The Ability to Bounce back...

Final year of my college, Placement activities were going on and we got to know that we would be going to Lovely Institute in Jalandhar for Hewitt. Nobody knew anything about Hewitt, the only thing that was in mind was that it is an MNC. Hopes got thrashed a bit when we got to know that they have openings for Testing profiles only. But we went for it because most of us had no offer in Hand. As usual I along with most of classmates cleared the first few rounds. And then came the interview part. I answered most of technical questions and was sitting pretty confident out there. Suddenly the Interviewer asked me to tell him one of my strengths which makes me different from some of other candidates. Well I was surprised by this question because I came in interview with techie mindset. But after thinking for few seconds, I told him that its my ability to bounce back from difficult situations!!! I don't know from where this thing came in my mind but somewhere down the line I think I have this quality. Right from childhood I have kept the fighting spirit alive in me. There was time when I slipped to second position in my class by just 3 marks but next year I came back with a very strong mindset and the difference was of 30-40 marks. But the only difference was I was at top. I felt the same thing when we used to play cricket. I still remember the day when I was hit for SIX on last ball of innings and our team lost the match!!! I was in class 7Th then and our captain didn't gave me ball for next 6-7 matches. Even though, I was the only bowler with proper bowling action apart from him. The things became even more horrible when they started using coin to decide who amongst me n my friend (both in same school/class) will play the match, because we always used to be with one extra player. But then one day luckily I won the toss and I was playing for pride (and of course rupee five bet). That match had quota limit of 4 overs for a single bowler. Some calculations went wrong and in the end the only bowler who had one over spare had just bowled the very last over. So he was out of equation. The only choice left was me. Equation was 1 over and 6 runs needed and 3 wickets in hand. I got hit for six last time when I tried bowling medium pace, so I decided to bowl leg spin. First two balls produced 2 run outs. Equation became 6 of 4 balls required. But then a slog sweep from batsman earned him a boundary and I saw the captain abusing me from boundary. It somehow just charged me with anger and there I was telling the umpire "Right hand Over, medium fast". The ball landed at yorker length and top of Off stump was kissing the ground. This Win changed everything for me. From extra to regular member to opening bowler to all rounder and in the End Captain of my Street level team :). This has been story of my life. Life has been a Sine Curve with so many UPs and DOWNs. But thats how I like it to be.

Somehow I felt today that I have lost this ability. I have become very cool n calm, which perhaps is a good thing but at times you need to change the gears. And I think this is the time to implement thing at professional level!!! Will update with the results soon....

Talented people around me......

Life full of talented people...

Until few days back I used to think I have met only ordinary persons in my life! But in last month or so, I have seen really creative, talented people. I never knew some of the people I met, I talked to have so much of talent, will power inside them. Seriously, I am feeling quite ashamed of myself now. I am just feeling like Hritik Roshan in Lakshya's first half. Aimless, without anything special in me :(
I added one of my seniors in my facebook profile. I knew about his Hacking abilities while I was in college but then I got to know more and more about him via his profile. I browsed through his homepage and found that the guy is truly genius!!! His writing abilities are impeccable. Brilliant writer !!! The things he wrote were so very deep, no wonder I could understand only 40% of it. And the activities he is involved in is even much more fantastic. Never imagined he will be hired by BJP for IT Cell taking care of security in INDIA or something like that...
Second comes an ex-colleague in CSC. Well me and Sagar flirted with her on very first day when we found her on orkut.lol, those were the days! Her cubicle was right next to ours but never dared to talk to her after that incident. We even attended one of her SQL training session and that was the first & last time we had decent conversation. :)somehow I reached a link on web where I she uploaded one of song sung by her. And she sang magnificently. Mesmerized by her singing abilities plus a very intelligent orkut profile as well :)
Then comes a friend in ST, who wants to do something for the kids living below poverty line. She told us that she had done this thing already in college days. This thought crossed her mind when she saw really small kids working near 3Cs mall in Delhi. Well due to some reasons and lazy people like me execution of the plan got delayed, but I guess we will do something very soon. Well I guess, She deserves some dark chocolates for doing such noble cause. But lazy bones like me cant even go to market n buy some dark chocolates. Any idea how can I place the order online??? ;-)

