Happy moment with legend Haryana Hurricane - Great Kapil Dev

What a day !  - what would you call a day when you meet in close quarters your hero of 45 years and you put across a Q to him too -  Surreal !! far beyond that ! 

The man, the hero – immaculately dressed 64 years young who articulated English so well but said, during his playing days, he just played and did not talk – remember ‘palmolive da jawab nahin’  (many thanks to my dear friend SR Ragunathan, Chief Photo journalist, The Hindu) Venue: Savera Hotel, Occasion book release function of 2 books written by Ms Ramaa Shankar.

 

No prizes for guessing – the hero, the heart-throb was Kapil Dev Nikhanj who once smacked 4 sixers in a row in a Test match off Eddie Hemmings when 24 was required to avoid follow on.    

Indian Cricket has evolved over the years – after India debuted at Lords in June 1932 and ODI in 1974.  Ordinary mortals would easily remember the best ever knock that came in difficult times, that 175*  against Zimbabwe at  Tunbridge Wells on 18^th June 1983 and a week later on  25.6.1983, Kapil Dev triumphantly holding the Prudential World beating the mighty West Indians of Lloyds, Greenidge, Haynes, Dujon, Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Michael Holding.  

There are more redefining moments of Indian Cricket and Kapil Dev had been the architect of some enthralling ones !!  After the book release the affable all-rounder took some Qs – yours Truly was fortunate to get the mike and pose one!

Sir ji – one Cricket Q to you :  you played in 225 One dayers and was the best allrounder India produced.  There was only one ODI in which you played as a pure Batter, do you remember that match !!  (Pa ji’s answer was a big 6!!)

 

Those days when we could follow Cricket only in newspapers, there was a conditioning camp at Bangalore and there were discussions that India might recall Abid Ali or give chance to Jyoti Prasad of Andhra or Barun Burman from Bengal ..   .. .. it was destiny that a young lad surfaced changing the way Indian Cricket was seen by those outside.  For that historic tour,  Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was dropped from the squad and  three uncapped players — Kapil Dev, Bharath Reddy and Yashpal Sharma were part of the side. 

The tour to Pakistan was an all important one, coming as it after 17 years as Wars and instability had stopped Cricketing relations.   The long tour sounded death-knell for Indian famous spin quartet, Erapalli Prasanna was to play his last test but emerged young Kapil Dev  heralding pace revolution.   The tour also featured three One Day International (ODI) matches. In the third match, India's captain,  Bishen Bedi, conceded the game in protest against Sarfraz Nawaz short-pitched bowling. It was the first time an international cricket match had ended in this way.  

Kapil Dev is  the greatest pace bowler / all-rounder  India has produced.  His success was not on a platter -   Kapil Dev  debuted for Haryana in 1975 and had a 6 wicket haul against Punjab bowling them out for 63. He had 121 wickets in 30 matches in that season. Next season he took 8/36 against J&K and skittled Bengal for 58 in U19. Next year he had his maiden 10 wicket haul. He played Ranji, Duleep, Deodhar and in Irani Cup too. In Duleep he had 7/65 and scored runs at fast pace. All these happened before he played for India. 

In his debut match, his bouncers sent Paki openers Sadiq Mohammad and Majid Khan scurrying and calling for a helmet – and ODI no. 54 at Quetta on 1^st Oct 1978 was significant not only for Kapil Dev making debut but   that was  second win in an ODI for Team India,  the first having come against East Africa in inaugural World Cup 1975.    In that one dayer Kapil Dev made his debut alongside senior Chetan Chauhan and Surinder Amarnath.  Mohinder Amarnath’s 51 and 2 wickets fetched him man of the match.  Kapil had figures of 8-0-27-1

 

Kapil Dev Nikhanj  after playing for 16 years – on inane tracks with little support from cathching cardon still finished  making 5248 runs in 131 Tests (184 innings) and taking 434 wickets.  In 225  One dayers, he scored 3783 runs taking 253 wickets. 

As we scan the annals of Indian Test Cricket – some famous wins were wrought by him.   In Jan 1979 – chasing 125 Indians were struggling and had lost 7 wickets when Kapil stole a bye to get that winning run against Alvin Kaicharran’s WI team.  In Pongal test of 1980 against Imran’s Pak – Kapil was the man of the match having scored 84 and taking 11 wickets – Kapil Dev was presented a Enfield Bullet Motor cycle and that paper cutting was with for many decades. 

At Melbourne in 1981 against tough Aussies led by Greg Chappel with Dennis Lillee bowling fast and furious – Kapil’s heroics (when he was on pain-killer) 5/28 bundled OZ for 83 and giving a great win in foreign soil.  

Well remember that Pongal test of 1988 in what was written as Narendra Hirwani test for his 16 wicket haul, Kapil made a valiant 109 that ensured Indian win against Viv Richards WI. 

