Cricket: Amar’s Chitra Katha

Posted on by

amarrrrshah!.jpg

Day 13 of my Cricket tuition: I’m feeling a bit woozy from all the head-spinning developments regarding certain tragic events of this World Cup. Surely there is no better moment to focus on sweeter aspects of the game, specifically how an essay penned by my erstwhile intern Amar Shah showed up on ESPN the other day. I felt nothing but consummate delight when I followed the link which was submitted repeatedly to the bunker’s hotline; there in baby blue, with his gorgeous wife too, the boy whom I had been surprisingly fond of, even before we had ever met.

It was 2002 and Amar Shah was a student from the University of Florida. I was in a windowless office at Preston Gates, near the White House. I began receiving persistent instant messages from someone with a memorable, if young-sounding screen name. Typical questions about what his internship would be like and how he should prepare gave way to actual conversation and fellowship. Who was this kid? That first day of our program, I remember that though I was excited about finally meeting all of my interns, I was extra-curious about the one who would later jump up in a hyperactive and spontaneous moment mid-orientation and show off how he already knew not just our names, but our AIM screen names, as well. And I thought he had just been chatting with me. 😉

That summer, I held his hand as he crushed on the unattainable: a girl so stunning, she looked as if she had stepped out of a Moghul miniature. I fretted over him while he bounced around the Hill; I kept him company when he was the last of my baby birds to fly away, that tear-drenched August day. It was fitting that Amar’s would be the final flight to leave DC; it was a small comfort that I had a few extra hours to spend with someone I had grown so attached to, someone who since then has always made me proud. It turns out that in an odd, small way I am AKKA to the world, as my horoscope spookily predicted I would be way back in 1989, in Seventeen magazine’s deluxe astrology section which was published in honor of that now-ancient new year. I fuss over everyone, I worry about them, I boss them around, I pinch their ears…but most of all, I love and never forget them, nor do I pass up an opportunity to brag about them as if I were their PR rep, as if they were my own.

Amarshah, I always knew you’d be huge. I just didn’t think you’d convince such a dime to marry you and grace your side while you did it. 😉

Cricket’s Yogi Berra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, once warned, “Wickets are like wives — you never know which way they will turn.”
Perhaps that’s why my wife Tejal threatened to take off the Indian cricket jersey she had reluctantly worn when she saw the line in front of the NAZ8 Cineplex. I had woken her up at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday to venture to Lakewood, near the city of Artesia, which is known as the “Little India” of Southern California. We were set to watch the India versus Bangladesh ICC World Cup match on the big screen with a movie theater full of wicket-crazy cricket nuts. By all accounts there was no better place in America where a cricket fan could go to experience the visceral feel of a real match. Plus, it was free. But now, with the sun still yet to rise, and a cold chill in the air, my wife crossed her arms and nudged me in the chest.
“We look like posers,” she said. “We’re the only ones wearing these shirts.”
She let me know that my brilliant plan of wearing the sky blue, Sahara-endorsed jerseys that I brought back from India was a stupid idea. Though the crowd was mostly Indian-centric, everyone was clad in coats, jeans and five o’clock shadows. Tejal also pointed out that she was the only girl.
When one of the men in line saw us approaching like a pair of twin Smurfs, he blithely commented that Tendulkar and Dravid had arrived, referring to the last names of legendary star Sachin Tendulkar and captain Rahul Dravid.

Any article which references the smurfs is genius. Read the rest at ESPN. I’ll just sit here like a properly chuffed elder sister, gloating about how fabulous Amar is while you do. He’s a little bit of perfect, isn’t he? 🙂

196 thoughts on “Cricket: Amar’s Chitra Katha”

  3. Depends on whether the top order decides to collapse once again/Murali is able to do damage. Commentators were saying the pitch offers some turn. Also, India will be more motivated than Sri Lanka as SL are already through, though that could just translate into more pressure => collapse.

  4. SP (#45):

    A good example of the desi male comfort zone with Pretty Little Things Trying to Understand the Game was when Mandira Bedi was recruited to add a little oomph to cricket commentary on Indian TV – all the (overwhelmingly male) ‘experts’ (whether on TV or just in living rooms across the nation) loved to make fun of her ‘basic’ questions and girliness but of course they wouldn’t want to bring on a real woman expert like, say, an ex-cricketer – no, the arrangement whereby they indulgently explained the game to the Little Woman while reinforcing their sense of superiority, enjoying the eye-candy, and shaking their heads at the idea of a “bimbette expert” suited them just fine.

    Spot on – like Donna Symmonds or Anjum Chopra… shameless plug

  5. Also, another gripe about Set Max: they’re AD CRAZY! They cut into commercial a half-second before the end of the over, and most times if there’s a wide or no ball at the end of the over they’ll miss the actual last ball because they didn’t wait for the umpire’s signal. They also often come out of commercial after the first ball of the over, which is annoying enough in the middle of an innings, but at the death it’s super pissing off.

  6. Interesting side-dialogue.

    I had never really known or cared about cricket, not until I was told about some Malayalee kid who had everyone talking about his “in your FACE”-dance…once I googled and YouTubed, I was hooked, thanks to Sreesanth’s antics. I wrote a post about him. Mutineers loved it, they asked if we would cover the World Cup, as well, and I said:

    No need for a meta-mutiny. I am HAPPY to try and oblige, since I think I’m the only person in the bunker who would want to write posts about rockstars named Monty or Men in Blue. As long as you continue to indulge my toddler-like comprehension of the game (hey, I make up for it in heart) and guide me down the path to cricket enlightenment, I’m your girl. 🙂 I love what I’ve learned so far!

