In those days, there was no flash mob. Or probably, even if it had existed I was blissfully unaware of them. Six days after my 12th birthday, on the 13th July 2011, at around 12 o clock in the midnight, there were a lot of people on the road. Some smiles. These were the ones who didnt follow cricket. But that day was different. It was not the sense of joy or relief one experiences after winning a match.
It was revenge. Genuine revenge. The pent up anger took the form of fanatic chats of “Bharath Mata Ki Jai!”.That was the first time, I had seen a flash mob. Those days when cable tv could be found only in the hotel at the end of the street provided the catalyst. Two young men had made the day for a million men, memories for a million days and bedtime stories for million kids yet to be born. One of them was Yuvraj Yograj Singh, who would later be known as The Prince of Punjab. Sher Da Punjab had finally arrived.
He not only lived our dream, created dreams for us and many a nightmares for the bowlers spread across the seven oceans. Stuart Broad for one will like to forget his name soon. Even on that day, I did not bite my nails. Today, I am. That day, he fought for me. Today, its a battle he is fighting alone. A battle against cancer. An innings where he does not have Kaif for company.
It is in moments like these, we tend to realize how hollow our life is. An India-Pakistan match is finally just a jugalbandi between the bat and the ball. A match lost only makes you stronger to defeat. They say, form is temporary. What in life was ever permanent? Class, OK.
It also tells us so much about men who are deemed succesful in life. Perhaps, its never so cliched to say it often takes a moment to lose it all.
But Yuvraj, has a chance once again to epitomize the rising of a pheonix from Ashes. We lost the Natwest to England. Yuvi won it for us. We dumped him for poor form. He came back. Won the World Cup for us. Now, he needs us. No, he does not need blogposts like this. But, this he can do. But those exasperating reports in news channels covering every hair of the injury he surely can do without. He also can surely do without his parents being peppered with questions like “Kya aapka beta vapas khel payega?” The audacity that the newsmakers exhibit is sure something to behold and wonder on.
Perhaps, for the fighter that he is, the comebacks that he has orchastrated all fell into the realm of mere mortals. Yuvraj was made for something bigger. He had always this sense of occassion. One more comeback, yuvraj for your fan.
Our hearts are bleeding red. It needs you to wear the blue jersey back for it to bleed blue again. Till then, my nails are getting shorter....