If you remember that Cricket Q (I posed to Kapil)   ODI 395 on 7th Oct 1986 against Australia at Rajkot,  India opening with Krish Srikkanth and Raman Lamba made a healthy 260 for 6 in 48 overs.  Lamba made a century.  Kapil Dev blasted a quick fire 58 off 31 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixers.    His 50 came off mere 26 balls as he hit Craig Mcdermott for 24 runs in an over.  But the Indian attack without Kapil lacked the incisiveness.  It was Madanlal, Rudra Pratap Singh, Rajinder Ghai, Ravi Shastri, Maninder Singh.  Krish Srikkanth bowled 2 overs while Azharuddin bowled the last over.   That was one time when Kapil Dev played as a pure batsman. 

Kapil Dev was at his humourous best on today’s function – spoke a few Tamil words he learnt from Srikkanth, spoke about the way he came up, advised on ‘living the day happily’ .. .. and his answer to my Q was :  Well, I don’t feel the need to remember any such thing !  - those were my playing days and after some years things are not that significant !

 

It was a great evening listening to the fantastic speech peppered with his experiences and humour as the humble down-to-earth (he frowned at these adjectives) kept the crowd in raptures.  

Great Haryana Hurricane  – would ever savour today’s memories and we all love you so much

 
With great regards – S Sampathkumar
22.11.2023 

Pankaj Advani does Nation proud - adds another World title

                                           While most  can easily identify all the players who played for India in this ICC WC 2023, unlikely that many would identify this stylish looking person !!    - He is a Champion !

 

Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue, which is used to strike balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as cushions.  Despite Billiards not being one of the most popular games in India, it is interesting to know that the county has been home to a horde of prodigious billiards players who have enthralled the audience with their artistry and genius. 

Those following would remember Wilson Jones who won the  World Amateur Billiards Championship in 1958 giving  India its first world champion in any sport.  Then came Bombay Tiger Michael Ferreira, who  won the world Billiards champion four times.  Then came a player from Central Railway Ashok Shandilya remembered for wining double gold medal at Asian Games held in Bangkok in Dec 1998.  Then for a couple of decades the games were dominated by Geet Sethi who  astounding eight world billiards titles and is widely regarded as one of the best the game has ever seen. 

Billiards also called Carom billiards is a cue sport where the player strikes the billiard balls, moving them around the table.  In the game of billiards, there are only three balls used.  Then there is another pool game Snooker, played on a table similar to a pool table but uses nine to 15 balls.  Billiards table has no pockets, has three balls -  red, white (with a spot), and another white one (without a spot). Pool involves a table with six pockets and 15 balls – all of them do  not have a number but are all red. There are also  six object balls, which are numbered, along with one cue ball. 

Pankaj Arjan Advani does Nation proud playing Billiards as also Snooker. Indian billiards and professional snooker player. He is a 26-time International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) world champion.

 

The good news from Doha is - Indian cueist Pankaj Advani has won the IBSF World Billiards Championship title beating compatriot Sourav Kothari in the final. It is his 26th world title. Advani defeated Kothari 1000–416 in a rematch of last year's title clash in Kuala Lumpur. He had won his first world title in this competition way back in 2005.

While Advani has won the 'long format' for the ninth time, he triumphed in the 'point format' championship on eight occasions, besides winning the World Team Billiards Championship once. He has also won multiple world titles in snooker. 

In this tournament, Advani defeated fellow Indian cueist Rupesh Shah 900-273 in the semi-finals. It saw breaks of 259 and 176 from the defending champion, while Shah managed a 62 break only in the 900-up format. In the other half of the draw, Kothari pulled off a close win against Dhruv Sitwala, prevailing 900-756 in his semi-final match. Kothari had breaks of 223 and 82, while Sitwala scored 199 and 188. 

For his achievements, Advani has been bestowed with Arjuna Award in 2004, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2006, Padma Shri in 2009 and Padma Bhushan in 2018.

 

Congratulatons Pankaj Advani

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
21.11.2023

Beau Rose !! ராஜா மகள், ரோஜா மலர் !!!

 

When it rains in the night, the early mornings offers surprises – Nature’s bounty – rain drops on leaves of green leaves and odd flowers ! – and this morning starts with this beautiful Rose on the small earthen pot in my terrace !

 

உதய கீதம் பாடுறேன்னு மைக் மோகன் பட்டி தொட்டியெல்லாம் முழங்கிய காலகட்டத்தில், மனோபாலா இயக்கத்தில் மோகன் பாடும் பாடல்களுடன் வெளிவந்த படம் - பிள்ளை நிலா.  வாலியின் வரிகளில் இசைஞானி இளையராஜாவின் இன்னிசையில், ஜெயச்சந்திரன் குரலில் தெறித்த பாடல் :  

ராஜா மகள்,   ரோஜா  மலர்

வானில் வரும் வெண்ணிலா; வாழும் இந்தக் கண்ணிலா

Rose has enamoured lovers, poets, and common man – here are few lines from -  a Rose song written by American singer Amanda Mcbroom

It's the heart afraid of breaking; That never learns to dance

It's the dream afraid of waking;  That never takes the chance

 

Not sure of the variety – it looked very attractive !!  - may be ‘Veteran’s Honour Rose’  -  a  captivating variety that produces beautiful deep red double blooms that really stand out in the garden; needs full sun and well-drained soil; foliage is dark green

 
Good morning
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
21.11.2023 

ICC World Cup 2023 - One day Insurance !!

