The lines that move my life !

Confessions of a flawed perfectionist ~ The series continues!

Self made, self motivated, self driven… well almost… with loads of support from lots of quarters - family, friends, acquaintances. Some things that stay eternally with me are the powerful lyrics from Hindi films that have been travelling with me throughout my life. Yes, Hindi has been the most influential language for me and I fancy myself as a ‘Hindi fanatic’.

Here I sink deep and try to bring forth some of them that really keep me going in good, bad and tough times.

The belief that Life is beautiful and meant to be shared though ups and lows of one another has been my anthem and is beautifully captured in one of my all time favourites..

Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar, kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhar, kisi ke vaasthe ho dil me pyaar... Jeena isi ka naam hai… Yes this is what life is all about.

Listening to Hindi film music started as early as 1978 when I was just Eight, thanks to Vividh Bharati, the constant companion – through the rugged Murphy Radio that belted out memorable numbers day in and day out. Early in life I got hooked to Kishore Kumar, Mohd. Rafi and Mukesh and spent lot of time writing out favourite lyrics on bits of paper and in old note books. Singing most times and humming at all times I realized there was this powerful means to motivate oneself or get immersed in solitude with mystical lines coupled with lilting music.

Learning came easy with Hindi and life’s learning too – Soon I got another catch line for life: “Geet gaata hoon mai, gunghunatha hoon mai, maine hasne ka waada kiya tha kabhi is liye ab sada muskuratha hoon mai”… and thus I sing, I hum, I wear the smile!

Schooling in CBSE comes with loads of opportunities to bring to fore the singing skills… sometimes some songs we sing not only keep following us, but also reinforce the belief in the lines that are sung. One such song that goes on defining my outlook to life is “har koi chahtha hai ek muththi aasman.. har koi dhoondtha hai ek muththi aasman”, the search continues even to this day.

The 1980s has to be the most memorable period of my life, this is when I saw almost all the Hindi films of the 50s, 60s and 70s during my college days. Almost every second day I would be in Zamarrud, Lata, Palace, Royal or Dilshad ~ Hyderabad’s classic theatres of yore which screened these movies and provided an opportunity to relive the music, heard on radio, on the big screen. Then there was also the good old Doordarshan which etched the hit melodies of the black and white and the Eastman colour era through Chitrahaar and Rangoli.

Soon, I graduated and was living life solitary in Chennai, a career as medical representative began with much loneliness, but the constant companions were Kishore, Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant and the rest. My days were dotted by "Aane wala pal.. jaane wala hai...!", "Badi sooni sooni hai... zindagi yeh zindagi!", "Ghungroo ki tarah bajhtha hi raha hoon mai!", “Ek akela is shehr mey… raat aur dopahr mey”, “Chal akela, chal akela, chal akela… tera mela peeche choota raahi chal akela”, "Beqarar dil tu gaaye ja…” to name a few. The last one from ‘Door ka rahi’ epitomised the solitude the veerana pann of the period and continues to be one of my favourites… I just cant get over the tear inducing lines… “aise hi baharen gaati rahe aur sajhthi rahe veerane… jinhe sunn ke duniya jhoom uthe, aur jhoom ke dil deewane”

There are many, many more that come to mind, but I will save them for another visit - a sequel.

I always found solace in the company of my friends, and Lord, I have so many friends that I had to think a lot before showcasing this song – “Diye jalte hain, phool khilthe hain... badi mushkil se magar duniya mey dost milthe hain” as an ode to friendship and my personal dedication to all the friends in my life who have been the biggest influence in making me what I am today.

Nostalgia is the basis of this blog post that I have embarked upon and what best song to speak of nostalgia than. "Lehron ki tarah yaadein, dil se takrathi hain... toofan uthathi hain", which just about sums up the journey of my life.

This Mukesh number will stand out as one of the most philosophical pieces "Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye..." especially the lines from this song.. "Ghani thi uljhan bairi apna mann... apna hi hoke sahe dard paraye... dard paraye" is something that does not leave me on most occasions.

Talking of philosophy, there is more to it than just being a dipsomaniac’s rendition... these lines have had a long lasting effect "Manzilen apni jagah hain, raaste apni jagah... jab kadam hi saath na de, toh musafir kya kare", I just cannot get enough of my love for Amitabh Bachchan songs, I will surely dedicate an exclusive piece for that. (oh another blog post sequel)

That song from Sharaabi of course reminds me of the spirits and what most people miss not having known it... aptly summarised in the lines "Jo na peeye woh kya jaane, peete hain kyun hum deewane yaar.. jab se humne peena seekha, jeena seekha marna seekha yaar", yes, quite some learning in life from the spirits, brought to fore by Rajesh Khanna in the Namak Haram number "Nadiya se dariya... dariya se sagar".

