The man woke up early. He had hardly slept that night, anyways. Just tried to catch some winks enough to gather strength for the next day. And a big day it was going to be!
'Practice time' told the little watch on the bedside. His whole body ached...his legs revolted...his eyes wanted some more sleep.....so he gave a shake and said 'wake up dude...you have a match to play'. His routine had hardly changed for the last 22 years.
He called for the morning tea from a overly courteous housekeeping and went for his bath.
Through with his tea...he took his medicine..the painkillers his physio had given him which he was taking since last 8 years. It suddenly reminded him of the pain lately he felt in his warnout knees, his operated elbow....but again ...he gave it a shake and said to himeself..'out you go buddy...you have a job at hand'.
He came out of the hotel room in the morning breeze....glanced at the rooms sideways....sighed..and walked. A man came and took his kit...he got in the car and reached the stadium for his practice.
No one had reached....but for the guards stationed whole night...he smiled at them..shook hand with one of them who wished him good luck. When he reached the nets he ran and warmed up a bit. He took out the bat, a 3 pound wonder he had used in all the big occasions...and today was just one...
He practiced alone for a while...till gradually his team mates started joining slowly. The match was in the afternoon, but for him the match had already started last night...in his mind. He exactly new where he was going to be targeted today...what were the areas he needed to be careful...and where was his concentration to be. His body prepared for a war and his mind for the battle. He was not new to it.
Later in the evening...little drained out with the sweltering heat and fielding (he was not a young man now) when he walked to do what he best knew...the roar in the stadium suddenly made him conscious...of the big burden of expectations he was carrying. Will I be able to do it? The entire stadium was chanting his name..it made him further nervous. But then like he had done the last 22 years...he just jogged a little...shrugged off the nervousness...stretched his arms...and told himself... ' now ...dear now'.
He suddenly knew...he could not fail today. Like all these years....for those forty thousand in the stadium and just another billion out there...standing outside some tv showroom, roadside, on the sofa, in the chawls, in the hutments...for a glimpse of the man and what he was going to unfold before them. He took a breath...and ...got on to his work.
When the team had won the match late that night...the man stood on a side...satisfied...job done. He was happy...his young mates were getting accolades, which were at one time in his carrer virtually reserved for him. He thumped them...cheered them...patted them. It was a big win....for all of them. As usual he had broken one more record...but then he was hardly interested. He took care his own achievement did not over shadow his peers. But then that was his second nature.
The party went on till late night. The boys were jubiliant and knew how to express it. After spending a little time with them he returned to his room. He went and watched the highlights of the match. He also had asked his manager to arrange for the recorded highlights of the earlier days match. The match was won by a team which was another arch rival. He sighed...and started studying both the matches while making his mental notes. It was late night when he slept. By that time the entire country had slept after partying. Inadvertantly, the billion people had again put the burden on his shoulders while themselves sleeping peacefully.
The next day morning he woke up early. He had dreamt of the next match...and was again not able to sleep soundly. His weary eyes revolted...his legs and arms wanted some more rest....so he gave a shake and said 'wake up dude...you have a match to play after just four days'.
Afterall...his routine had hardly changed for the last 22 years.
'Practice time' told the little watch on the bedside. His whole body ached...his legs revolted...his eyes wanted some more sleep.....so he gave a shake and said 'wake up dude...you have a match to play'. His routine had hardly changed for the last 22 years.
He called for the morning tea from a overly courteous housekeeping and went for his bath.
Through with his tea...he took his medicine..the painkillers his physio had given him which he was taking since last 8 years. It suddenly reminded him of the pain lately he felt in his warnout knees, his operated elbow....but again ...he gave it a shake and said to himeself..'out you go buddy...you have a job at hand'.
He came out of the hotel room in the morning breeze....glanced at the rooms sideways....sighed..and walked. A man came and took his kit...he got in the car and reached the stadium for his practice.
No one had reached....but for the guards stationed whole night...he smiled at them..shook hand with one of them who wished him good luck. When he reached the nets he ran and warmed up a bit. He took out the bat, a 3 pound wonder he had used in all the big occasions...and today was just one...
He practiced alone for a while...till gradually his team mates started joining slowly. The match was in the afternoon, but for him the match had already started last night...in his mind. He exactly new where he was going to be targeted today...what were the areas he needed to be careful...and where was his concentration to be. His body prepared for a war and his mind for the battle. He was not new to it.
Later in the evening...little drained out with the sweltering heat and fielding (he was not a young man now) when he walked to do what he best knew...the roar in the stadium suddenly made him conscious...of the big burden of expectations he was carrying. Will I be able to do it? The entire stadium was chanting his name..it made him further nervous. But then like he had done the last 22 years...he just jogged a little...shrugged off the nervousness...stretched his arms...and told himself... ' now ...dear now'.
He suddenly knew...he could not fail today. Like all these years....for those forty thousand in the stadium and just another billion out there...standing outside some tv showroom, roadside, on the sofa, in the chawls, in the hutments...for a glimpse of the man and what he was going to unfold before them. He took a breath...and ...got on to his work.
When the team had won the match late that night...the man stood on a side...satisfied...job done. He was happy...his young mates were getting accolades, which were at one time in his carrer virtually reserved for him. He thumped them...cheered them...patted them. It was a big win....for all of them. As usual he had broken one more record...but then he was hardly interested. He took care his own achievement did not over shadow his peers. But then that was his second nature.
The party went on till late night. The boys were jubiliant and knew how to express it. After spending a little time with them he returned to his room. He went and watched the highlights of the match. He also had asked his manager to arrange for the recorded highlights of the earlier days match. The match was won by a team which was another arch rival. He sighed...and started studying both the matches while making his mental notes. It was late night when he slept. By that time the entire country had slept after partying. Inadvertantly, the billion people had again put the burden on his shoulders while themselves sleeping peacefully.
The next day morning he woke up early. He had dreamt of the next match...and was again not able to sleep soundly. His weary eyes revolted...his legs and arms wanted some more rest....so he gave a shake and said 'wake up dude...you have a match to play after just four days'.
Afterall...his routine had hardly changed for the last 22 years.
