Movie Review - BULLET RAJA

THIS RAJA WINS HEARTS

DIRECTOR: TIGMANSHU DHULIA

GENRE: DRAMA, POLITICAL, ACTION

STARRING: SAIF ALI KHAN, JIMMY SHERGEIL, SONAKSHI SINHA, GULSHAN GROVER, RAJ BABBAR, RAVI KISHAN, VIDYUT JAMWAL

FINAL VERDICT: ***

Ever since the trailer of Bullet Raja was out, I had made an “omerta” of sorts with myself, of watching the film on the very first day. And I did exactly that. Fortuitously, my hopes didn’t come down crashing, and the150 minutes that I spent in the cinema house, were fruitful.

The film commences with Saif Ali Khan or Raja Mishra, escaping an assassination attempt, but after a few seconds, was shown once again facing the gun, with cops surrounding him. Post that scene, the film slips into flashback, and the title track portrays Raja being involved in the notorious aspects of the society. Escaping possible foes, Raja gatecrashes into a “baarat” and as expected in a typical Bollywood flick, dances his way through. There he meets one Rudra, and instantly befriends him. The two save Rudra’s relatives from an ambush planned by the traitor Lallan (Chunky Pandey). From that very moment, Raja and Rudra become the modern day Jay-Veeru. The film then goes on exploring the revenge saga that begins, with the buddies finishing off Lallan, and all the people responsible for Rudra’s uncle’s (Sharath Saxena) death.

The two are soon noticed by the cunning Ram Babu Shukla, a minister from the opposition, who soon appoints them as his “bahubali”, or chief henchmen. The duo then carries out numerous political assassinations for Ram Babu. Seeing the growing cordial relations between Shukla and the two pals, Sumer Yadav (Ravi Kishan, who is the former henchman)  gets livid.

Gulshan Grover plays Bajaj, a shrewd businessman, and his “Marwari” jokes tickle the funny bone. The movie then goes on a more serious note, with the two kidnapping Bajaj, for an insult. However, the tables are turned on the duo, as Bajaj gets in Sumer Yadav to finish off the friends. However, one dies, and the other swears revenge and as anticipated, all hell breaks loose. Amidst the tension, enters Mitali (Sonakshi Sinha), an aspiring actress, and quickly ensures that the duo now become the trio.

The film then slows down for quite some time, until Raja returns from an exile, and till Arun Singh (Vidyut Jamwal) makes a grand entry. The movie then goes on, portraying the treachery of politicians and accomplishing the revenge saga.

Overally, the plot wasn’t completely extra ordinary, but the presentation of the setting makes it a treat to watch. The real locations add absolute authenticity to the plot. The locations chosen stand out, and they give the viewer, a true feel of Uttar Pradesh. The dialogues and the typical accent too make viewing enthralling. One instance of the accent coming into the fray is when Saif pronounces “NASHIONAL- JIYOGRAPHIC” in a typical UP accent.

Gulshan Grover plays an entertaining part, and his dialogues, which comically target the “marwaris” are simply amusing. “JALE HUE NOTE KO BHI CHALANA JANTA HAI MARWARI,” is one such instance. Grover makes his presence felt on screen with sharp dialogues. On a couple of occasions, the film goes on making a mockery of the current Indian politics (Mayawati may raise a few objections.. Enough Said), and that is a delight to watch. In one particular scene, Jimmy Sheirgill or Rudra dotingly, but zealously signifies that no one should have the authority of dividing Indians and stopping them from being a part of different states. (The leader of a political outfit based in Maharashtra, may raise issues though).

Saif Ali Khan steals the show throughout and his act of Raja Mishra surely makes viewers go gaga. His wit and spiky dialogues keep the viewers hooked and engulfed. It’s very pleasing to see Saif, do justice to a thorny role, with utmost ease. Jimmy Sheirgill too isn’t far behind, and ably supports Saif. The rest of the cast members more often than not, do justice to the script. Sonakshi Sinha, is an exception however, and she is the same Sonakshi Sinha, whom we saw in Dabbang, Rowdy Rathore and Son of Sardar.

Barring Lootera, Sinha has done very little of note and her dialogue delivery and acting standards remain similar. With every film, her fans and viewers expect her to be a little more innovative; but to their misery, she always fails.

The direction of Tigmanshu Dhulia remains potent and one wonders that what more does Dhulia needs to do in order to be noticed well by critics. In spite of delivering classics like Paan Singh Tomar and the Saheb Biwi aur Ganster series, it is shameful  that talented filmmakers like Dhulia do not get their due credit, while directors making some “mass entertainers” hog the limelight.

The flaws of the film arise with the music. Barring Tamanche Pe Disco and to an extent the title track, none of the songs catch the eye of the audience. An item number by Mahie Gill is profusely needless and is a mere waste of five minutes. Another shortfall of the film is that, Bullet Raja often loses its steam on several occasions, and fails to completely grab the attention of the viewer. One feels that the film could be made more interesting by adding more serious stuff. However, the instances of “black comedy” partially cover this shortfall up.

Overally, the film is worth watching and the Bullet Raja act by Saif Ali Khan is sure to enhance his fan base. This film is a must watch for those, who take a keen interest in the underbelly of the “dirty politics”. It will be fair to say that Bullet Raja will be etched in the memories of the audience for quite sometime.

INDIA's AFRICAN SAFARI

People usually are galvanised as ever, to visit the exquisite nation of South Africa, and become a part of the famous African Safari. Their excitement and curiosity is justified as well; since they get to witness some endangered species, along with the brawny king of the jungle, the lion.

However, the “African Safari” which I write about is a “little” different from the actual safari. In the actual safari one gets to witness the lions, feasting on their prey, from a considerable distance. But in this case, the one’s visiting the safari, more often than not; have been savagely mauled by the famished South African lions, and ripped apart into pieces. The lions in this particular case, to name a few are the KALLIS’s, the AMLA’s, the SMITH’s, the STEYN’s and the PHILANDER’s, along with several others.

The African Safari consists of the teams touring South Africa, who have more often than not, been attacked ferociously by the lions (Pun intended). My previous claim can be seconded by statistics as well. Over the past 24 months, the menacing South African bowling trio of Steyn, Philander and Morkel has feasted upon the fragile batting line ups of New Zealand and Pakistan. Both the mentioned teams were all, but out in the 40’s. Well these were FRAGILE batting line ups. On the other hand, in 2011, the same bowling trio dismissed the reliable Australian batting line up for a mere 47. At one point in time, the Aussies were 21-9!!!!!!!!!! And yes, the batting line up included the likes of Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey.  

The ability to dismantle batting line ups in the 40’s on three occasions within two calendar years is more than enough to justify the threat the South African team possesses. It would just be an understatement to say that South Africa has the most valuable resources of fast bowling.  However, the core competence of the bowling attack is formed and based upon the lethal trio of DALE STEYN, MORNE MORKEL and VERNON PHILANDER. The members of the trio complement each other really well, and all have different weapons, that make them stand out. Dale Steyn relies on his pace and swing, which threatens every right handed batsman. Philander depends upon the seam movement to get wickets. One point worth noting is that Philander has taken 95 test wickets in 18 matches at an average of just 17. However, Philander may not be as nippy as his companions. On the other hand, Morne Morkel’s arsenal includes the bouncy stuff, which at pace, may be too hot to handle.

The South African batting line up doesn’t need any sort of introduction. The likes of Amla, Smith, Kallis and De Villiers possess numbers which speak for themselves. AB De Villiers has been in the form of his life, and is the leading run getter in 2013, after combining the three formats. Graeme Smith too has struck form, after a pleasing double ton against Pakistan in the UAE, not so long ago. Hashim Amla, as always has been on cloud nine, and his appetite for runs is increasing almost exponentially (Pun intended). Doubts lingered over the form and future of Jacque Kallis, who soon put them to rest, after a timely half century against Pakistan.

The middle order looks settled, with the likes of JP Duminy and Faf Du Plessis cementing their positions, and doing well.  The main spinner to be chosen would be Imran Tahir, who made a grand comeback against Pakistan in UAE. In a rare case, Robin Peterson may be chosen, as his batting has been a positive. However, the chances of Peterson’s selection over Tahir seem to be bleak.

However, the South African lions may not be able to feast upon their opponents this time around. The reason being simple.  INDIA.