Going back in time with that, will be the next one, my eternal favourite.. "Ohre taal mile nadi ke jal mey... nadi mile saagar mey.. saagar mile koun se jal koi jane na", another of Mukesh's memorable ones… another of my philosophical motivators… “Boond chupi kis baadal mey koi jaane na!”

If all those songs make one think that I have a penchant only for melancholy... I beg to differ... I have been known for my pranks and the playful numbers are not something that can be taken away from me.

Take this for one: “Duniya mein logon ko dhokha kabhi ho jaata hai” in RD Burman’s westernized tone or for that matter "Dekha na hai re, socha na hai re... rakh di nishaane pe jaan" would go down as one of the most memorable group numbers followed by the Teesri Kasam chorus "Chalat musafir moh liyo re pinjade wali muniya" or the Mohd Rafi foot tapping club song... "Aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche har zubaan par" and "Dil ke jharokhe me tujhko bitha kar" the last two incidentally from the Shammi Kapoor film Brahmachari. (Oh! I can go on and on about Shammi songs)

I have never been perceived as a romantic, but then the romance flows through the songs I sing and relate through... "Yeh reshmi zulfein.. yeh sharbathi aankhen" is the first that comes to mind while talking about romance. Further I would go on and on with numerous ones... like “Tere chehre mey wo jaadu hai… bin dor khincha jaata hoon” or the soulful ones like... “Woh jab yaad aaye... bahut yaad aaye” - mellifluous Rafi can move the stone hearted to tears.

Not until 1997 did I meet my life partner… but I had these lines etched in my memory much earlier “apsara koi aaye to dekoon naheen, koi bahkaaye haske to behkoon naheen, tore matvaare nainon ne jaadu kiya, teri ulfat sanam sar aakon par” Radical in thought and plain speak, I have never wavered in my approach to life and the love for music was only doubled with my wife having the same taste for the kind of songs that I followed.

Equally good or rather a much better singer than me Rekha, my wife, partners along in my quest for living life through Hindi film songs. We sang together varying genre, from the classical Saanjh aur Sawera number “Ajhun aaye baalma, saawan beetha jaaye” to the all time favourite duet “Jaane kaise kab kahan ikraar ho gaya.. hum sochthe hi reh gaye aur pyaar ho gaya!” with much aplomb.

This story would be incomplete without mentioning a few other songs and singers I always rever ~ Manna Dey’s Hindustani classics are innumerable and unmatchable, but I will cherish “Tu pyaar ka sagar hai” most and the lines “Ghayal mann ka paagal panchi udd ne ko beqaraar” is truly epic.

Then there is Hemant Kumar’s “Sooraj re jalthe rehna..” Yesudas’ “Khushiyan hi khushiyan ho..” Asha Bhosale’s “Do lafzon ki hai.. dil ki kahani” and Lata Mangeshkar’s "Ajeeb Dastaan hai" and “Dil toh hai dil… dil ka aitbaar kya cheez hai” – This last one I still feel should have been a Kishore number!

I would love to sign off with one of my most favourite Mohd. Rafi numbers "Yaad na jaaye beethe dinon ki... jaake na aaye jo din, dil kyun bulaye unhe" with the promise that I would surely return to pen more and more of the "lines that have defined my life" in a sequel or should I say sequels.

Until then keep humming with me – “Rimjhim gire saawan, sulag sulag jaaye mann… bheege aaj iss mausam mey lagi kaisi yeh agan!" ~ Most people know this as the unchanged caller tune and ringtone on mobile phone for almost a decade now!

Au revoir

Life is not a level playing field

There comes a time in everyone’s life, or rather numerous occasions, when you feel let down by what you trust most and the thought process that takes you forward culminates in the belief that ‘life is not a level playing field.’

For one whose life is driven totally by listening and humming to only Hindi film songs, I have an English song by Rod Stewart that instantly comes to mind…

Some guys have all the luck
Some guys have all the pain
Some guys get all the breaks
Some guys do nothing but complain

Well, in gist this is life, or is it?

