aya "

I try to smile.

~*~