The Indian team has been on a rampage; and like South Africa, has ruthlessly mauled its opponents. Ask a certain Australian and a West Indian team, and you will have no choice but to sympathize with them. The batting of the current Indian set up has been termed as the “best batting team” by several greats of the game. That claim is pretty much supported by the fact that the top three run getters in ODI’s this year, are the top three in the Indian batting line up. The leading run getter in ODI’s this year has been Virat Kohli with 1237 runs, followed by Rohit Sharma, who has 1159 runs in his kitty. Shikhar Dhawan is not far behind either, with 1150 runs.

There is a renowned saying all crossing India, which states that, “IF Rohit doesn’t get you, then Shikhar will.. If Shikhar doesn’t get you, then Rohit will.. Or if both don’t get you then Virat will get you big time.” The Australian bowlers received a handful from the trio during their recent tour. In the very tour, India scaled down targets in excess of 350 twice, and posted 380 odd once. Those figures will send shivers down the spines of any bowler across the globe.

If the batting was not enough, then “SIR” Ravindra Jadeja, as fondly called, has been the leading wicket taker in ODI’s this year with 51 scalps. Jadeja’s exploits played an instrumental role in India’s victory in the Champions Trophy, earlier this year. Bowling stump to stump at a brisk pace, has been Jadeja’s strength.His miserly economy rate too has bolstered the Indian bowling. Jadeja has found able support in Bhuvaeshwar Kumar and R.Ashwin. Kumar has been a sensation for India with the new ball, and his ability to bowl long spells has been a massive plus.

However, test matches away from the subcontinent are a different ball game altogether. In South Africa, the strategies of the Indian team would have to change considerably, as the conditions would surely not be, to their liking. The pitches will aid pace and bounce and the outfield will be lightening quick, especially in Johannesburg, which is at a high altitude. But the one major factor, which would give the team management headaches, would be the departure of Sachin Tendulkar from the international stage. For Indian fans, cricket from now onwards will never be the same without the great man. The candidate, most likely to take his position would be Virat Kohli. 

The contribution of Cheteshwar Pujara too is noteworthy. To be fair to Pujara, one can say that as of now, he has done justice to the spot vacated by another member of the “fab four” club, Rahul Dravid. Pujara has been hitting test centuries at will, and at a healthy rate. Pujara averages 65.5 in test matches, and has two double tons under his name. More significantly, Pujara captained the India A side successfully this year in South Africa. Under his leadership, India won the tri series and drew the tests against the host, 1-1.

In the first “A” test, India won comprehensively by an innings and 13 runs. In that very game, Pujara, Rohit and Raina blasted tons, and the rest of the damage was done by the talented Shami Ahmad and Ishwar Pandey. In the second test however, South Africa A came back strong, and won the game. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that, the India A turned complacent and made as many as 5 changes to the team.  On that very tour, in a must win tri series game, Shikhar Dhawan smashed a record breaking 248 from just 150 balls.

The squad chosen by the Indian selectors looks reasonably settled, barring a couple of exceptions. The inclusion of Zaheer Khan has sent out vibes of optimism, as Zaheer was the one who made a mark on the previous tour to South Africa. On the last tour, India were butchered in the first test, but came back strongly in the Durban test, due to Zaheer’s sensational comeback, from a groin injury. However, the exclusion of Gautam Gambhir from the squad has been very baffling, since no reserve opener has been named. Gambhir scored a fighting ton in a Ranji Trophy game, less than a week ago, but still couldn’t find a place in the squad.  In the test matches, it will be interesting to see, if India go with five bowlers -six batsmen, or with an all rounder at number 7, and then followed by four bowlers.

If India go with the latter, then Ashwin and Jadeja may both play, and three seamers from Umesh Yadav, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami may play. If India chooses the former strategy, then Jadeja may have to miss out, meaning Ashwin may bat at number 7, and the benefits of four seamers may be availed.

The ODI series, is most likely to be in India’s favour. The Indian squad looks settled and that hunger for victory is clearly visible. A series win over West Indies would do the team confidence, a world of good. On the other hand, South Africa have lost to the sixth ranked Pakistan, in an ODI series. From the One Day point of view, both teams would go in with different mindsets. Considering, the current form of both the teams, it would be true to say that the ODI series will be won by India 2-1.

Conversely, beating South Africa in their own backyard in tests will require a miracle. No team has done that in the last 4 and half years. On their previous tour, India had come close to doing that, but handed South Africa the initiative back, as Jacque Kallis stole the show with a timely ton.  To make things crystal clear, we conduct India’s SWOT analysis, for the test matches:

STRENGTH: The Indian strength lies in their batting hands down. As said earlier, the Indian batting has been top notch and the exploits of Dhawan, Kohli, Pujara and Sharma are well known. The batting line up has the potential to single handedly win games for India. Dhawan can play the short ball well, and can make batting look graceful. So can Rohit Sharma. If we are to consider the current form, then it wouldn’t be wrong to state that if the Indian batting continues its trend, then the African safari may be overcome.

WEAKNESS: The lack of experience may be a weakness. Barring Pujara and Dhoni no one else has played more than one test in South Africa. The bowling attack too hasn’t played test cricket against the full fledged South African line up in their own back yard, barring Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan. The lack of experience may hurt the Indian team big time. Another threat would be that, the tour will be played amidst a jam-packed schedule. The “F” word may come into the picture. Fatigue may be a factor. The last time the “F” word was raised, India were beaten 4-0 by England.

OPPORTUNITY: There are several opportunities which lie ahead of the Indian team. A major opportunity is that the batsmen may prove their worth outside the subcontinent. It is said that India often wins at home. This theory may be proved wrong by India, if they emerge victorious in the test series. After getting inflicted with 8 back to back test losses overseas, the Indians would be desperate to turn the tables on South Africa. Another opportunity is for the bowlers. After a really long time, the pace attack looks settled, and Mohammad Shami was impressive in his debut series, taking 11 wickets from 2 games. His pace and ability to reverse swing may make the South Africans uncomfortable. Umesh Yadav’s case too is similar, who did moderately well in Australia. Zaheer may not have got a better opportunity to comeback, as the conditions have assisted him.

THREAT: The only possible threat for India is the South African pace attack. Dale Steyn and company would want to see the world’s best batting line up on its knees. The conditions may ably support them to do so. Pace and bounce have always made the Indian batters uneasy. This may well be another occasion of it. The South African pace battery may exploit the hard pitches to full effect and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Indian batsman look to duck frequently against the short stuff.

Knowing Indian weaknesses, South Africa may even field an all pace attack. This would mean that instead of Imran Tahir, Merchant De Lage may be in the reckoning. Merchant performed exceptionally in the CLT20, on dead Indian wickets. His height and his ability to bowl every ball in excess of 150km/hr may be well noted by the South African selectors. After this tour, the Indian team will be touring New Zealand, England and Australia continuously.

The battle featuring the world’s best batting line up, pitted against the world’s best bowling attack is awaited, and is sure to grab eyeballs. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if the test series is drawn 1-1. But only time will tell, how well the Indian team fares the African Safari.

Sachin's Best- Part 1- ODI'S

The other day, I was travelling in a jam-packed Mumbai local, also termed as the “lifeline” of Mumbai. The local was a Borivali fast, which I boarded from the source station, Churchgate. The fast local got utterly occupied within the span of just three stations. I was lucky enough to get a window seat though. Surrounding me, stood all the jealous souls- Jealous of a teenager, who was sitting comfortably at a window seat, rather than offering them his seat. I seriously wanted to offer my seat to one of the jealous soul, but my inner demon made me hesitant.

I was engulfed in my own little world, and was listening to numbers of Billy X; when suddenly the name “SACHIN TENDULKAR” caught my attention. The very name that has brought glory to a nation for 24 long years and made its people proud.  And the very name, that has inspired billions to take cricket more seriously. I can proudly say that I am one among those billions.

The name was mouthed by a few middle aged men, who were discussing the news of Sachin’s retirement from all forms of cricket. From their expressions, it seemed that they never wanted the Master to bid adieu to the game. One of the gentlemen, dressed in a formal outfit, gone- horribly - wrong, said in  a stern voice, “MERE HISAAB SE USKA SHARJAH WALA BATTING SAB SE ACCHA THA”. (The innings played by Sachin in Sharjah was the best). He was countered by another fellow, who was in his twilight years, “NAHI NAHI! WHO SAB TO THEEK HAI! PAR USKA SABSE BADIYA BATTING WOH 2003 MEIN THA PAKISTAN KE SAAMNE.” (The innings played in the 2003 World Cup against Pakistan was the best). These people, who didn’t even know each other a few minutes ago , were arguing as though they were blood brothers. After all, they too were ardent believers of “SACHINSM”, like me.