More than 130000 people on the stadium and millions watching – the WC 2023 finals at Ahmedabad did not exactly go the way, our hearts wanted it to be – it was dictated by HEAD – a very cool one amongst those under pressure, Travis Head who ensured Sixth World Cup victory with a triumphantly paced 137 from 120 balls and hours before that took a  match-turning catch running yards to pouch Rohit Sharma – and days before, he had taken crucial wickets against South Africa.

 

Not a review of the match nor lamentation on the way Indians lost after such a golden run to the Finals but something on injuries and Insurance !!Players have been felled by bouncers, have had collisions and have torn muscles while running / catching ! – there have even been couple of fatalities. 

Way back in 1977 - in that Pongal Test, Mike Brearly pulled ErapalliPrasanna.  The sound could be heard on the stadium.  Mohinder Amarnath standing at forward short leg took evasive action, the ball struck his head and ricocheted towards the bowler, Prasanna took a simple catch.  It became a Caught & Bowled dismissal. 

Back in 2012 at Bangalore, a 10-year-old spectator Tia Bhatia,  was injured when a six from Chris Gayle broke her nose, she was admitted into and provided care in a hospital, where Gayle later visited.  Matches at Sharjah saw some huge sixers.  AB de Villiers was at his imperious best against Kolkata Knight  Riders – his hits sailed over the stadium and landed on the streets. In fact, one of the sixes literally stopped the traffic.  Decades ago, a young bowler in Buchi Babu (was it HoshidarContractor ?) was hit out of the park in Marina by Krish Srikkanth and the ball landed crossing the beach road ! 

This is no post on such huge hits – in 1983 WC, when David Hookes sent the ball soaring, commentator said, not a great shot – for my car is parked over there. Yes, the ball clearing the field could cause damages – of personal injuries and property damage – who would then be responsible ? – the player, the team, or the Ground or the Association staging the game ??? 

The mother of all assaults occurred in Mar 2009 - on a  dark day for Cricket  at Gadaffi stadium, Thilan Samaraweera notched  up his second successive Test double century following his 231 in the First Test at Karachi.  The next day, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricket team as they were on their way to stadium in Lahore.  The attackers exploded two bombs and men started firing at a police van which was providing security to the Lankan team.   Some players sustained injuries.  The players later left from the stadium by helicopter – that sounded a death-knell for Cricket in Pakistan 

Cricket fever was at its high in the present ICC WC 2023.  Capacity crowds for the matches involving India and yesterday the attendance was more than 130000.  Personal accident insurance policies of Insurers provide coverage for injuries sustained on the Cricket field and when taken covers injuries of the spectators too – but all these are related to field ie., the arena of the match – and perhaps none thought beyond – of extending coverage whilst at home too !!! 

Insurer ACKO came up with a novel idea of an Insurance Policy providing coverage for any sort of personal injuries sustained during the match – be it at the stadium or at home but occurring during the Cricket match – at a nominal premium of Rs.100/-  

Titled ‘100 Over Insurance’ – the Insurers claimed to provide coverage for personal injuries sustained during the duration of the match.  They claimed it as a initiative allowing  Cricket enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the excitement of the game without any worries, ensuring peace of mind.“With the 100 Over Insurance product, we are not just protecting our customers; we are joining in with them to cheer for every run and wicket that the men in blue score and take. This policy is a ticket for fans to enjoy cricket with peace of mind. It highlights our love for the game and our commitment to our customers' happiness and protection," said Ashish Mishra, EVP Marketing at Acko. 

The insurance provided coverage to Policy holders (fans) for potential personal injuries incurred while enjoying the game, be it at the stadium or in the comfort of their homes. Whether it's an accidental slip at home or an injury sustained while celebrating a wicket or a six with friends at a favourite hangout (not much of excitement as the coverage limit is mere Rs.5000/-) 

The duration of cover was only one day, infact even lesser, from the first ball to the final winning hit or the final wicket – geography being India, whether at home or at the stadium or at some hang-out !  

The policy excluded -  :Pre-existing injuries, pre-existing diseases and complications arising from them, self- inflicted injuries, bacterial infections, injuries suffered under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants etc. are not covered.  

Novel attempt, but not sure whether it reached the fans, and whether thousands of policies were sold ! 

With regards – S Sampathkumar
20.11.2023