Jai Hind: Proud to be an Indian

The way we react to results of cricket matches indicates whether we are just fans or lunatics or extremists. Our reaction has always been temperamental. No wonder Rahul Dravid quit as captain and Dhoni’s family declined to join in the celebrations!!!!!

THE RECEPTION accorded to the Indian Cricket Team after it won the Twenty20 World Cup was unbelievable. The team deserved it because we won an international trophy after a gap of 21 long years. But the huge number of fans that gathered in Mumbai to receive the team and the celebrations that followed across the country set me thinking – are we just cricket fans or lunatics or extremists? Are we the same people who performed the Indian team’s last rites after its debacle in the Caribbean? Are we the same people who stoned Dhoni’s house in Ranchi? Are we the same people who wrote Irfan Pathan off and gave the verdict that Virender Sehwag’s days as a cricketer were over? Yes we are. But in one fell swoop, everything is right again.

Dhoni can do nothing wrong now. Irfan is a star again and Harbhajan, a loser until a few weeks ago, has redeemed himself. Money and rewards are flowing in like anything. For three days, cricket hogged the limelight in the media, be it the print media or electronic media. Cricketers had become “God.”

But I wish that the youngsters did not become complacent after the frenzied welcome they received. A couple of more losses to Australia in the ongoing series will make them demons yet again. The clamour for sacking a few players will arise again and the same fans and media will lead the charge. Why? We are a nation of cricket extremists. No wonder Rahul Dravid quit as captain.

This schizophrenic behaviour on the part of the Indian fan is enough to dismantle the toughest wall. Dhoni’s family perhaps realised this and therefore declined to join in the celebrations outside their house. The crowd baying for their son’s blood a few months back was still fresh in their memory. So boys, we love you and your game. But just keep winning, alright. We can’t bear losses!

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