May 28, 2009

May 25, 2009

Deccan has charged.. over to India now

After a disappointing campaign last year, Deccan Chargers have rightly demonstrated that their league standing of number 8 last year was an abberation rather than a reflection of the team's potential. This time, Adam 'Gilly' Gilchrist has led a good team to a good victory. All credit to Bangalore Challengers for making the final a great event. In retrospect, losing the toss and being put into bat was first was a blessing in disguise. The pressure while chasing even a par score could lead to choking, as did occur. The Chargers had already messed up a couple of chases during the league stages. It was a great game of cricket and at the end of the day, the game surely won. The only thing I regret is the verbal assault that Symonds was resorting to on the opponents, especially the young Manish Pandey. It was unwanted and I am not very sure whether Gilly would be happy of his team mate for that. Cricket must be played with a strong mind and not a sharp tongue. I have always disliked many Australian cricketers for sledging and Symmo surely is one of them.

Overall, happy that the team won. In a way, I am glad Gilly did not contribute with the bat last night. It required the combined efforts of Gibbs, Symonds, Rohit Sharma, R P Singh, Ojha and Harmeet Singh to win the match for the team. It leaves the critics without a point to attack that it was Gilly winning the series and not the Chargers. As a closing note, it was evident that the calmer heads on the field won the game. A look at RP Singh and Harmeet Singh carrying on with their overs with smiles and a sense of calm was re-assuring, for they are the future of Indian cricket.

Now, the focus must shift to the T20 world cup. A different series, surely more challenging and important. Over to MSD to try and repeat the performance of the last edition. After all, we are the defending world champions! The expectations are higher and so is the belief on the team for their potential to defend the world cup. India is going with a highly talented/able team. The probable playing XI might look like this:

1. Sehwag
2. Gambhir
3. Rohit Sharma (Raina as an option)
4. Yuvraj Singh (again, Raina as an option)
5. MS Dhoni
6. Yusuf Pathan (could sit out if Raina, Rohit and Yuvraj plays)
7. Irfan Pathan (could justify a place over Praveen Kumar for his batting prowess)
8. Harbhajan Singh (left-arm Ojha in the bench could be a good motivation for the offie)
9. Zaheer Khan
10. RP Singh
11. Ishant Sharma

There are a lot of options with both ball and bat for MSD. The team surely has it in them to go all the way. I guess the roadblock for the talented players could be themselves. The forms of Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj, MSD and Yusuf Pathan looks uneven. At least three of them should hit their purple patch to get the job done. Also, by having 4 bowlers only in the team, MSD could go with 7 batsmen since Sehwag, Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma and Yusuf can all bowl.

With 12 teams in the tournament divided into 4 groups for the first phase of the tournament starting on June 5 in England, India is placed in Group A with Bangladesh and Ireland. This is the easiest group India could have wished for. Other groups are: B - England, Pakistan & Holland; C - Australia, Sri Lanka & West Indies (the toughest draw); D - South Africa, New Zealand & Scotland.

So now, awaiting the next euphoria sarting next month. Let the play begin!

May 21, 2009

Mesmerizing


I have been to Taj only once. That was last year with Romi and Lux. Despite hearing a lot about the monument and having built up expectations when we were going to Agra, the first sight of Taj still left me awe-struck. It was simply beautiful, the moment. It is an extremely fabulous monument and it is humbling to realize that it has mesmerized the world for ages now. I received this snap from a friend today and somehow this picture made me feel the same way I felt when I was looking up to this piece of beauty a year back.

May 18, 2009

2 down, more to go

I'm talking of the completion of two years of my blogging. Well, this post should have come yesterday but was not able to put it up. The two years have been as exciting as my experience of writing for this personal page of mine. Looking back, I could have blogged more, especially over the last year or so. But then no fun in doing it for the sake of adding the number of posts.

What I have also been doing a lot is reading many other blogs. Mostly on topics like finance, politics, personal, spiritual, etc. That always makes me wonder, I do not have a theme for this blog. It is as varied as the languages in India. The specific finance blog I have is craving for my attention. I always end up giving it a cold shoulder. Hey blog, I will be taking care of you soon. Don't worry mate.

Lot of time these days are being spent on watching IPL. For many including my mother, that means sheer waste of time. Yet, passion cannot be compromised on. We are reaching the final lap of the tournament soon. Looks like we will eventually see Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Punjab playing for the cup. The games have been good and it has thrown out the characters of many a players. To see them perform under stress is amazing. As they say, sport teaches us the qualities of life and keeps it out for everybody to see how you are faring. I think it was Sehwag who recently said that he finds IPL more competitive and tougher than international cricket.

Talking of character, I'm re-reading the autobiography of one of the strongest character I have seen in a person - Stephen Waugh. What a book, what a man.

Lot of noise around the UPA victory. We still do not have the final texture of how the ruling government will look like. In few days we would.

This post was random. Objective was to tell the world that this blog is 2 years old. I will now spend some alone time with it and share thoughts with each other. :-)

May 16, 2009

Historic verdict!

