All Talk and No Action

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt (via Puri Sabzi)

I dedicate this quote to the Indian Cricket team and to all cynics (my brother and some friends) who didn't believe in the Indian side.

Yes, South Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka looked great at the beginning of the tournament. Pakistan gave us a good scare too! Yet, I am glad India proved to be the most tenacious of the lot.

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As a non cricket follower, it has been an overwhelming experience. I can't imagine what it must be like for the game fanatics.

The win had me feeling overtly emotional. I preferred messaging people than calling, to congratulate. I was afraid I would choke and end up making a fool of myself.

I am stupefied at my own reaction.

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This was also the first time I sat through many games and tried to understand the nuances of cricket – the class, style, technique and finesse.

That is how I came to appreciate other teams and not just India. There were times I cheered for our opponents. It was difficult not to, given the wonderful show they put up.

A very good read on the subject.

Sometimes, nationalism, be damned.

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I am happy we won the World Cup.

But I am happier because we did it with class. Dhoni and team set a good example by playing with humility and confidence. There was nothing remotely jingoistic about our win.

Frankly, we weren't the best at the beginning of the tournament. But I am glad we worked our way to the top. It makes our win even more worthwhile.

I was glad to watch the textbook definition of a leader in Dhoni. There is much to learn from the entire team. But Dhoni made me feel ecstatic. His on and off the field charm, modesty and honesty is something the Indian youth can aspire for. It's been more than 36 hours now. We have yet to receive sound bytes from the captain. Everyone, from Sachin, Zaheer, Yuvraj to Sreesanth have spoken to the media. Not Dhoni, not yet.

In times of cheap display of power by many youth icons, I am glad to have people like Dhoni around.

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After months of scams and depressing events in the country, we finally have something to look upto.

Everyone I knew, was with loved ones – at home/in clubs/on streets.

There was good business at clubs and hotels.

Such things always make me happy.

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I can't not mention Saurav Ganguly. He was one of the very few cricketers I was a fan of.

It will not be incorrect to state that he is partially responsible for setting things in motion then so that we could win a cup now.

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I agree with Kapil Dev when he says that the team must now take it easy and let the feeling soak in. They must spend some well deserved time with family before the IPL fever takes over.

These moments are worth cherishing.

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Everything said and done, I am not happy with the cash prizes being doled out to the team.

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After the Egyptian revolution and the current turmoil in the Middle East, I often wondered what would make the whole of India come together.

What is that one cause which has the power to bind us.

I am not sure if it is cricket.

And, if it is indeed cricket, I am not sure if I should be happy about it.

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UPDATE:
Dhoni did speak after all.

Link via Deepak.