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Entire month of october and first half of november saw India awash in cricket mania. ODI World cup cricket was being held in India from 5 october 2023 to 19 november 2023.

As games progressed, we found India keep winning one match after another. They won all their nine group matches and finished top of the table. In contrast, other teams had to scramble and fight hard to qualify for the semi finals. When the group matches were over, India were at the top with nine wins, South Africa and Australia, with seven wins each were second and third. New Zealand, with five wins took the fourth and final semi final position. Other six teams, including England the defending champions fell by the wayside.

The last three matches, unlike the first 45 matches, were knockout matches. What happened in the group stages had no bearing on what was going to happen in the semi finals.

India had to face New Zealand in the semi final. It was all very tough and stressful for Indian fans. If Afghanistan, who had Australia on the mat in their group match, had managed to take the last three Australian wickets as cheaply as they had claimed the top seven wicket, then Afghanistan could well have qualified as the fourth team and faced India. But that was not to be. Afghanistan failed to claim another wicket and Australia claimed a miraculous victory, without losing any more wicket.

New Zealand had been a difficult opponent for India in world cups. In the group stage, India had managed to break a 20 year old jinx of always losing to New Zealand in World cups, but would they be able to do it again in the semi final ? It would have been very difficult for India to take the blow had the hitherto undefeated Indian team gone down to New Zealand that had lost as many as four out of their nine matches in the tournament and had only won against non qualifying teams in the tournament. India piled on a big total batting first, but New Zealand, despite losing two early wickets, were looking well set to overhaul India total. To make matters worse, India had even dropped a catch when a well set New Zealand batsman gave a catch.

When it all looked lost, fortunately Williamson mishit one attempted six and this time the fielder at the boundary made no mistake. This lucky break fortunately turned the tide in favour of India. New Zealand kept fighting, as is their wont, but India managed to win by 70 runs in the end. The huge target set by Indian batsmen helped them in winning the semi final.

The other Semi final saw South Africa electing to bat first on winning the toss, as they had done in group matches. Unlike in group matches, where they would pile on huge totals and then defend the total, this time they found the going tough. The ball was seaming and swinging all around so their decision to bat first backfired. South Africa were soon reduced to 24/4. They could not recover from it and were bowled out for 212. Australia in reply made a quick start, but soon started to lose wickets, especially to spin. In the end, they huffed and puffed to a three wickets win.

So, final was set up between India and Australia. Our media, and even for that matter even the foreign media began to think that Indian win in the final was going to be a certainty.

When final took place, we saw that Australia had done their homework and they had made elaborate plans. They won the toss, and elected to field, much to the surprise of Indians. Indians, it was thought would score a big total, like they had done in the semi final and that would be curtains for Australia. But that was not to be. India, after scoring 80/2 in ten overs, could only score 160/8 in the next forty overs. Australia, after losing three early wickets, recovered, consolidated and finally emerged comfortable winners by six wickets, with 43 balls to spare.

What happened in the final ? Why all predictions and forecasts of Indian wins went haywire ?

It was difficult to see the faint writing on the wall in the haze of shrill hype, but the facts were unmistakably indicating that Indian think tank were getting too arrogant and cocky for their own good. By the final, Indians were no longer playing like a team that was hungry. It was looking like an overfed team that thought it had done enough and they only needed to do the same thing once again in the final that they had done ten times.

But Australia, that struggled in the beginning of the tournament, had gradually got into their grooves. Unlike India, whose graph had peaked and was now on decline, Australian graph was nearing its peak and still climbing.

With the benefit of hindsight, we can see so many weaknesses that India possessed that other teams failed to exploit but Austrlia exploited.

India think tank were complacent in the final and they had underestimated Australia. Australia on the other hand had done their homework thoroughly for each and every Indian players. Indian think tank played exactly the same team that they had played for the last few matches. That played into Australian hands because for them it was liking guessing the question paper correctly. India needed to ask them questions out of syllabus. In other words, India needed to do something that Australia had not prepared for.

What was that ? It meant India needed to play Ashwin. Australia had so many lefthanders in their team. Ashwin was a tried and successful bowler against them. In the first match between these two teams at Chennai, Ashwin was played and he was very economical and effective against Australia taking one for 34 in his ten overs. That is not all. Ashwin had also played against Australia in the quarterfinal in 2011. There he had taken 2 top order wickets for 52 in his ten overs. India had won that quarterfinal match. But India, in a lakeer ka fakeer manner blindly followed the dictum of “do not disturb the winning combination”. They did not realise that their tried and tested combination was a losing combination against Australia.