    Everyone was unbelievably sweet about my newfound interest and encouraged me to give it my best shot.

    You can be like the Mandira Bedi of the blogosphere. She’s a very popular Indian TV cricket correspondant who also happens to be unapologetically glam (I hear. I’ve never actually seen her on TV). [link]
    Oooh, Mandira Bedi is not a bad comparison. I mean, A N N A should be offended if she pretended to be a cricket expert — since Mandira is clearly not there for her cricket knowledge — but since the sense is that she will blog about the culture of the game and not game analysis, Mandira Bedi is an apt comparison.[link]

    And that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do– blog about everything BUT game analysis b/c I am neither able nor interested in doing so. I put some effort in to this, because I wanted to keep my promise to World Cup fans, but I tried to stay true to myself, too. I only wrote about something if it interested me. Despite some unclear-on-the-concept ingrates who have criticized me for not doing enough/how I’ve handled this, blogging cricket has been fun. I love what I’m learning, even if my initiation comes at a bleak time for the game.

    So this stuck out when I read it, not because I think SP was talking about me (denial is a comfortable place?), but just because of everything I’ve already mentioned:

    no, the arrangement whereby they indulgently explained the game to the Little Woman while reinforcing their sense of superiority, enjoying the eye-candy, and shaking their heads at the idea of a “bimbette expert” suited them just fine.

    Because truthfully, I don’t feel that way, I don’t feel like I’m being treated like that. And I hope I’m not seen as some bimbette…anything. Anyway, I’m off for some Amsterdam– my Mummy is hungry and so am I. 🙂

  8. Spot on – like Donna Symmonds or Anjum Chopra… shameless plug

    Or maybe this bimbette who naively, always considered herself a feminist, typed too soon.

    I have never seen Mandira Bedi, so I can’t comment as passionately as Vivek did about her. I guess I’m just grateful that I haven’t mentioned how Manish Malhotra designed the saris I change in to every 20 minutes– that would’ve been bad, apparently. Whew! THAT was close.

    Technically, there’s no difference anymore.

    Very true. Wasn’t thinking.

  9. I’m watching seriously for the first time and loving it. Come on India! Though I love the look of the Lankan bowler, Malinga.

  10. Dada is gone…but sehwag looks good out there, just needs to keep his calm and here come the little man

  14. I’m only following it over the web – but India need to boost their run rate by 40% to even have a chance…

    End of over 11 (1 run) – India 43/2 (212 runs required from 39 overs, RR: 3.90, RRR: 5.43)

  19. Anna, just for the record – I don’t think there’s any comparison, for so many more reasons than I want to get into here. Maybe folks will disagree with my take on Mandira Bedi, but I’m sticking to it, and I think you ain’t no Mandira Bedi (or at least from what I can glean from your writing and her screen presence – neither of which is much to go on, really).

  20. chandare, while I’m behind India on this one (mostly because I want to watch some WC matches on TV with my dad when he visits next month and it’ll be bonus if India’s still in), I’m really enjoying having a Sri Lankan supporter here.

    I figured India would have to get Sri Lanka all out for under 200 to have a chance in this one. I hope I’m wrong…

  21. If India wins this ,I have my line ready for indian friends(“we let you win ’cause we want the 1 billion crazy fans watching the WC”) BTW Shewag just hit a huge six.

  22. In a sea of indian desi dudes at corp glued to a large screen TV, there was a lil sl desi gal… didn’t want to seem like I was interested in the game at all … although I had been watching since 6:30 Am.

    But then SL hit a 6er… and I couldn’t contain my joy, and my identity has been given away.

    I walk by the screen to see how my fellow indians are doing and I get some stares, and I really hope India wins cuz the repercussion to them and me might be a little too harsh… don’t know if I could handly a crowd of stares ;P

    Chandare… yey for us!

  24. Folks I don’t think India is going to win….I’ll be happy to eat my words after 5pm. I keep telling myself that if India does not go on to the super 8s, I’ll be able to concentrate on my dissertation more (some consolation…but works for me).

  25. livinsimplee, They say SL can afford to loose this and still go to super8.

    I don’t know whether the match is fixed or not will be good to have India in the super8 instead of Bangladesh .(Nothing against young B’desh team,Come next world cup ,they will be good team if they keep up this form).

  28. It’s cricket,so it aint over until its over!

    Well, the slightly overweight guy has sung his last song. It is over.

  29. Who knows what will happen in Bermuda vs.Bangladesh match .Bermuda might win .wink .wink. 😉

  33. Hear that sound? That’s the sound of hope draining from the world.

    Kudos to Sri Lanka.

    Damn…

  34. I’m looking forward to seeing what shape cricket commentary here takes if India and Pakistan are both out and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are both in…

  40. true. Dravid probably told Agarkar to play slow and pick singles, but he was trying to get big shots!

  45. Spare a thought for Indian fans. Early morning blues.

    Late night blues, surely? And they can still sleep on it if India lose…

  46. 4 fours in a over . Now this is doable India. ;-)) I told you ,it aint over until it’s over

  47. 4 fours in an over . Now this is doable India. ;-)) I told you ,it aint over until it’s over

  50. let me tell you, after the consecutive nights of royal challenge and sleep at 3 am, and then having to teach at 9 a.m., it’s both!