There is more to it than meets the eye; the World Wide Web will throw up a billion pages of content that would form the means to address the situation, motivational quotes, analogies of purportedly successful men and women and more, a thousand ways to make one believe that positive attitude is the key and that opportunities galore for the seeker… I can just go on and on…! But then, the basic premise that I embarked upon with an insanely true cliché, will stay… Yes - Life is not a level playing field!

The ‘saint’ is a myth. A perfectly contended or a ‘completely in peace’ human being is as much truth as Ethiopia being Utopia.

The fifth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament says “The meek shall inherit the Earth”, the context of the biblical world that it was uttered in has changed meaning now – it serves to aptly exemplify the present day lives – ‘the powerless will lead a life without striving’. I may be condemned of mis-interpreting one of the most famous of the Beatitudes, but then in times of media-judging, logical interpretations are the first things that are almost always, thrown out of the window.

How else can one explain the relentless struggle of the moralistic heart to overcome the constantly greed driven mind and succeeding only to succumb, endlessly.

Moving into a pluralistic society from the days of colonialism and subjugation has not meant equal opportunities but that of irresponsible growth of the incompetent through sustained sycophancy. This is true in all walks of life and corporate ladders are strewn by faithful followers of the doctrine – boot licking upwards.

In conclusion, even as I try hard to refrain from being positive, I am tempted to, and I succumb to, quote the verse from the Bhagawad Gita, that in which I had utmost faith and one which is gradually taking a beating:

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana,
Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani

In simple terms which mean: Keep on performing your duties without expecting for any reward in return, leading a selfless life – this it what it is all about.

…. And when all fails I will retort to Deuteronomy 32:41

------------------------------------Notes: --------------------------
Pluralism: A social organization in which diversity of racial, religious, ethnic or cultural groups is tolerated
Mathew 5.5: The fifth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament
Deuteronomy 32:41: If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

The telephone booth

Tana Street Purasavakkam Chennai - 12.30 pm
August 1990: Don’t remember the exact date…!

It had been almost three months working in Chennai, living alone in a room, sans much friends, sans any known acquaintances the only contact with relatives was the weekends spent at their cozy homes. The entire week saw marketing medicines to doctors, the top-of-the-line antibiotics (as if that was required to be mentioned here).

Apart from rattling of the parroted content to doctors and chemists there was hardly any conversation happening in life. I started to become a loner of sorts, but for VJ - the only friend, who spent much time at the Nungambakkam CA institute during the day and was company for the snack dinner on Bells Road every night. The days were very long, the bus travel across the city was nothing but sweat and more sweat. I longed to strike a conversation with someone I knew…. No there were no phones at any of my known friends/relatives places – the only mode of communication was through letters, which meant a fortnight’s wait to get reply (think this in the age of sms and instant messaging).

The silent days
It was around this time in August VJ went to Bangalore and I had hardly spoken to anyone in 3 days… I was choking to find someone to talk to… Three days passed since I spoke to some one I knew, I had been speaking to vendors, waiters, bus conductors and hawkers, now I needed to speak to some one who will talk to me with my name.

The Thursday afternoon
Every day I passed by the Telephone booth - I felt I was actually being called in for a conversation - After searching the Madras Telephone Directory for an hour on that hot Thursday afternoon, I finally found the office number of a cousin, it took about 5 minutes to track his department, I was told he had gone out for Lunch and would be back in half hour. I waited the thirty minutes at the bus-stop beside4 the telephone booth and called again. This time he came online directly and was heard shouting hello… hello… hello… and all I could do was choke and hear to his voice for 20 seconds before he hung up. That one moment of silent monologue was enough to charge me for the next few days.

No, I didn’t speak to him that day nor did I speak to him about it when I met him the next week. Nor have I spoken to him about it in the past twenty years. I knew I was happy listening to someone I knew.

That day I told myself I will never want to be like this anymore. Today reminiscing the days of almost no communication – I wonder if it really makes any sense to have 24/7 connectivity to across all in the world through mobile phones and still yearn for that one moment of silence – one that gives immense strength. I surely miss that moment.

That absolute moment of solitude.

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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

The TWENTY20 Series will bring back nostalgic memories
throughout this year Coming up next - "My greatest regret"!

2009 - Another Year confined to History!

Learning from the year

"Religion as a science, as a study, is the greatest and healthiest exercise that the human mind can have".

- Swami Vivekananda.

This year end account of chronicling the happenings in my life in 2009 is delayed by a fortnight primarily due to the fact that it took so long to come out of the December last week memories, which have surely etched a new chapter in my life, one which is bound to change my perception and my personality.

