Games- On & Off the field!

Mind games are intriguing and extremely effective. In sport, the Brits were past masters and effectively passed on the baton to their cousins the Australians.

It would go like this:

Prior to a cricketing tour to India, the British press, would start talking about, the poor hygiene in India, the lack of cricketing infrastructure, the poverty and so on. This would be followed by, comments that Indians could not play fast bowling and so on. The effect of this would be that the Indian cricketers, uncoached in this area would be on the defensive, even before the first ball was bowled.The battle was lost before it began! An old colonial stunt................

Dale Steyn, the South African quick, was at it the other day, just before, the Indians start their tour of SA. He said the Indians would have a problem, scoring against the South African fast bowlers. I was not surprised.

What surprised me was the Indian response...............because generally we absorb this nonsense. This time, the riposte came from 'The Wall', Rahul Dravid. He said, that the Indians had the necessary fire power, to return the complements and the Africans had better watch out.

Now it is intriguing that this response came from Dravid, because he is the quiet types. The silent types.He is also know the world over, as the 'thinker' and the strategist of the Indian team.When he speaks the opposition listens.In Dravid speaking, a few things have been communicated very clearly:

1. Stop the BS and walk your talk on the field.
2. Dale Steyn & Dravid are team mates for RCB in the IPL, even so............its war now.

Mind games while undesirable are part of the game and I'm glad we have learnt to play them, with finesse!

The Rough and Tumble!

India's one wicket win over Australia, at Mohali, has warmed the cockles of many an Indian heart. As for me, I'm delighted, particularly, with Ricky Ponting, having to eat 'crow'.Poor Ponting, for all his cricketing skills, has always come off as a person with a perpetual bee in his bonnet.

My first sight of the man, was, when he burst on to the international scene, vaguely resembling, the Hollywood star, Tim Robbins and in possession of the best cover drive that I've seen to date, Tendulakars included. During that series, Ponting was hit on the head by a screaming bouncer, from Bengaluru boy, Srinath.Ponting was floored. ( Srinath, apparently, is the fastest bowler, that India has produced, to date- this for ignoramuses who think vegetarians cannot be quick bowlers )Srinath, trotted up to a shaken Ponting and sheepishly enquired about his health. The response was, straight from the hip- "#### Off', from an incensed Ponting. Srinath was even more sheepish as he walked back for the next ball, head bowed. Cut to the present- Ponting got into a spat with yet another quickie, at Mohali, Zaheer Khan. There was nothing sheepish about Zaheer and his demeanour. He let Ponting have it, leaving Ponting looking disoriented and at a loss for words.Probably Ricky lost concentration for a while as well. The boot was firmly on the other foot!

India has always been, known for its gentleman sports people. Vijay Amritaj, Wilson Jones, Prakash Padukone and even Dravid and Tendulkar, who ignored brats, like Jimmy Connors or Ponting on the field.However I like people like Zaheer & Harbhajan Singh who return the complements and are up to a an old fashioned brawl.It puts things in pesrpective.

Psychologically, the team has turned a corner. We are not intimidated, before the match starts and are up to the rough and tumble of mind games.Does this reflect in our national psyche- Yes I think it does and I'm glad!