As I witnessed them arguing, several nostalgic moments hovered around in my mind that had Sachin as the protagonist. Who could forget that moment, when India won the 2011 World Cup, and Sachin, like a galvanised school boy sprinted towards his team? The entity that had carried the burden of a nation for more than two decades tirelessly, had finally got a chance to live his dream.  That image of Sachin sprinting had been etched in my memory forever. After all, that was the first time, when tears of joy and elation had bordered my eyes.

As I thought about his unforgettable knocks, I too somewhere felt that some of his innings outclassed his own innings. That thought motivated me to write down this article, and in this article, I list down Sachin’s top 5 ODI Innings that are my personal favourite.

5.

Vs Pakistan- 141 (135) at Rawalpindi

This innings was a part of the epic 2004 series, which resumed bilateral ties between the two archrivals- India and Pakistan. The ODI was the second of the series, and India went into this ODI with a 1-0 lead. But boy, Pakistan fought fire with fire in the second outing of the series. Batting first, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 329 (The total is considered to be relatively moderate these days). From Pakistan everyone contributed with the bat, but Shahid Afridi did the bulk of the damage; scoring 80 from 58 balls. The target was always going to be a steep one but the little master had plans of his own. The Indian innings started steadily with 50 being crossed at more than run a ball. In the ninth over, Shoaib Akhtar casted Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman followed soon.

But the little man stood there, with fire in his belly. His orthodox strokes and sweeps of the off-spinners kept the Indian spirits high. The required run rate kept on mounting, but Sachin stood firm, like a rigid mountain. Rahul Dravid was the only batsman that supported the little master well. In the due course, Sachin bought up his first ton in Pakistan and received a round of applause from the entire crowd. Soon after getting to his ton, Sachin changed gears and launched into the Pakistan attack. The man, was extremely brutal towards Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.

In my opinion, this innings features in my personal favourite as chasing a total in excess of 300, against a quality attack was never easy. The scoreboard pressure always keeps on mounting, and in this case, Sachin was the one, who did bulk of the scoring and the damage. But as fate would have it, Sachin was dismissed in the 39^th over of the game , and was caught by Razzaq on the bowling of Shoaib Malik.

Though India lost by a narrow margin, this innings will always hold a special value. Scoring against Pakistan in their own backyard had never been an easy task, but Sachin as always, proved his critics wrong. On  a personal note, I remember watching this innings under high fever of about 3*, and as Sachin dictated terms to the bowlers, my body seemed to be getting liberated from the fever. Eventually, Sachin got out, and India lost the match; and the fever returned to haunt me.

4.

Vs Pakistan- 98 (75) at Centurion

“INTENSE”. “HIGH PRESSURE”. “TENSE”.

The above was a list of the possible adjectives that come to my mind, to describe the game stage. Once again against archrivals Pakistan, but this time in a pressure cooker situation during the 2003 World Cup. The game, as anticipated, was a total sell out and Centurion in South Africa was the lucky venue to host the game. The match was integral to both the sides in terms of advancing further into the tournament. The 22 yard strip was a belter, and Pakistani skipper Waqar Younis had no hesitation in batting first.

Pakistan got off to a decent start, opener Saeed Anwar keeping his brilliant record against India intact. Saeed made a classy ton and took Pakistan to a more than respectable total of 273.

The target was always going to be tricky, and batting second against the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar was far from an easy task. But as people call him, the little master, took India off to a blistering start, along with swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag.

The pressure during this game was at the highest possible level and playing well against Pakistan in a World Cup was a matter of national pride for Indians. The four hit by Sachin off Wasim Akram in the very first over, was an indication of what was to follow. The classy straight drives and punches were evident in this innings and the lethal fast bowling trio were hammered for plenty. The fifty came up in the sixth over.

The most treasured moment during this inning came when Sachin cut a wide delivery outside off, of the nippy Shoaib  Akhtar, and sent it sailing way back over third man. The six hit by Sachin is one of the most trending videos on YouTube till date. The six was followed by an elegant punch off the back foot that raced to the boundary.

Sachin carried on his inning in the same fashion, and no bowler was spared. Shahid Afridi, brought into the attack to slow down things too was hammered. However, while playing effortlessly, Sachin was a victim of cramps, and a runner too was arranged. That didn’t cease the little master from carrying on his graceful knock. As Sachin neared a ton, the racing heartbeats off his fans were brought to an abrupt halt, as a quick bouncer from Shoaib Akhtar caught Sachin off-guard, and took the edge off his bat. The edge was happily accepted by Younis Khan, stationed at Point. 98 off 75 balls was the final score.

However, these 98 runs were a part of a classy inning that was played under tremendous pressure.  Till date, no World Cup inning has been able to match the class and elegance of the knock that Sachin played. The runs scored by Sachin only make one understand of the great man’s calibre and ability to demolish any bowling attack, under any circumstance. The final outcome was the one that was desired, as India won with 26 balls to spare.  It is highly unlikely that an innings of this magnitude and elegance will be ever played again in a World Cup Match, and at the grand stage.

3.

Vs South Africa- 200* (147) at Gwalior

“THE FIRST MAN ON THE PLANET TO REACH 200; AND IT’S THE SUPERMAN FROM INDIA.” These words mouthed by Ravi Shastri to announce the master-blaster’s feat, take cricket lovers into a new eternity all together. There were very few individuals who endorsed the argument that scoring a double century in  ODI’s was a possibility. And once again like all the previous occasions, the little master proved his die-hard fans right.

This inning played was as flawless as ever, which included an array of drives, punches and glances, played all over the ground. Not even a single shot played in this wonderful knock came close to a desperate slog. All the shots were played with ridiculous ease and with the minimum effort. There came a point in the innings when the South African spearhead Dale Steyn (in his prime) could do nothing; but just smile at a boundary scored of him by the great man. Jacques Kallis, the South African skipper in that game, took to sledging to stop the brutal force of the cricketing God, but that was to no avail. In return, it was the bat of the great man that did all the talking.

The lofted shot played by Sachin on the bowling of Charl Langeveldt; stands out as the most cherished memory ,of this masterful inning to me. The batting display put together by the first-double centurion in ODI history was simply phenomenal, with the ball being bludgeoned across all parts of the Capt. Roop Singh Stadium. Surprisingly, this was the second, and the last ODI inning which the great man played in 2010.

As a courtesy of this tremendous feat, the Indian team managed to cross 400 for the third time in ODI’s; and for the second time in 2 months. The South Africans in reply couldn’t even get close to the colossal target, but AB de Villiers was the only one to provide some resistance, as the talented South African too scored a rapid ton.

The very next day after the breathtaking innings, newspapers and media rooms were flooded with just one question. “IS SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR THE GREATEST CRICKETER EVER”? Well, according to me, the answer is always in the affirmative!

2.

Vs Australia- 175 (141) at Hyderabad

Chasing a total that needs you to rush at 7 runs per over from the outset is an excruciatingly difficult task. That night of 5^th November 2009 was no exception. The Aussie batsmen had massacred the Indian bowlers to all areas of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, with Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson playing the pivotal roles.  Mid way in the match, the Aussie bowlers could have thought that they were under a safe cushion of 350 runs; but little did they know, that the master was about to explode and shake the floor under the Australians. The target was profusely uphill and atleast one Indian batsman had to play the innings of his life. Well, that man was none other than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

Sachin, along with Virender Sehwag, began positively, with Sachin never looking too desperate to smash the ball. The little master took his chances on a few occasions, and utilised the benefits of the Powerplays really well. Several opportunities arrived; and the little man grabbed it with both hands. However, to deteriorate matters, the Indian middle order, comprising of reputed names like the Gambhir’s, Yuvraj’s and the Dhoni’s failed to get going, and that added more pressure on the master.

But being the master, Sachin didn’t feel the pressure a bit, and carried on with sheer destruction. All the Aussie bowlers were brutally thrashed and Ricky Ponting even had to revert to Mike Hussey (Less than even a part-timer) to get a breakthrough. But that too was of no avail. The sixes that the master hit off the spinners were an absolute delight to watch, and the delicate cuts too were a treat.

As the target neared, the heartbeats raced but Sachin was icy cool as ever. Suresh Raina was the only other batsman to provide some sort of support to the centurion. Sachin went on blasting his way past and no obstacle seemed to be gigantic enough to halt him.