Moreover, Indian “winning” combination was easier to plan against for Australians and their planning was meticulous. They had plans for each Indian batsmen. Their task was made easier because all Indian batsmen in top order were right handers. Moreover, they had a left arm pacer (Starc). It is a kind of bowler that always troubles Indian right hander batsmen. And so it proved. Starc turned out to be the wrecker in chief claiming three for 55 including the key wickets of Gill and Rahul.

This Indian team was seriously dependent on good start by first three wickets. For the second time in the tournament, first three batsmen failed. The first occasion too was against the same team in group match. Once India lost the first three wickets at the total of 81, it was as if wind was taken out of Indian sails. The batsmen at the crease started to bat timidly realising that they had too long a tail. While 80 runs were scored in 10 overs, only 160 runs were scored in next 40 overs.

If either Gill or Shreyas Aiyyar had survived for another ten overs, then things would have been different, but that was not to be.

One can say that the team balance was very badly disturbed after the injury of Pandya. His presence allowed India to have six frontline bowlers and longer batting. Because of his absence, the team had longer tail. Suryakumar Yadav turned out to be a failure with the bat. Team management expectation that he would be able to bat like how he batted in T20 were misplaced. He failed abysmally to justify the faith the team management had on him.

Those who think that this team was very strong and deserved to win the title got their answer in the final. No, this team was not strong enough to win the final. It had only five bowlers. If one of them failed, the team bowling failed. Likewise, the batting relied on big contribution from top three. If that did not come, then the entire batting collapsed like a pack of cards. All these weaknesses were exposed in the final match.

So, Indians have be be reconciled to the fact that they were second best in the final and therefore they end up as the runners up.

The last ODI world cup title win of India was in 2011. When we look at that team, we realise how lucky Indians were to have that team. That team did not slow down after the fall of three wickets. In fact that team did not slow down even after the fall of five wickets. In the quarterfinal against Australia in 2011, India chasing 261, were reduced to 187/5. The sixth wicket pair of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina then calmly took India home adding 74 runs in 61 balls.

Absense of one player did not upset the balance of that team, unlike this team of 2023. The team of 2023 had only five bowlers in the team and there were no part time backup bowlers in the playing XI. The team of 2011 played with four bowlers and seven batsmen. Most batsmen were very good wicket taking bowlers as well. Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina- all could bowl and take wickets. In fact Gambhir and Kohli were the only top order batsmen in the team that were not bowlers. Yuvraj Singh in fact proved out to be the second most successful wicket taker for the team with 15 wickets !

And what about the batting of the 2011 Indian team ? Most of the time, a left hand-right hand batting combination was at the crease, making life difficult for the opposition bowlers. Half the batsmen were left handers and half the batsmen were right handers. Likewise in bowling, we had left arm pacers (Zaheer Khan, and Asish Nehra) and right arm pacer (Munaf Patel), followed by challenging offspin spin by Harbhajan Singh/ Ashwin, left arm othodox spin by Yuvraj Singh etc. This mind boggling variety while batting as well as bowling proved very important in the success of that team. This fact has not received adeqaute attention from the future think tanks of BCCI (including the present think tank).

What is more, the playing XI of that team kept getting changed and opponents found players in the playing XI they could not plan against. For example, Raina did not play in the group stage and he unexpectedly made his presence felt tellingly in the quarterfinal (against Australia) and in the semifinal (against Pakistan) and turned potentially match losing totals into match winning totals.

That team did lose one match. That was their final group match against South Africa. That loss made that Indian team shed any complacency/ overconfidence that they had developed about themselves. They were ready for the knockout stages with renewed vigour and hunger.

Though it is unfair to compare and contrast between two teams, but we can see that the present team did not have the same depth as the team of 2011. In fact, Indian teams of 2015 as well as 2019, like the team of 2023 have seemingly followed the same pattern. They top the group stage on the strength of their top order batsmen, and the weaknesses of their lower order batsmen remains unexposed. Their batting/ bowling fails in the all important knockout stage. These teams lack top order batsmen who could also bowl ten overs out of fifty. Their batting fire power fizzles off after the early loss of top order wickets. Lack of lower order batting firepower may have been the missing link that had made the all important difference in the final outcome of Indian teams in these tournaments.

