Baba, we won!

Whenever India played, everyone in my home got transformed into highly superstitious individuals. We all had our respective chairs in the living room and I bet Baba planned our seating arrangements more meticulously than Ganguly planned the team’s fielding positions. A very mild-mannered man, Baba amazed everyone by shouting at the cable-operator if the reception was bad but would later make it a point to celebrate with him when India won.

Baba was very much against the mindless criticism of the cricket team, in which most people indulged in. He was one of the few Indian cricket fans who believed that our players were, after all, human. Nevertheless, whenever India lost a match, he seemed to be disillusioned with the team. He did not talk much but his countenance appeared to echo Hamlet’s thoughts: “How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world”. But this was just a temporary phase. As he always said, the next match was always a new game.

Baba and I often discussed Indo-Pak relations and whether cricket should be dragged into politics. When India beat Pakistan in the league match during last year’s World Cup, he had expressed his annoyance with the government for depriving us of the pleasure of watching the two nations play. Every time India refused to tour Pakistan, he would get disheartened and wonder when we would get to witness this historic encounter.

Well, it finally took place and what a series the ODIs turned out to be! But watching cricket without him is just not the same. When he died, cricket was deprived of one of its most ardent fans. Baba, how I wish you were here with me to watch these matches. But wherever you are now, I know you were overjoyed to learn that India will play Pakistan after all.

And, yes Baba, we won!