On the first ball of the 48^th over, the master tried to play a scoop over short fine leg, but Clint McKay, was cunning enough to disguise the ball as a slower one. As a consequence, the timeless inning had to come to a sudden halt and the great man himself stood there, with grief striking his face. The crowd responded with a standing ovation, but everyone knew that “Chennai 1999” was on the verge of being repeated.

It was a shame that India couldn’t chase down 19 off 17 deliveries post Sachin’s dismissal and were all out with 2 balls to spare. Had India made it home, this would have been no less than a fairy tale. Sachin stood there as the lone warrior, but that too sadly, was not good enough. This inning was eventually termed as the best inning played in a loss, by several greats.

Even though India lost the match, this innings holds a special value in my life and whenever I see a video of this inning, one question always pops up in my mind, “HOW HAPPY WOULD HAVE SACHIN BEEN HAD WE WON?”

1.

Vs Australia- Sharjah Twin Tons

“Those couple of knocks back at Sharjah still give me jitters and nightmares”. These words were said by the Australian spin wizard, Shane Warne. He has spoken about the mentioned knocks on several sports channels, and doesn’t hesitate in signifying the fact that the utter brilliance of Sachin Tendulkar almost put him in a state of sheer dilemma.  The Sharjah Twin tons were scored over 15 years ago, and in a tri series, which included New Zealand as the third team. The first of those masterpieces was scored in a game where a loss by a humiliating margin, meant elimination. But as they say, cometh the hour, cometh the man. The first ton was scored in the last match of the group stage of the tournament. Aussies put themselves in, and scored a soaring total of 284, with notable contributions from Michael Bevan and Mark Waugh. The target was a steep one, and all the Indian hopes rested just on one man. SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR. The year 1998, had been Tendulkar’s best,( till date), with Sachin always hitting the ball, from the sweet part of the willow.

As the Indian chase began, Sachin had made his intentions clear, of batting ruthlessly, and demolishing the Australian attack. The “minimum” target for India was 254, which meant that had the Indians been unable to score 254, New Zealand would have got through to the final, and would have resulted in India’s elimination. But the weather in Sharjah had a tale of its own to narrate. Amidst the Indian chase, a massive sandstorm erupted, which eventually cost the game 25 vital minutes. As a consequence, the revised target was 276, from 46 overs, but the “minimum” target was 237, from the same number of overs.

But the sandstorm was not enough to save the Aussies from the “SACHIN-STORM”. Sachin went after the Aussie  bowling, as though there was no tomorrow. Michael Kasprowicz was given a “third degree” by Sachin. The two back to back maximums hit of Kasprowicz in the sixth over, were only an indication of what was to follow. In that epic innings, Sachin cleared the ropes on five occasions, with the crowd going bizarre on every occasion. Sachin found no real support from his partners, but he was a man on a mission. Steve Waugh, the Aussie captain, was clobbered to all parts of the stadium. The target required to qualify for the finals was achieved in the 43^rd over, with Sachin sighing a breath of relief. Till Sachin was at the wicket, an Indian victory was well within grasp, but Damien Fleming had him caught behind, on the last ball of over number 43.

Though Australia won the game and the battle, the war remained. For Sachin, it was only half a job done, with the Coca Cola Cup, very much in sight.

The final was played on Sachin’s birthday; and there’s no better sentiment than playing the all-time best ODI knock on your very own birthday. Expecting another Sachin masterclass, Mohammad Azharuddin had no hesitation in putting Australia in. The Aussies once again scored a massive total, 272 (The total may seem moderate now, but was more than enough in those days). And as destiny would have it, it was time for another “SACHIN STORM” to erupt. Sachin played this inning with a lot more caution than its predecessor. Sachin looked a little tentative in the beginning , and seeing this Michael Kasprowicz became vocal towards him.

But Sachin being a thorough gentleman let his bat do the talking. The nervousness was soon replaced by elegance and grace. The shot of the inning was the fierce straight drive which Sachin hit, making the non-striker (Sourav Ganguly), duck for cover. The 134 runs scored by Sachin were a display of persona and those 134 runs spoke volumes about Sachin Tendulkar as a batsman. The magnitude of the pressure was at its peak, as India rarely ever made it to the finals those days, and winning even a bilateral series was rare. This was a triangular series being played; at a neutral venue; and in the final, the opposition was the world’s best side. That can make one realise the intense pressure of the game.

Much before the series began, Shane Warne had passed a “childish” comment, stating that Sachin’s weakness was obvious, and it was easy to exploit. But for passing such a remark, Warne had to pay the price and repent. Sachin went simply ballistic as the ball was given to Shane Warne. A six down the ground was just the beginning. Warne’s confident was dented big time as the game progressed, and that was evident, as Shane Warne bowled numerous loose deliveries and short ones, that sent a message to the batsman, “PLEASE HIT ME”! Sachin obliged Shane, who had no clue what-so-ever.

The marathon innings went on, and the great man, raced to his successive hundred. After passing the landmark, Sachin continued his dream run, and hit boundary after boundary. The crowd in Sharjah, yelled and rejoiced as Sachin was tormenting the bowlers. To add to the vocal crowd was Tony Greig’s exhilarating commentary. “They are dancing in the aisles in Sharjah”. No cricketing madman (Me for instance) will ever be done and over with these words. The passion was evident in Tony’s voice; and this passion was evident in every cricketing freek’s voice, who admired a phenomenon called Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.  There came a moment in the innings, when an ecstatic Tony said that Sachin was indeed the best since Bradman.

Sachin’s finest ODI knock came to an end when Sachin’s “umpiring friend” (pun intended) Steve Bucknor gave another horrendous decision. This time it was an LBW, with the ball hitting the fifth stump (Once again pun intended). However, that didn’t stop the Indian team from winning and becoming Champions of the Triangular series.

Those couple of knocks are etched in the memory of every cricket lover, and anyone following the sport says that he/she isn’t aware of the couple of knocks, then believe me- Either that person is a liar, or not a cricket follower. No other ODI inning can ever even come close to the couple of innings played in Sharjah. That was indeed elegance personified; and the reason which makes the word GOD synonyms with a genius called SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR.

Patriotism does more harm than Good

“I can happily lay down my life for my motherland. Doing this would give me tremendous honour and dignity.” “The welfare of my motherland, gives me endless pride, and that’s what my motive is.” Just imagine a person, saying these words in today’s era, where life sprints ahead at the highest possible pace. The reply in today’s era for the above mentioned quotes would have more or less the same meaning, with most of the replies likely to be, “Hello, why don’t you consult a renowned psychiatrist.” Other typical replies are likely to be, “I guess its high time for you to start reading comics, and take things lightly,” The replies to the initial quotes very much provide my answer to the concerned question that Patriotism does more harm than good? I stringently believe that patriotism does more harm than good.

In uncomplicated terms, patriotism basically means being highly attached to your homeland, and its traditions. The uncomplicated definition of patriotism however, seems to be taken for a toss. The factors that cause me to take a drastic stance against patriotism are several. A significant factor is that the so called “acts of patriotism” have often been the reason, behind the disruptions of several lives. This has atleast been the case with the world’s purported “LARGEST DEMOCRACY”. Several political parties, in order to hog the limelight, take irrational decisions, on the basis of patriotism, that severely deter lives of quite a lot of citizens.

Just consider a situation, where a film, a majestic piece of art, is banned, or its sets are vandalised, as it is branded as “UNPATRIOTIC”. Sadly, this has been the case with several Asian nations, where films have faced an ‘EMBARGO’ just on the judgment that they clash with the nation’s patriotic values and the age-old traditions. A film is usually an independent piece of art, where artists toil hard daily, to entertain the audiences. But, patriotic values often cause the film to be banned from being showcased in several cinemas. By committing such a horrendous act, the nation often has to miss out on the revenues that it could have generated and the possible profits for cinema owners. But the one group that suffers the most is that of the audience, who miss out on the fun that they could get.

The films have just been a common issue. There are tons of issues that arise from the so called acts of patriotism. On the basis of patriotism, a political party in the central region of India, vandalised an undergarments shop as they thought that the posters and hoardings in the shop defied Indian Culture, and were “unpatriotic”. The political party workers and unions even termed the shop owner as “ANTI INDIAN” and “LEWD”.

