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The news of the dismal performance of Indian team in Australia reached to the chaupal of my village. Everybody looked upset, unhappy and disappointed with the way tour has been going on so far.
“Can anybody tell me how India is faring in Australia” septuagenarian Sajjan chacha asked this question before the gathering. But everyone present in the gathering was sure that this ‘anybody’ was addressed for sukhia sukhwardhan, who always kept a small radio in his pocket and never failed to listen to commentary. It was his unsaid responsibilities to convey the latest updates about the cricket match to the villagers. He was quite happy to get another opportunity to tell the highlights of the match.
“Two days already passed chachha , and Indian team has reached in danger zone. When team got all out at 191 runs yesterday, at that time I sensed the trouble, but never knew that Australia would make such a mammoth score, 482/4. Still six wickets are to play, it is almost certain that India would lose this match. One match they have already lost, second in pipeline, I do not understand what has happened to Indian team”- there was a genuine concerned in his tone.
“ Last year, when Indian team visited England, there also they lost all matches there from the Anrez”- Added Somra, felt happy to express his general knowledge about Indian cricket at the chaupal. “But India defeated England in all matches when team England toured here”- Sukhia sukhwardhan continued.
“That I do not understand why our team loses the match when they play at foreign land” – Khurpathia put this question before the chaupal assembly. Now everybody was trying to find the right reason of our cricketers’ abysmal performance at overseas.
“Can anybody tell me how India is faring in Australia” septuagenarian Sajjan chacha asked this question before the gathering. But everyone present in the gathering was sure that this ‘anybody’ was addressed for sukhia sukhwardhan, who always kept a small radio in his pocket and never failed to listen to commentary. It was his unsaid responsibilities to convey the latest updates about the cricket match to the villagers. He was quite happy to get another opportunity to tell the highlights of the match.
“Two days already passed chachha , and Indian team has reached in danger zone. When team got all out at 191 runs yesterday, at that time I sensed the trouble, but never knew that Australia would make such a mammoth score, 482/4. Still six wickets are to play, it is almost certain that India would lose this match. One match they have already lost, second in pipeline, I do not understand what has happened to Indian team”- there was a genuine concerned in his tone.
“ Last year, when Indian team visited England, there also they lost all matches there from the Anrez”- Added Somra, felt happy to express his general knowledge about Indian cricket at the chaupal. “But India defeated England in all matches when team England toured here”- Sukhia sukhwardhan continued.
“That I do not understand why our team loses the match when they play at foreign land” – Khurpathia put this question before the chaupal assembly. Now everybody was trying to find the right reason of our cricketers’ abysmal performance at overseas.
Mangatram , who was denied the subsidized grains from the public distributive system last month because of some unknown reasons wanted to know whether players were getting enough food in the foren country or not ? When he was told that Indian team was not facing food shortage over there and they are fed amply, he was not sure. When Sukhia showed the recent photos of Indian players appeared in today’s newspaper in that some of them were looking plump and rest of them were looking happy and contended ,then only he accepted it.
But Budhiya, a skill development beneficiary, who recently left the job and came to village from Delhi was very much concerned about players’ accommodation, playing time and pay perks. “How can our player perform well, when they are made to play early in the morning at 5 o’clock, who knows they may be kept in stadium without proper bed, bathroom facility, you know these things also matter in performance.”
Somra laughed at his enquiry and replied: “you are a real simpleton, they are big players, they have no dearth of money or connection, and anywhere they can have good accommodation, food, pay perks and all facilities. One thing more, Australia timing is different from Indian timing. When here is 5 am. , in Australia it is around 9 o’clock. So their playing timing is not bad”
Somra laughed at his enquiry and replied: “you are a real simpleton, they are big players, they have no dearth of money or connection, and anywhere they can have good accommodation, food, pay perks and all facilities. One thing more, Australia timing is different from Indian timing. When here is 5 am. , in Australia it is around 9 o’clock. So their playing timing is not bad”
“You are right bhaiya,” MGNREGS card holder chamka added, “they work more than hundred days playing cricket ,then they work on television selling toothpaste soap, detergent etc. , then they have other livelihoods for rest of the year, why they will be poor or in problem anywhere”
“When they are getting good food, good accommodation, good pay perk, good working condition, then also why they do not perform well. Are Angrez, Australians more talented than our players” Sajjan chacha asked this question to “anybody Sukhia “.
“No kaka, it is not so, otherwise they would have defeated our player here also.”
“Then” sajjan chacha was perplexed.
There was a lull in the chaupal assembly for some time. First time Mukhiyaji entered into the discussion. With his heavy tone he continued “see we have (khet) fields in all the directions but are all fields same. No, all fields are not same. The field north to our village is good for paddy cultivation but not good for gram and the field west to our village is good for gram and paddy but not so good for sugar cane. Matlab ye, ( it means ) sometimes everything is ok, you are a good farmer, you have good seeds, you have good working bulls but if field is not suitable then how will you expect good yield”
Ok, so field is not suitable for our player – ohhhh—understood— almost everybody spoke in unison.
“Then” sajjan chacha was perplexed.
There was a lull in the chaupal assembly for some time. First time Mukhiyaji entered into the discussion. With his heavy tone he continued “see we have (khet) fields in all the directions but are all fields same. No, all fields are not same. The field north to our village is good for paddy cultivation but not good for gram and the field west to our village is good for gram and paddy but not so good for sugar cane. Matlab ye, ( it means ) sometimes everything is ok, you are a good farmer, you have good seeds, you have good working bulls but if field is not suitable then how will you expect good yield”
Ok, so field is not suitable for our player – ohhhh—understood— almost everybody spoke in unison.
Somra wanted to differ with Mukhiyaji’s field theory, he wanted to ask why this field was barren for India and fertile for Australian but he knew once mukhiyaji told his final opinion, it was useless to question it. He too followed chaupal tradition and admired mukhiyaji’s wit.
Finally my villagers were able to find the reasons of Indian players’ poor performance in Australia.
[ As I was informed by my childhood friend over the phone ]
Finally my villagers were able to find the reasons of Indian players’ poor performance in Australia.
[ As I was informed by my childhood friend over the phone ]
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Ramanuj Dubey
Ramanuj Dubey