Be thankful that the weakness got exposed only in the final. It could well have been exposed in the semi final itself. That would have been far more painful than the loss in the final. Let us also thank teams like South Africa and Afghanistan. They kept Pakistan out of semi final. Had it been India vs Pakistan semi final then a loss for India there would have left an unimaginably deep scar in the collective psyche of Indians.

Indians were using the same tricks against every team that were becoming old. They failed to surprise Australia with some new tricks. Australia were well prepared. Australia beat India hollow in planning and excecution.

This defeat has been very difficult for most Indians to take. The aftermath of this defeat had sent Indians into mass depression, despondency and disappointment.The six weaks time following this tournament seems to have been a big waste of time, money and productivity, which still could have been forgotte, forgiven and justified had India won the final.

Now that the inevitable has happened and Indians do not know how to react, it is time they pick themselves up and limp back to their normal lives. Let them learn some lessons and use these lessons in future when similar cricket tournaments come up again.

I, like million others find myself in the same boat, has noted down some points, that I hope will help us cope with such events in a more painless manner. So read along.

India has already reached where it could have reached in cricket. Any more investment in cricket will only be a waste of effort according to the law of diminishing returns. Instead of investing more money on cricket which will not lead to any improvement in the form of ICC titles, it is better if Indian sportslovers start detoxifying themselves from cricket. Take as much interest in cricket as you take in other sports and no more. What is the level of interest in Hockey for Indians ? They take interest only when a hockey tornament is on. Once the tournament is over, Indians quickly forget hockey. Few people know the names of Indian hockey players. Same level of interest need to be shown for Indian cricket. ODI world cup was over two days back. So go back to your normal life. Feeling of hurt, disillusionment, pain etc will serve no useful purpose because you have no say in running of Indian cricket. Please realise the true facts of life and be done with it. In India cricket is run by BCCI which is a private society registered in Chennai. It wants your money and it is excellent in taking money out of your pocket, but it is not answerable to you as an Indian citizen. The sooner you realise it and get reconciled to it, the better it will be for you.

India (which is BCCI)reached the final and lost there. Our media made so much noise while covering the world cup, that it convinced everyone that Indian team was far too good for all opposition and it was 100 % going to lift the title. Everyone bought into this hype and ended up enriching the coffers of BCCI and ICC. Not just public, even the government got influenced by the hype as we could see on the day of the final.

It is high time Indians learnt the lesson and stopped buying the hype created by Indian media. This hype was so sickening. To my mind it was no different from air pollution in North India. Air pollution was affecting only North India but this hype pollution had far worse effect on Indian population all over India. When the hype bubble got punctures, Indians who bought into the hype are finding it very difficult to come to grips with reality. Please learn from this experience and make sure that you will not allow this happen again the next time another cricket world cup comes around (in one year time). If possible, make use of this experience to say no to the next IPL that will come up in five months time. No amount of playing IPL will make BCCI players world beaters in ICC events The sooner we realise it the better it is for you. In any cases there have been enough Indians who have been brainwashed into following cricket and they will continue following it. Those who do not want to suffer from the same shock again unlike the brainwashed population should learn the lesson and move on. They should follow cricket only when the team is doing well and stop following it when the team is not performing well. That is what we do while following other sports. So why should cricket be any different ?

Why put all your eggs in the same basket ? You are an Indian, not a neighbouring country that has no other sport other than cricket to look up to. Look at other sports. They have so much pleasure to give you. Chess for example. Are indians aware that India is number two chess playing nation in the world in chess ranking? USA is number one, Russia, for long number one in the world has fallen behind India at number three. Chess, unlike cricket is played in every country of the world. Other cricket playing nations are far far behind India in Chess. Among other teams participating in the cricket world cup, Netherlands is second at 11^th, England is 14^th, Australia 42^nd, Bangaldesh 70^th, South Africa 71^st, New Zealand 79^th, Sri Lanka 99^th, Pakistan 110^th, Afghanistan 123^rd. On the same days when cricket world cup was being held, grand swiss Chess tournament was held. Is was sort of like Wimbledon of Chess where the highest ranked players from the world participated. Indians won the open (men’s) as well as Women’s title in this tournament. That should have been the biggest sporting achievement for Indians in recent times, but Indians were not even aware of it.