However, it was absolutely “PATRIOTIC” for a leader of the very same political party, to watch PORNOGRAPHY in the Assembly session and give himself some cheap thrills. The so called act of “PATRIOTISM” of the same political party just didn’t end there. The workers, of the same political party, that vandalised the undergarments shop, were also caught by the police for charges of molesting an American woman. That was very “PATRIOTIC”, wasn’t it?

The social issue of patriotism has even cramped up endless lives. In democratic nations, the actions of several individuals have to face the ire of a few political parties, who instantly term them as “UNPATRIOTIC” and try to deter those actions. So my question is: “HOW CAN WE SAY THAT A NATION IS DEMOCRATIC, IF THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION?” The answer very much lies in the question. It’s the act of patriotism, which clashes with the actions of the common man, to literally deprive them of DEMOCRACY.

It is more often than not, due to patriotism that numerous developing nations are incompetent across the globe. The acts of patriotism, of a few individuals, time and again disrupt the economic activities within a nation. As a result, the analysts of several reputed MNC’s do not consider that nation to have the optimum business environment, and therefore, the nation loses out on the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This further has dire consequences, on the nation’s economic indicators such as the GDP, Balance of Payment, Exchange Rate.

It has been the sole courtesy of patriotism, that several nations have adopted a “REGRESSIVE” stance.  This regressive stance has thereby resulted in the severe downturn of the nation.

Patriotism has become a meaningless ten letter word in this era, as several distinct members of the society have alienated the term from its meaning. The true patriotism lies in ensuring that the nation as a whole prospers and achieves great heights of success. But the most significant objective of politicians these days is to inflate their appetite for black money, and to accomplish this objective, they often indulge in mammoth levels of corruption, such as endless scams. This surely isn’t patriotic by any possible means.

Patriotism has been the antagonist behind spoiling the foreign relations between scores of nations. The patriotism within a nation, is more like the ego within a person. Its often the ego, that destroys the person. Similarly, clashing patriotic values are like those egos, that destroy the harmony attained within a nation.

However, I do feel that the act of patriotism done has its pros as well, but only to a certain extent. The degree to which the theory of Patriotism is practiced, should not be breached beyond a certain limit. However, in this modern era, breaching limits has become an increasingly common issue. Thereby, to conclude, I adamantly believe that PATRIOTISM INDEED DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

EVIDENCE AT LAST

26^th January 2008 (1000 hrs)

The Sydney Opera House had been the centre of attraction on the Australia Day, with spectators waiting fervently, to get a glimpse of the man in charge of the nation Down Under. Bliss and excitement were in the air, and smiles worth millions of dollars had graced the elated faces of a major chunk of the crowd. The cheering escalated to enormous heights, once Kevin Key, the Prime Minister emerged. Banners and placards, heartening the Prime Minster could be seen in abundance; while a section of the crowd even chanted slogans, “HAIL KEY!” Such was the political stout of Kevin Key. However, an isolated section of the spectators had second thoughts, who ridiculed the PM, by passing outrageous comments him. Out of the blue, a vicious sound was heard, that of a .50 BMG Sniper bullet being fired at the PM. The man, being cheered upon some seconds ago, was now reduced to a mere lifeless body, with the bullet piercing through Key’s ribcage, and hitting him in the heart.  

15^th August 2013 (Present Day)

“I wanna see your filthy face in my cabin within the next sixty seconds,” ordered Anthony Tait, the Director In General of the Australian Intelligence Services. I banged the receiver of my intercom down, and uttered a few expletives, meant for none other than my lousy boss, Anthony. I seriously hated Tait to the core, and had he not been my boss, I would have genuinely thrashed him. I seriously wondered that what qualities the higher authorities had seen in this moron, to appoint him as the Head of the AIS? Amidst quietly grumbling to myself, my colleague Jade patted me on my back, making me aware of her presence. Jade always caught me off-guard, and her presence always made me excruciatingly nervous. Jade and I had been “good friends” for a period of more than 3 years, but it was me, who was hesitant, in taking our relationship to the next level.

We knocked at Tait’s chamber door, and entered, with Goosebumps, appearing on my hands. I knew that Tait, was livid at some issue and wouldn’t even take the pain of thinking twice, before humiliating us. To vent out his frustration I guess.   

“Good afternoon sir,” I said, praying that my worst fears wouldn’t emerge victorious. “Whats so good about this messed up afternoon, you little skunk?” countered Tait. My worst fears had indeed come true. Jade wanted to burst out laughing at Tait’s words, but somehow she controlled it. Pitying myself, I took a seat, with Tait, facing me.

 Another likely blunder which I nervously committed.  

Within a few minutes, our colleagues joined us; but they too faced Tait’s ire, the reason being the time wasted by them. “Settle down quickly you lazy mules,” said the 50 year old head of the AIS.  The meeting was an unofficial one and was to be kept “confidential” from our subordinates.

The meeting finally commenced with Tait opening up on the hot topic issue of Kevin Key’s assassination, which took place over 5 years ago. The abrupt change in Tait’s tone profusely bamboozled me. The discussion was likely to get more serious. “Mates, Kevin Key’s assassins have never been found and all attempts have been worthless,” said Tait, in a sombre tone. None of us, dared to interrupt Tait, as the consequences were well known. However, I defied my gut feeling, and dared to wake the tiger up from a sound sleep. Fortunately, the tiger didn’t roar in fury. Rather, a more “human” tone replied to my doubts. On asking Tait about the reason behind the assassin still being  at large, I got a reply which was awfully jolting.

“I knew that someday or the other, the truth had to emerge, from the burden of deceit and lies,” said Tait. “Key was a prominent figure, who ruled the roost among his political peers. But some of his decisions defied sense and to be more frank, they were jeopardizing the harmony of this nation,” continued Tait. Our faces were like the kindergarten students, who were asked to give SAT’s by their teachers. Tait didn’t end there, and continued from where he left.

“ Key was assassinated by the AIS itself!” These words froze me, denting my morale big time.  “I know, it’s shocking for you’ll, but that’s what the fact is. Our sniper shooters were the ones who carried out the task. We were ‘asked’ to do so by the higher authorities,” carried on Anthony Tait. “Sir, may we know the identities of the so called high authorities,” I intervened. “ I’m sorry, but I do not have the consent to say so,” replied Tait.

Over the due course of 2 hours, what I learnt was simply shuddering, and I simply had no idea of what to do with my professional career. The revelations made by Tait demoralised me and put me in a dilemma. Tait said that the enquiry commission set up to crack the assassination case couldn’t yield results, as they could have never imagined AIS being the true horses behind the assassination.

Tait, however had reasons to ‘justify’ the assassination of Kevin Key.

The war situation in Iraq had worsened, with the American Armed Forces and the NATO losing mettle and incurring tremendous losses. To just maintain cordial ties with the States, Kevin decided that it was time for the Australian Armed Forces to combat Al Qaida and Taliban along with the US Armed Forces and the NATO. This policy reform would have had drastic consequences throughout Down Under, as more than ten thousand members of the Australian Armed Forces would have had their lives risked. On the financial front, the costs incurred would be too huge to bear, as a major chunk of the revenue collected by the government would have to be allocated for the Defence Sector.

But the most staggering revelation from Tait was that, if the Aussie Armed Forces were to be deployed to Iraq, then investors would become more bearish towards Australian Insurance Firms, as their profits would be lowered to a massive extent. Apart from Insurance Firms, the trend towards the Australian Securities Exchange would become more bearish, which would eventually lead to lesser revenues for the government. To make matters worse, the business confidence in the Australian economy too would plunge, as Australia would be vulnerable to more terror attacks.

The reasons, which resulted in Key’s botched up assassination made me wonder that how callous the world could probably get?  Was murdering Key the most appropriate option in such a case? Or, was murdering a man, who toiled hard for the welfare of the nation, the most ethical option? These questions shell shocked me and all I wanted to do was just hand down my resignation to Anthony Tait.

A SIMPLE TASK

The ambience of the “GLORY” lounge was far from its usual extravagant style. Rather, the setting was more somber and dull, with only the dim red bulbs being switched on. In the background, a soft and romantic number of the “BACKSTREET BOYS” titled “QUIT PLAYING GAMES WITH MY HEART” was played. The bartenders were missing; so were the usual party poppers. The T.V. set was switched on, with a domestic T20 game being broadcasted.