Mark this day guys. It is a historic day in the electorate results. As I write this, the government has not been officially sworn in, yet it looks lkely that it will be UPA with SP + RJD. More importantly, without the Left. The Left parties have performed pathetically and has won the least number of seats. In fact, they have lost in West Bengal and Kerala! Wow.. this is almost unbelievable.

Kudos to the Indian voters. Despite low turnout, they have voted for what I believe is the best bet for the national government. Despite strong anti-incumbency factor in Indian politics (same government not being re-elected), UPA has been voted for. And in a manner much better than 2004 elections. The discriminative, regional, negative and extremist politics have been thrown out of the window. The Left, BJP, BSP, etc. have been impacted negatively due to the same reasons. How else do you explain Mayawati faring poorly in UP, her own backyard!

There were concers about a hung parliament, or a coalition government where BSP/Left has a significant say. It is clear that is not going to happen. It is really heartening to know that. I do not have anything against these leaders personally but their ideologies are not forward-looking and inclusive in perspective. Congress was the best in the fore, including having a good second-generation leaders in the form of Rahul Gandhi, Milind Deora, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, etc. We want to see a younger parliament to represent our aspirations and ambitions. This elections verdict reflects that the Indian voters have voted for what they believe is right for the future.

I am very pleased with what I am seeing on my TV screens. There is no denying the fact that Congress is way different from BJP. The latter, I believe, has got their priorities wrong. This might well look like wisdom in hindsight, still it is true.

End of the day, as a citizen of this country, I am very satisfied that there will be a stable government at power without the anti-reforms partners like the Left. This, I strongly feel, is good for the country and the economy.

May 15, 2009

Searching.. or rather waiting..

.. for the right stance like a batsman does waiting for the next delivery. I am shaking a lot, moving around a lot and not being still. I am not focussing on the next delivery, thinking of the target to achieve. When the smaller things are not taken care of, the bigger goal can be achieved only miraculously.

For me the right stance is a matter of time and not efforts. It is counter-intuitive but that is how it is. May be because I do not assign a lot of blame on myself for lazing around. So I do not try to shake around my routine or the things I am doing and not doing. May be I lose precious time in the process. But big deal! Is it not my life?

To the stakeholders in my life, I wish I could explain to them that this stillness is not permanent. In fact, the stillness is only on the outside. Stillness is not stagnation. Wish the people in rat-races realize this too to take a step back and search for the right stance! In life, as in cricket these days after the T20 avatar, a boundary is what only matters and not the way it is scored. Yet, the satisfaction of seeing an elegant cover drive is different from a top edge going to a boundary while playing a rash, desperate shot. Same way, scoring we all are. But how? Does the manner not matter? If it does, a back-foot straight drive cannot be produced without an extremely serene and balanced stance. Stance, my friends, is the key.

As I search a little (searching is by putting efforts) and wait a lot for my stance, some lyrics are lingering in my mind (from the movie Guru):

Jaage hain der tak
hamen kuch der sone do
thodi se raat aur hai
subah to hone do

aadhe adhure khwaab jo
pure na ho sake
ek baar phir se neend mein
woh khwaab bone do


Beautiful..

May 6, 2009

10 reasons why South Mumbai didn't vote

From a forward I received from a friend..

- Clashed with Salsa class
- Election whites not drycleaned
- No candidate a hottie
- Tony Jethmalani contesting from suburbs. Sigh
- No valet parking at booth
- Spotted servant in queue ahead of us
- Driver not come
- Elections over dude, Obama won!
- No party tackling real issues, eg, reduce Goly Gym rates.
- No home delivery!

Ofcourse, these reasons are South Mumbai specific (with a shade of humor). One common reason across Mumbai seemed the same though - We do not care a damn about what happens around us.

May 4, 2009

Mushy & Coy

Tu Hi To Jannat Meri, Tu Hi Mera Junnon
Tu Hi To Mannat Meri, Tu Hi Rooh Ka Sukun
Tu Hi Ankhiyon Ki Thandak, Tu Hi Dil Ki Hai Dastak
Aur Kuch Na Janu Mein, Bas Itna Hi Jaanu..
Tujhe Mein Rab Dikhta Hai, Yaara Mein Kya Karu
Sajde Sae Jhukta Hai, Yaara Mein Kya Karu
Tujhe Mein Rab Dikhta Hai, Yaara Mein Kya Karu..


Tum Ho To, Gaata Hai Dil
Tum Nahin To, Geet Kahan..
Tum Ho To, Hai Sab Haasil
Tum Nahin, To Kya Hai Yahan..
Tum Ho To Hai Sapno Ke Jaisa Haseen Ek Sama..
Jo Tum Ho To Yeh Lagta Hai Ke Mil Gayi.. Har Khushi
Jo Tum Na Ho Yeh Lagta Hai Ke Har Khushi.. Mein Hai Kami
Tumko Hai Maangti, Yeh Zindagi..


The first one's from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and the other from Rock On.