Apart from chess, Indians are world class in shooting, Archery, badminton as well. With a fraction of money and time that is being devoted to cricket, india will be among world’s best in other sports as well.

In brief, Indian interest in cricket has already touched the level of oversaturation. It is high time we make it a little unsaturated where performance and title wins are rewarded, while non performance and non title wins are penalised by lack of interest from the public. If public keep rewarding cricketers who act more as rock stars and less as cricketers then Indian public will keep suffering the same heartbreaks in future as well. Say no to such heartbreaks again.

Yesterday (20 november 2023), which was the day after the cricket world cup final and a day of disappointment for Indians, I had posted a song that some of our regulars thought was being published to mourn the Indian defeat, but without any accompanying writeup I was told that a writeup, with a few words of consolation would be appreciated. So, here is this writeup which I hope will act as some balm to the pains that Indian cricket followers have suffered.

On this occasion, here is a song from “Mr India”(1987). “Mr India”(1987) was produced by Boney Kapoor and Directed by Shekhar Kapur and Satish Kaushik. The movie had Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Ashok Kumar, Satish Kaushik, Anu Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani, Ahmed Khan, Bob Christo, Harish Patel, Ramesh Deo, Yunus Parvez, Anjan Srivastava, Ajit Vachchani, Karan Nath, Sharat Saxena, Gurbachan, Dalip Tahil etc in it.

This movie had six songs in it. Three songs have been covered in the past.

This song, a suitable song for the occasion is sung by Kishore Kumar. Javed Akhtar is the lyricist. Music is composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The song is picturised on Anil Kapoor and several kids.

Happy version (Video)

Sad version I(Audio)

Sad version II (Video)

Song-Zindagi ki yahi reet hai (Mr India)(1987) Singer-Kishore Kumar, Lyrics-Javed Akhtar, MD-Laxmikant Pyarelal
Children Chorus

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Lyrics

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Happy version
————————

zuzuzuzuzu
zuzuzuzuzu
zuzuzuzuzu
zuzuzuzuzu
zuzuzuzuzu(ruru)
zuzuzuzuzu(ruru)
zuzuzuzuzu(ruru)
zuzuzuzuzu(ruru)

zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai
thhode aansu hain thhodi hansi
aaj gham hai to kal hai khushi ee
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai
thhode aansu hain thhodi hansi
aaj gham hai to kal hai khushi ee
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai

zindagi raat bhi hai
savera bhi hai zindagi
zindagi raat bhi hai
savera bhi hai zindagi
zindagi hai safar aur
basera bhi hai zindagi
zindagi hai safar aur
basera bhi hai zindagi
ek pal dard ka gaanv hai
doosra sukh bhari chhaanv hai
har naye pal naya geet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai

gham ka baadal jo chhaaye
to ham muskuraate rahe
gham ka baadal jo chhaaye
to ham muskuraate rahe
apni aankhon mein aashaaon ke
deep jalaate rahe
aaj bigde to kal phir baney
aaj roothhe to kal phir maney ae
waqt bhi jaise ik meet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai
thhode aansu hain thhodi hansi
aaj gham hai to kal hai khushi
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai

—————————
Sad version I
—————————-

khelte khelte ek titli na jaane kahaan kho gayi ee
khelte khelte ek titli na jaane kahaan kho gayi
ek nanhi kiran kyun andhere mein yoon so gayi
(aa aa aa aa aa)
sabki aankhon mein fariyaad hai
(aa aa aa aa aa)
sabke dil mein teri yaad hai ae
(aa aa aa aa aa)
tu nahin hai teri preet hai
(aa aa aa aa aa)
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
(aa aa aa aa aa)
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
(aa aa aa aa aa)
zindagi ki yahi reet hai

—————————————————————–
Sad version II
Kavita Krishnamurthy
Chorus I
Chorus II
—————————————————————-
gham ka baadal jo chaaye
gham ka baadal jo chaaye
to hum muskuraate rahen
tu hum muskuraate rahen

apni aankhon mein aashaaon ke deep jalaate rahen
aaj bigde to kal phir baney
aaj roothhe to kal phir maney ae
waqt bhi jaise ik meet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai
zindagi ki yahi reet hai
haar ke baad hi jeet hai