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In a different land, another Compton rises
I have to be at the airport in London – Heathrow, where the heaths have been replaced by row after row of aircraft – to read in the paper that NRD Compton. Nick Compton – the grandson of the great Denis – has by far the most runs in the county #Denis Compton #JustSaying #Nick Compton #Sports
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Gavaskar, my hero, now adorns a sideshow
Sitting in the Jet Lounge at New Delhi airport – fatigue and fantasy fill my mind and soul. Suddenly, my eye is caught by the sight of a short, sturdy man being brought into a television studio by a scantily clad young lady – as the band blared and the #IPL 5 #IPL Expert #Sports #Sunil Gavaskar
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It’s Test cricket, anything can happen
73/3 – fifth day and Ponting and Clarke are at the crease – Test cricket – anything can happen – probably will – Windies on the rewind—rewindies. In all the sadness of Indian cricket over the past year, we have neglected the rise of the Windies. In June last year, they fought #Australia vs West Indies #JustSaying #Ricky Ponting
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Today I dream that Bangladesh beats Pakistan
In the seventies and eighties, I visited Bangladesh often, as my sister and brother-in-law were working there – since my sister’s work revolved around the rural areas, I made several trips – by car, boat and motorcycle, through the fields and up and down the waterways of that beautiful country. And #AsiaCup #Cricket #Sachin Tendulkar #Shakib Al Hasan #Virat Kohli
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Sachin’s 100 was a nudge, not a blow
I watched the century with the commentary on ‘silent’ – except for the exact moment, when I had to hear Gavaskar’s voice, as he was and is the guide and guideline for Sachin – and the English verses of Swami Vivekananda playing in the background, speaking eloquently of the calm #India #Pakistan #Sachin 100th ton #Sachin Tendulkar #Sports
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Dravid, not the other Rahul, was the true face of India
This wall will never be brought down... I come to praise Dravid, not to bury him... The night has stopped – not paused, but stopped... Words are like leg-byes in his 180 against Australia... Inside, I am broken – hollow – empty... Two images – the same face – different places, different times. Goa, late ’91 #Allan Donald #Amitabh Bachchan #Kirmani #OnOurMind #Rahul Dravid
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Why we can not accept ‘this’ Sachin
Heads – some younger, some wiser – have been advising Sachin to quit – at least at the One-Day level. I beg to differ – and not out of long-lasting love for Sachin, not for any nostalgic sentimentality. I understand what those heads are saying, understand the wisdom and the concern, #Australia #Cricket #NotJobsButPassion #Sachin Tendulkar #Sports #ToTheContrary
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In the name of cricket, we market grief, violence and greed
Kevin Pietersen and Sachin Tendulkar, two of the finest attacking batsmen of this generation, one of all time, both get out prodding forward feebly to spin – in Test matches, where defense and attack should always be in perfect balance. IPL arrogantly staggers on, drunk on its own false power. Yuvraj faces #http://www.firstpost.com/tag/notjobsbutpassion #Indian Premier League #Kevin Pietersen #Sachin Tendulkar #TheBigQuestion #Virat Kohli
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Cricket is played and won with a certain passion for the moment
Three teams; three teams who won, and won with grit and grace and such passion; three teams with new faces and old faces, innovation and inspired captaincy, who played cricket with the joy and energy the great game both creates and deserves; three teams who had gone through tough times, #Inpraiseof #NotJobsButPassion #Rajasthan #Ranji Trophy
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The curse of being number one
It was bound to happen – Pakistan beating England – bound to happen. One team, hungry and lean and mean; getting fit on a diet of international cricket, national shame, national pride. The other, resting on laurels – well earned, no doubt – but resting and then arriving in a #Cricket #Duncan Fletcher #India vs Australia #NotJobsButPassion #Sports