There, in one corner, near the inventory of the beer bottles, sat Joe Simmons, the owner of the lounge, with a green coloured Carlsberg bottle in his left hand, and a pen in another. The layers of chin hanging around his neck, and the presence of tiny but numerous blisters on his dark face, made him resemble nothing less than a monster. Joe, or popularly known as the “SIR”, fidgeting with his metallic PIER-CARDIN, said in his husky voice, “Listen Brian, my fella, you got to lose tomorrow’s critical tie.” “The odds placed on you, are really sky-rocketing, and if you win, no crisp notes would be minted, and surely there wouldn't be any raking in the moolah,” continued the fifty year old gangster. “So, are you in for this SIMPLE TASK of just purposely losing the game,” inquired the bulky Joe. “Just for giving up early, you get $40000.”

“$40000 is too humongous an amount to refuse,” came the reply from the person sitting on the next sofa. “You get $20000 now, and the remaining, after the job is done and dusted with,” concluded the gangster, passing on a bundle of notes to the person sitting on the next sofa.

The person was none other than Brian Brown, the nation’s ‘Numero Uno’ wrestler. Brian, a brawny thirty year old man, with tattoos all over his body, had been going through a lean patch in his professional, as well as his personal life. The results in the past few matches had gone against him; and to rub the salt on the wounds, his wife too left him for another man. But the most significant blow to Brian was that, he still had to clear all his debts, and the deadline period, was all, but over. Brian took the notes, and without even counting them, walked away from the lounge.

Apart from going through a turbulent phase in his life, there was another integral factor that had been playing on Brian’s mind. It was regarding his condition of “dissociative amnesia”. It had been a condition, which had resulted in Brian having no memory of certain events in his life. The amnesia had already created a ruckus in the thirty year old wrestler’s life. It was the consequence of amnesia, which had caused his wife to cheat on him, and elope with another man. 

“Whatever! I will lose the game tomorrow and for just being knocked down for 30 seconds, I’ll earn a massive $40000. No task can be as simple as this,” thought Brian, as he opened the door of his rented room.

The annoying sound, sourcing from the hammer striking the metallic ring, indicated the start of the fight.  Brian’s opponent was Dave, a rookie in the wrestling industry. As the robes of both the wrestlers were taken off, Brian boasted of his muscular body and tattoos, and looked real like a hungry and menacing beast.  In contrast, the young rookie, Dave, had a moderate build, and nothing worth boasting as compared to his opponent. Brian was the clear favourite, and a lot of money was bet upon Brian’s win. Joe Simmons knew about this well in advance and hence decided to do the “out-of-the-box” by ensuring that Brian did not win. As a consequence of this, all the bookies on Simmons’ payroll would derive immense profits; so would Joe, by himself placing the bet against Brian.

The fight began, and as expected, Brian had the upper hand. The rookie was not even able to challenge Brian. Simmons entered the arena, and quietly sat among the audience, in the front row.

As the fight was into its tenth minute, Brian stepped back a few steps and halted his actions. Simmons thought that Brian was doing the job, he was paid to do, but it was something else. Brian ceased to attack his opponent and rather began taking the punches on himself.

Dave, the rookie had the ball in his court now, and was bruising Brian. Brian, in the meanwhile had his vision blurred, and blacked out for a few seconds. To everyone’s utter surprise, Brian was going through an amnesia attack. This sudden amnesia attack resulted in Brian, completely losing his memory about the meeting that he had with Simmons.

However, within a couple of minutes, Brian pounced his way back into the fight and punched Dave on the neck, for once and for all. The rookie wrestler lay down with excruciating pain, and lost the fight, as the referee ended his count of three. Brian didn't remember a thing about his meeting with Simmons, and regrettably, that was the only part of his memory that he “lost”. The fight ended, with the referee terming Brian as the winner.

Brian, in spite of winning the fight, had failed the SIMPLE TASK of just acting to be knocked down. As Brian, kissed his champions belt, he could see a man, staring at him with vengeance and fury. For Brian, he was just another spectator, but in reality it was JOE SIMMONS

THE DOCTOR

“I have prescribed some analgesics; and please make sure that you do have them”, said Dr. John Morgan, in a stern voice. Doctors of his hierarchy had to be stern with patients, to ensure that the patients never skipped their doses of tablets. Dr. John Morgan had the physique, which grabbed the eyeballs of his women patients. Morgan’s physique had often resulted in funny banters taking place among his peers; who suggested John to try his luck as a supermodel, rather than doing the mind-numbing job of a ‘Master of Surgeon’ (MS). He towered over his colleagues and stood at an eye- popping 6 feet 4 inches. Doctors hardly were such gigantic in stature. John was considerably young as well for an M.S., aged just 37. But for John, his job was everything. He never let his looks come between his job and career. There were instances when John often slept in the hospital, when the late night surgeries often extended, way above their designated time.

The City Hospital was filled with hustle-bustle and the chitter-chatter of the nurses and the ward boys throughout. It was a mammoth hospital; with seven storey’s and as many as eight Operation Theatres. The flowery fragrance of the phenyl, spread over the snow coloured floors diffused throughout the hospital. Dr. Morgan’s chamber was on the fourth floor, and was sandwiched between two ICU Wards. The fact that he was busy throughout the day was an understatement indeed.

The clock in Dr. John Morgan’s chamber had struck a 90 degree pose, indicating the time to be nine pm. That day had been really tiring and exhausting for Morgan. It was one of those rare days, when Morgan wanted to leave early for home and be far from his place of work. He had never felt the same regarding his job. All John wanted was, a week off from his work, and visit his brother’s family, in the neighboring town. John already had a strained relationship with his brother; and didn’t want to worsen it further, by not visiting him. John looked at the portrait of Jesus Christ with tired and sleep-deprived eyes. This was not an uncommon habit for John. Whenever he was stressed out and grumpy, he often stared at the portrait of Jesus blessing his disciples. He believed that, by doing so it would calm him down.

John decided that he would leave early for the day and left his chamber. Just as John exited the third elevator, on the ground floor, one of the ward-boys came rushing towards him.  The ward boy, Peter was panting and in a stammering voice said, “Wait Dr. John. Don’t go! We need you!” “Calm down Peter! What’s the matter?” “Dr. John, bomb explosions have rocked the city! One of them took place at the nearest railway station, just a mile away. The death toll is going to rise. You should be in the hospital, as a lot of victims would be admitted over here”, replied Peter, in a trembling voice. John stood still, as though the world had ceased to exit. A drop of sweat crossed his face, but he didn’t feel it. Morgan rushed back to the fourth floor, and gazed at the T.V. set in the canteen.

“BOMB BLASTS ROCK CITY! ATLEAST 50 DEAD!” said the reporter. “Fellas, we in for a night out,” said Dr. Andrew, in his casual American accent.

The news channel, broadcasted some disturbing images of the victims, and John, already stressed out questioned his instinct, that could he manage to pass out the night of gore and blood. John glanced at the lobby from the stairs, and could see people in hundreds, thronging the City Hospital. As he walked past the lobby, John could sense the pain and agony of the victims’ family. The daughter of a deceased, stood crying and yelling in grief. While the mother of a teenage victim, sprinted from one corner to the other, in search of a doctor. In contrast, sat a lady in her fifty’s, staring silently, at her brother’s lifeless body, riddled with nails. A stretcher went past John, carrying the headless body of a victim. The white, snow coloured floors that shone on most of the occasions, had turned red with blood. The usual silence of the ICU Ward had been substituted with the crying and yelling of victims and their families.

Dr. Morgan’s first patient arrived, with the layers of his skin hanging out like over-sized shirts. Without even wasting a nano-second, John took the victim into the Operation Theatre, and began his job. “Sterilised needles quickly!” said John in a loud and clear tone. These were the testing times for a doctor. Such situations determined that the real mettle within the doctor. It took about an hour for John, to complete his first job. The second patient too arrived quickly, with his forehead having severe cuts and bruises. This would be a considerably easy job for John, as compared to the operation of the first victim.

For the next couple of hours, John operated up to three more victims, one of whom couldn’t be saved. It was after his fifth surgery, that the news channel flashed yet another breaking news, saying that another bomb detonation had rocked the city. The toll of the dead was obvious to scale greater heights. The numbers of victims being rushed into the City Hospital were escalating at astonishing rates. Dr. John kept on operating patient after patient, in hope that the misery and agony would finally come to a standstill. But it would happen so only after a couple of hours.

