Dear Cricket Soul,
I find myself putting pen to paper, or rather fingers to keys, in a moment of reflection after nearly two months now. As someone who has embraced the world of Cricket since you began to even learn to read and write, the recent loss in the Cricket ODI World Cup has left an indelible mark on my cricketing heart. Some would call it craziness, and some wouldn’t. Some would stop by and read, and some would probably associate it with their favorite sport.
Sometimes, I find myself randomly sitting, thinking about the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001, where Dravid was 72 not out against Zimbabwe and Whittal took Dinesh Mongia’s catch. I was severely asthmatic at that point in time and used to be severely sick on my mother’s lap watching these matches. Sometimes, the day of the 2003 World Cup final, and the heart literally mellowing and breaking and shattering when Sehwag got run out at 82 and Dravid just couldn’t finish his 50. I don’t remember obviously all the matches and all the numbers over the past many years but some of them just cannot be erased.
It’s difficult to articulate the heaviness that accompanies such a defeat just a couple of months back. The sting of it reaches deep, touching the very core of my unwavering support for the sport. It’s a reminder that, in cricket as in life, the journey is often paved with unpredictable twists.
In moments like these, I’m reminded of Yuvraj Singh, who made a remarkable comeback to international cricket, showcasing not only his cricketing prowess but also his indomitable spirit after his fight with Cancer. Or did DK ever think or as fans did we ever think of him to come back and how? Or would we ever imagine Nehra to do what he did in the 2011 world cup, after what four years of break?
The pain is real, and it’s okay to acknowledge it. But, my cricket-loving self, let’s not forget that some of the most beautiful sunrises follow the darkest nights. The journey of our team echoes the ebbs and flows of life, where setbacks become the stepping stones to future triumphs. Let’s carry this pain as a badge of honor, a testament to our unwavering support for the game we love. In this moment of reflection, let’s remember that our team, like us, is not defined by a single match but by the spirit with which they rise again.
While I write this to myself, sometimes I wonder, what made me not pursue Cricket as a passion? Is it too late? It is never.