Anil Kumble "The Fighter"

Today I like any other Indian, was shell shocked when Anil Kumble announced his retirement all of a sudden. I was not expecting this thing from Jumbo. But the most incredible thing was that he announced his retirement on the ground where he created History against Pakistan few years back. Besides being the highest wicket taker for India, Jumbo is also a very humble human being, a true fighter, a match winner. He always delivered whenever captain handed bowl to him. For his entire cricketing career he won several matches for India on home turf. Who can forget when he single handily destroyed the whole Pakistani batting line up in Ferozshah Kotla Ground, New Delhi. For most of his career he was considered to be a man who was a match winner only on Indian pitches but he proved his critics wrong by performing exceptionally well in Australia, England and all over the World...

I still remember the game against West Indies when Mervyn Dillon's bouncer hit him on his Jaw. But this man came with bandages on his broken jaw and captured the price wicket of Brian Lara. It was the passion to play for India, to win match for India that kept him on the field even with his Broken Jaw. This is Anil Kumble for you. "Cricket has a way of producing inspiring tales of valour for the country and this ranks at the top," said legendary Sunil Gavaskar after this brave effort by Jumbo. "It was one of the bravest things I've seen on the field of play," said the great Viv Richards.

This man has always been an inspiration for young spinners in India. He was always under the criticism that he doesn't turn the ball, but even then he played 2nd highest number of test matches for India, he proved every critic wrong by becoming the leading test wicket taker for India. He played in the era of Shane Warne & Muttiah Murlitharan. And he was right up there with these two great spinners. All three are different but Kumble played every test match with the hopes and expectations of more then 1 Billion people. He is arguably the best Indian bowler ever. I salute this great cricketer and wish him all the very best for his life ahead..

Sachin Tendulkar "The Legend"

It was Mid Nineties when I first started watching Cricket. I was sitting alongside my father and I was asking all sort of silly questions related to cricket. India didn't do very well in bowling department, so I asked my father who is going to win this match for INDIA. And without even taking his eyes from TV, my father answered it must be Sachin Tendulkar. That was the day when I became his fan, without knowing much about him at that time. I watched couple of matches of India and my belief in him grew stronger and stronger. I wanted to Open the batting in our street level cricket because Sachin Tendulkar opens for India. Then came the the World Cup 1996. First Match was against Kenya and he scored a century, 127. Followed by a brilliant 70 & 90 against Windies & Aussies respectively. But that time India was known as One-Man Army and as soon as he got out against Australia, All hopes died there itself. He scored a brilliant century against Srilanka in league match.
I was quite happy with the way everything was going on in that World Cup and the First over by Javagal Srinath in Semi Final against SriLanka, cheered every Indian. India started the batting and it was again the Little Genius who took the resposibility to Win that game for India. He was playing superbly until he got out to smart work from Kaluwitharna. That was the time when a drop of tear came out of my eye. But what happened after that made me cry for 3 hours non stop. C'mon guys I was a Kid then!!!
The kind of Respect and Love that got generated at that point of time for Sachin Tendulkar, never decreased. Even when people start raising their doubts if he can play anymore or not. I think He is a big big tree and these critics are like Monkeys. These monkeys will keep on jumping from one place to another place on this huge tree but even then can not judge his height, his Greatness. I have seen some of really big name like Kapil Dev, Bishon Bedi telling him to retire from Cricket and changing their statements after his one breth taking performance. I have seen the kind of joy Sunny Gavskar and Ravi Shashtri feel when Sachin hits an On Drive or Drives fast bowlers on the UP towards cover boundry. These are men, who will never say him to retire because they know that he has got equally good Cricketing brain and he can take decision on his own. Also, these guys are payed for "Commenting on Cricket" and not on "Commenting on how Sachin Played in one inning".
After such enormous success he is still Down to earth and he has never been part of any controversy ever. He never abused some one, never fought with any one after getting drunk!!! His Off-Field image is as good as his On-Field image.