It was quarter past two, when John was said that he could leave, as the situation in the hospital was finally under control. A relieved look embraced John’s face, and John finally had some respite. John left for the basement parking lot and throughout the five minute walk, all the nerve-wrecking images of the past four hours juggled around in the 37 year olds mind. John ignited the engine of his car, and drove past the lane of the City Hospital. Just as John went past the railway station, John’s sedan was jolted massively. Within a fraction of a second, John flung out of his car and fell on the pavement. Within seconds, he lay unconscious, surrounded by a pool of blood. It was the third detonation of the day.

Finally after a couple of days, arrived Jason, John’s brother, to claim his body from the morgue of the City Hospital. 

Yes, the very hospital which John considered as his “second home.”

A School in the Clouds

A school in the clouds? Is this just a hyped and a goofed up technological dream or a real possibility in the coming years? Can the efficient and productive use of resources possibly lead to the birth of a schooling system that can change the outlook of education? The above raised questions have always been answered reluctantly by the people who matter; and hence, today question marks are raised regarding the credibility of our current schooling system.  Being a responsible individual, I do sternly support the view that the outlook of our education system can be changed by introducing cloud schools.

Cloud schools refer to that aspect of schooling where children can embark on intellectual adventures by engaging and connecting with information, and mentoring online. To make things uncomplicated, cloud schools can even be termed as “online schools”. Cloud schools or online schools do not require a rocket-science theoretical approach; but rather, simple, and unproblematic execution of ideas put forth. The use of the internet plays the most integral part in the introduction of cloud schools. The computer is the medium that would be the source of transmission of knowledge in this case.

Over the past few decades, the world has developed at an astonishing rate. The products of these rapid developments have been the internet and the computer. The boons of both are known by one and all. But the one pro that stands out, is the fact that both are reasonably easy to operate and access. In 1999, an experiment conducted in the isolated villages of India, did prove this theory right. The experiment was that a computer was installed in one of the corners of the village, and as anticipated, the locals were left spellbound by it. Soon the children began to access it (the locals till that point in time, didn’t even know what a computer meant) and it just took a span of 8 weeks for them to access educational sites and play games! The same computer was further used by experts to teach the children to improve their communication and pronunciation skills, apart from teaching them science. That project too yielded fruitful results, as the level of knowledge of the children increased drastically. As a matter of fact, one of those children that participated in the project went on to become a top call centre executive.

Like the above instance, there have been several other instances, where the uneducated children have known the computer inside-out within the matter of a few weeks. Hence, if the children can know the computer and the internet so quickly, then cloud or online schools too would be positive.

The current methods of teaching and schooling are significantly obsolete, as there is very little scope for application to be applied by the students. The “rote-learning” method, used by an Indian Education Board, has drawn criticism for the past several years, and as a result, such students have failed to perform at the international level. On the other hand, cloud schools will indulge in a lot of application based programs that would motivate the students to excel and perform better. Apart from that, the teacher to the student ratio too would be comparatively low for cloud schools. The “teacher” in this case could be teaching the students from a distance of 1000 miles, via the internet and the webcam. To make the project more secure, an experiment was conducted where a teacher from England, monitored students from Tamil Nadu, from a distance of 4000 miles. This experiment too proved to be highly successful. All it needed for the experiment to be successful was the presence of a broadband connection and a web cam.

Another reason for which I support the theory of cloud schools is that, schools in remote villages of developing nations are situated very distantly, and this takes a massive toll on the students. In some cases, students even have to cycle their way for 20 miles, to reach their school. By the presence of cloud schools, each village would be given several computers and webcams, and there wouldn't arise the need for students, to travel so much. Hence, in such cases, the time of travelling too would be saved. This saved time can be allocated to a more productive purpose by the students.

The teachers for cloud schools too can be easily recruited. Retired and experienced teachers, who just have to spend a couple of hours in front of the computers, can fit the bill. There wouldn't even be a need for the teachers to travel. Such aspect of education would be “fun –learning”, as students these days have found a friend in the computer.

The jobs in the future would demand employees to work with the computers and laptops throughout, rather than manually doing much of the work. The presence of cloud schools would mean that the students would almost be a decade ahead in time, as they would be studying via the computer and the internet.

All it would need, to ensure that the above initiative is a success, would be the undying support of governments, in terms of financing, and the common man, who should approve such an initiative, that has the ability to paint bright futures of the coming generations.

THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY PREVIEW- PART ONE- INDIA

PART ONE: INDIA

DATE: 1st May, 2013

This edition of the ICC Champions Trophy is officially the last one, scheduled to be hosted from the 6th of June to the 23rd of June. The ICC Champions Trophy is to be substituted with the ICC Test Championship that has its first edition scheduled for 2017.  (The host nation remaining England itself).  The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy is going to be hosted by England and Wales, with Edgbaston, The KIA Oval and the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff being the hosting grounds. 36 days before the final edition of the tournament commences, we look at where the participating teams currently stand and conduct a SWOT analysis of the eight teams.

The 8 teams are divided in two groups of four comprising of Group A:

Australia

England

New Zealand

Sri Lanka

Similarly, Group B comprises of:

India

Pakistan

South Africa

West Indies

The first match of the Champions Trophy or the ‘Mini World Cup’ is to be played between the current number one ranked India and South Africa at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, while the finals are to be played at the Edgbaston in Birmingham. We start off our analysis from Group B and then gradually move on to the Group A teams.

Team 1: INDIA

The Indian Team has recently got a gigantic monkey off its back by winning a test series. The Indian Cricket Team has been going through a lean patch post their ICC 2011 World Cup Triumph. This patch seems to be done and dusted with, with their recent string of performances against Australia, who were all at sea against the spin twins of R.Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The 4-0 whitewash of the Australian team by their hands should boost the levels of confidence within the Indian dressing room and most importantly, should relieve the pair of M.S.Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher, whose places in the hierarchy was often put under the scanner.

Test matches are a different ball game altogether as compared to the limited overs game. The previous ODI series involving India was against England, which India, the hosts won by a margin of 3-2. Well, a higher margin was expected as England had rested four of their key players involving James Anderson and Graeme Swann, who had a sensational outing in the Test series. However, the one aspect that will be testing the mindset of the Indians would be that, just a week before the ODI series against England , India had lost an ODI series at home for the first time in 3.5 years and that too against arch rivals Pakistan. And what’s more? India faces off with Pakistan on the 15th of June for the 10th match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. India even plays the curtain raiser of the tournament along with South Africa.

India’s previous ODI assignment outside the subcontinent was in the CB Series in Australia, where they failed to even qualify for the finals. But that tournament was immortalised by the courtesy of a scorcher of an innings played by Virat Kohli in the do- or -die match against Sri Lanka in Hobart, scoring a brutal 133* off just 86 deliveries. That innings was the only point worth cherishing in the CB Series. Post the CB Series, the Indians have played the Asia Cup and there too they failed to qualify for the finals, with Pakistan winning it.

The 4-1 series win over Sri Lanka in their own den was a high indeed, but the ODI series that followed against Pakistan was an absolute lull. But there were positives in the Pakistan ODI series as well. The emergence of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar into the arena as a Swing Bowler took everyone by surprise. The comeback of Ishant Sharma too caught the eye and this should just increase the chances of Sharma booking a ticket for England.

But the one positive that rose from the England ODI series was the maturity of Suresh Raina as a composed batsman and his ability to play as per the game situation. Four half centuries in four innings including a vital 89*, speaks for itself. The metamorphosis of Ravindra Jadeja into a genuine All Rounder too should enhance India’s chances in the last edition of the Champions Trophy.

PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR:

VIRAT KOHLI:  Being termed as ‘India’s next captain’ by the cricketing pundits, Virat has been in the form of his life. In spite of having a couple of mediocre series’ against England and Pakistan at home, Virat would be itching to prove his critics wrong. 2012 was a golden year for Virat Kohli who scored as many as 5 ODI tons and at an excellent strike rate as well. The last ODI played by India in England too would be etched in Virat’s memory as he scored a scintillating 107 off just 93 balls against the hosts. However, India ended up on being the losing side. Virat has been India’s wall of strength during the testing times, and only time will tell that how Virat performs in the ‘Champions Trophy’.

BHUVANESHWAR KUMAR:  Swing bowling has always been complimented by the English conditions, which are a treat for any swing bowler. Looking at this prospect, BHUVANESHWAR KUMAR becomes a handy investment to make in. Bhuvi, as called by the mates of his Indian Team, first caught the eye by bowling a wonderful spell of 4-0-9-3 against Pakistan in a T20 game at Bangalore. His ODI debut too was perfect, castling Mohammed Hafeez for a first ball duck, and getting a wicket of his very first ball. Bhuvaneshwar’s ability to swing the ball both ways means that in England he would be the one bowler on which the Indians would rely to make early inroads.

