Fan Fury...

Two things I would like to state before you read what I have to say. I am not a fan of cricket. And as a result, apart from Sachin Tendulkar, I dont hold any cricketer in high regard. That said, hear this example I have.

Imagine there's a family gathering, where a singing competition is held. One singer from each family should compete in the competition. Prizes are given to the winners. Now, a boy from your family goes on stage, and sets the crowd on fire with his singing. His parents and relatives are all swelling with pride at his vocal range. They absolutely adore his singing. This chap sings four songs back to back, in perfect pitch. The frenzy in the hall is unbelievable.

Then when he starts the fifth song, he goes off key. In teenage slang, he sucks. Big time. That's when you see the family members rear their ugly sides. They hate the kid now. They shout and curse at him. Once he makes his way back to his seat, they whack him left and right. His mother vows not to give him dinner. His dad swears they'll never go to see a movie for the next two months. After the competition is over, they seeth with anger at the way their kid sang. They tell everyone around what a disgrace he is.

How would you feel about that? Not if you were the kid. Just if you were watching the whole incident? I would feel disgusted. Wouldnt you?

I hope a name comes to your mind now. Dhoni. Not just Mahendra Singh Dhoni. But the entire Men in Blue. The eleven best cricketers in a country of a billion. Doesnt the way they're being treated bother us, even a bit?

Again, I know as much about cricket as you know about astrophysics. But I do know one basic human quality. That of supporting the people you love.

It's funny, isnt it? Two years ago, they were mad about Dhoni. Half of us wanted to marry him. The other half wanted to copy his hairstyle. We praised his skill, his intelligence, his grit. There was nothing we didnt praise about him. Then something happened. He made a few errors. He didnt play properly. So how do we reply? By burning his effigy.

They say getting into the Indian Cricket team is itself an achievement. So what about being the captain of that team? We are people who get carried away by the praises of our teachers or compliments of our friends. Should I really believe that a man wont get carried away when he's the hero of an entire nation? Meaning its entirely human for Dhoni to bask in the limelight. You'd do the same thing if you were in his place I guess.

But what's the problem with us? Why do we idolize our cricketers, instead of loving and respecting them? They gave us so many reasons to have pride in being Indian.They were probably the reason you and I spent weeks bragging about India's cricketing might. The reason you and I went to sleep with a smile, even when there were a hundred other things in life to bother us. They brought us joy, a feeling of unity, and team spirit.

No one can win every match. But if we try, we can show some love and care. It's almost utopian isnt it: imagine a scene where the Indian team lands in Mumbai, and reach their hotel room, to find hundreds of cards with the wordings: It's okay. We'll win it the next time. Love, your fans...

No, that would be foolish to do, woudlnt it. Instead, we'll do what's best: Burn their effigies, and attack their homes.

Perhaps it shows how much we've progressed. In a country that's supposed to be marching towards progress at a furious pace, police men have to run to a cricketer's house, so that his family can be saved from the once loving fans. It's a pitiful condition.

Grow up. That's all we can do. That, or ask for Dhoni to get off. So that we can copy the next captain's hairstyle. Until he too screws up. In which case, we'll just burn his house...and ask for the next guy to come along....

[This is my first post on an ongoing topic. Hope it's not out of line. I strongly believe in what I've said here. Pass on this to your friends; and you're more than free to discuss whether I'm right or wrong. Would love to hear your opinion. But please dont leave Anonymous comments. Instead, use the OpenID option, and use a nickname if you have to.]

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