RAVINDRA JADEJA: Off late, Jadeja has been made the butt of the sarcastic jokes which add a prefix of ‘SIR’ too his name. But he too has silenced all his critics with his all round abilities. As of now, MS Dhoni, the Indian skipper sees him just as a bowling all rounder and more importantly, a candidate who can fill the fifth bowler’s slot, which has been a headache for the Indian team Management for the past few years. And who can forget that comeback match of Ravindra Jadeja , back in 2011, in England itself, where he played a delightful innings of 78 and took India to a respectable total of 234-7 after being 58-5. He even went on to take a couple of wickets in that very game. But the main issue regarding Jadeja is about his inconsistent form. If he manages to be consistent, with both the bat and the ball, then Jadeja would be a tremendous asset for India.

STRENGTH: The strength of the Indian team lies in their batting. A formidable middle order comprising of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni means that a high total for the Indian team is always on the cards. While chasing too, these names would play a crucial role in taking India home and finishing well.

WEAKNESS: The bowling of the Indian team remains their weakness. The death bowling has remained a critical aspect where the Indian bowlers have failed miserably. Ishant Sharma, Ashoke Dinda and Umesh Yadav, all have economy rates on the higher side, with the latter two having economy rates of above 6, meaning a threat sign. The Indian bowling coach, Joe Dawes would have to work in this area and ensure that the Indian bowlers do not leak a lot of runs in the critical death overs, which could change the course of the match.

LIKELY SQUAD: Now that Virender Sehwag has been dropped, India needs to find his replacement, and that candidate seems to be none other than SHIKHAR DHAWAN. Dhawan broke a few records in his debut innings against Australia at Mohali, where he scored a record-breaking 187 off just 174 balls. By far, that innings is considered as the best by an Indian on debut. Dhawan has played 5 ODI’s for India and averages a mere 13, with just a half century in his kitty. He would be determined to turn things around for India in the Champions Trophy.

ISHANT SHARMA’S return to prime form could mean that Shami Ahmed would have to wait for his chances and taking into account the experience, Ishant would be an asset for India in the Champions Trophy if he gets his rhythm.

AMIT MISHRA has made his case stronger by performing very well in the ongoing IPL, and a recent hat-trick taken by Mishra, seems to be going in his favour. Mishra has played 15 ODI’s for India and has taken 19 wickets at an impressive economy rate of just 4.52. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Mishra gets selected for the Champions Trophy.

DINESH KARTHIK’S recent purple patch for the MUMBAI INDIANS means that he could well be on his way to England as both, a backup wicket keeper and a top order batsman.

The 15 men squad could be:

MS Dhoni (c,wk), V.Kohli (vc), G.Gambhir, S.Dhawan, A.Rahane/R.Sharma, Y.Singh, S.Raina, R.Jadeja, I.Pathan, R.Ashwin, B.Kumar, I.Sharma, A.Mishra, D.Karthik, U.Yadav.

CHANCES OF WINNING: HIGH

CONCLUSION: Looking at the squad and the recent form of players, the INDIAN team seems to have high chances of lifting the final Champions Trophy. But as they say, “CRICKET IS A FUNNY GAME”, the squad on paper may be looking strong, but only time will tell that how they perform in the Champions Trophy.

The Landscape

December 30, 1999
09:30 hrs

Some where in the snow clad villages, in close proximity to L.O.C.

Their eyes scanned the landscape below them. There was only one path which they could take. The snow clad mountains bordered the arena. The whoosh of the winds sent shivers down the spines of the villagers residing near the Line Of Control (LOC). The fields showed no signs of green, but just a thick blanket of snow jacketing the entire land. The orange ball of fire, known to be ruthless during the summers, couldn't unleash its terror today, when it was needed the most.

“Which way do we go comrades,” inquired an eager Raj Singh, or to be more precise Lieutenant Raj Singh. The four men dressed in brown apparels were none other than the Prisoners Of War (POW) of the recently concluded ‘Kargil War’, in which the Indian Armed Forces outplayed their Pakistani Counterparts, but nonetheless, at an expense of as close to 525 brave hearts, who proudly laid down their lives for their motherland. The four men; Lt. Raj Singh, Capt. Jay Rathod, Lt. Samar Singh and Lt. Ajay Singh, all in their thirties, were captured by the Pakistani Patrol Party in mid June near the Batalik Sector of India.
                                              
Since then, the four were the so called ‘guests’ of Pakistan and received the ‘Pakistani hospitality’ to the fullest. This was evident from their physical features. Blade-marks on the chest were just one of those permanent scars which the four had implicated upon their bodies. Cigarette burns on the hands and chests had become a daily routine for the four ill-fated men. After six months of humiliation, torture and atrocities, the four finally decided that they had enough and it was time for them to either escape or lick cyanide. Being gallant war heroes, they chose the former.

Their hopes from the government to bail them out from such mess too had been put to rest. Six months had passed on since their capture but their government had completely disowned them, labeling them as ‘Officially Unofficial’.

THE ESCAPE

The four had successfully bribed an official within the confinement, to give them access to the nearby village through a Pakistani Convoy and four sets of the Pakistani Army uniforms. They had planned their heist flawlessly as, post mid night the security was comparatively lax. At 01:30 hrs on December 30, the men clad as Pakistani Soldiers, sneaked through the back gate of the confinement and without much hustle-bustle started their convoy. The patrol guards of the confinement didn't take long to figure out the mystery of the missing men.

Within a couple of hours, the nearest motorway was occupied by armed vehicles and check-posts. The four men had no choice but to desert their convoy and take refuge in the surrounding snow-clad mountains. Singing motivational songs and reciting soul-inspiring anecdotes whilst their escape was the only thing which boosted the motivational levels of the four men. At 09:30 hrs, they were still holed up in Pakistan, though the Indian Borders weren't too far.  “Five to ten miles,” as per Capt. Jay Rathod’s calculation.

This would take them another one-eighty to two hundred minutes. “My feet have worn out”, grumbled Lt. Samar Singh. “Just endure through this pain for now, when you have a glimpse of your family, all of it will vanish,” came the reply from Lt. Ajay Singh. Reaching their motherland was the sole objective of the four men, who didn't even mind dying, once after reaching their nation. But would they reach??

The four stopped by a stream to relax but their process of relaxation was distressed by a .45 caliber bullet piercing through Lt. Ajay Singh’s chest, splitting it wide open, with blood gushing through; like water flowing out of a pipe. He died within a few seconds. Suddenly treacherous but familiar sounds were audible to the three remaining men. The Pakistani patrol team was chasing them down and it was their bullet which had slaughtered Lt. Ajay Singh. The three remaining men galloped as quickly as they could. They didn't cease until they found an abandoned bike lying in the snow clad region.

 Fortunately though, the engine ignited its powers and it began, and with all difficulty the three managed to ride it and get past the snowy region. While on the pillion seat, Lt. Samar could feel a liquidish mania in contact with his right arm. It was blood flowing through Capt. Jay Rathod’s chest. Samar’s eyes popped out on realising that his senior was no more. Capt. Jay Rathod had breathed his last on the bike and one off the bullets being blindly fired had killed him.

Three green vans belonging to the Pakistani Border Guards were following the bike, while the men inside were recklessly shelling out bullets. The bike took a left turn and disappeared into a half- a- mile long cave which had another end through which sunshine illuminated it. The engines of the three vans ceased, while the officials within them were bowled over by the sudden ‘disappearance’ of a bike.

Lt. Raj Singh carefully plunged the bike out of the cave and advanced further. Samar Singh in the meanwhile unbuckled his haversack bag and glared through the binoculars. The nearest Indian check post was visible, situated a mile away. This was the mile which separated the two men from their motherland. On hearing the sound of a bike escalating, the Indian Guards became vigilant and had a look through their binoculars. They could see two men dressed in Pakistani Army apparels rushing towards their check post.

The guards at the check post knew that there was a high probability that the two men on the bike could be suicide-bombers trying to disrupt the activities of the Indian Border Guards. The men on the bike were too close now and it was time to quickly react.
Following the orders of a senior Captain in the check post, two guards fired an RPG rocket towards the two men, whom they perceived as ‘suicide-bombers’. 

The bike was popped out in the air like the cap of a champagne bottle and settled down in the snow, with fumes visible.

The two men on the bike lay dead.