That I have thousands of things to relate, but have fewer words to pen them here is surmised with the simple line - "I have more face to wash less hair to comb". Yes, the year 2009 has given me some moments both personal and official which brought too many sleepless nights and distressing days. Things that left me pondering hours to no end - I've aged much this year than ever.

The Positives:

On the personal front, I got to know more newer friends, online (quite a few bubbly young enterprising lot of go-getters) and offline, met a few online friends offline too. Attended a few celebrations and acquired a few pals for life. There has been never a dull moment in parties and celebrations - with the kind of music that has followed my all through my life. Kishore Kumar continued to rule my day to day life (not a day passes without listening to this idol). I played lot of cricket, picked up quite a handful of wickets, though made not so many runs during the year - but the feather in the cap of course was Captaining my club side for the first time, a first time ever for captaincy - though ended in a loss (was made good with 2 back to back victories in Jan 2010). Followed almost all International cricket from Tests to ODIs to T20 - never gave up on the religion that I so fondly follow and the God that I revere - Sachin Tendulkar, yes I almost got to meet him too.

On the office front things have been quite good, I say quite good because - there were more unpleasant events overshadowing the good ones - but then this year also saw one of the most memorable programmes I was involved in - The Managerial Effectiveness programme. Also known as the MDP, this was conducted at our Head Office two days a month over a six month period, yes this was surely a major learning experience, one that refreshed some finer points in basics and some new learnings that would make me a more thorough professional in the years to come... I infact put it in my summarizing note at the valedictory of the ME programme thus "Learning is a continuous process and this programme is another Milestone in my journey of Self Discovery". (shall pen a separate note on this soon).

For one who is constantly in the quest for knowledge, the programme added more to my effort and also brought me closer my colleagues across the country. Ever the team man - ever gregarious - I only reveled in the company of a few dozen more new friends and the monthly travel to Chennai was always eagerly looked forward to.

The Forgettable

Though I start of with the sub head forgettable - its far from forgettable that I spent a night in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit of a Corporate Hospital, one I still believe is an aberration, a ‘con’ act of the modern day hospitals rather than a personal folly. I would just want to leave it at that.

I would not want a year to start for anyone as it started for me, I lost a close friend on the Second day of 2009, a person who was 10 years older to me - but always brought cheer with his quick wit humour and light hearted anecdotes - may his soul rest in peace.

Officially, the turmoil that I went through during the phase when almost ten of my colleagues phased out from the organisation is something I still am trying to get to terms with. No, I am not passing judgements on the developments - just that it could have been avoided, well something not in my control though. Its during this period I greyed more, lost more sleep, underwent stress (which until then it only through books and journals ) and above all remained lost. In all these developments, I would be lying to myself if I said - I didn’t harbour hopes of ascending to a top post, which though didn't happen :(.

The memorable moments

I owe a Zillion for the best moments in my life to my wonderful family, especially to my lovely wife - who has been a source of immense strength in the ups and downs, one who has been inspiring through her selfless quest for spreading cheer, ever smiling - ever cheerful. I am blessed.

Yes, blessed I am for also being coaxed to embark on the year-end trip to Srirangam. A reluctant religious person that I am, the trip turned out to be a real eye opener. One that got me to understand the roots of Vaishnavism, the significance of worship, the beauty of Lord Ranganatha and the sheer embodiment of the place Srirangam - Thiruvarangam - Bhooloka Vaikuntam, well by whatever name we call it, its pure magic and I am filled with awe to know more about it. I shall delve on Srirangam in a separate post soon... where I shall draw the roadmap to my future visits and also the path to the Divya Desams. I am overwhelmed with discovery of the 'need to serve the lord', I shall do my Kainkaryams too. My next post will talk all about Srirangam and the beginning of a new journey courtesy a young, educated, brilliant soul who needs special mention.

As a customary thanksgiving to all the people in my life who have made it yet another beautiful year – I would want to add one more line – Keep ‘being there for me as always' …

.... and no matter what – I shall always be there for you too!

I sign off with many unsaids, many more unkept promises and many many more miles to travel in the quest for Utopia - No I have NOT ceased to be a perfectionist, confessions apart, I strive to and will continue.

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20 years since I was 20

… For I too believe

Cricket is Religion

and

Sachin Tendulkar is God…!

I was in my twentieth year and my final year in college, it was mid week and I had bunked classes to watch Test cricket on Doordarshan… He was barely 16 and played just 24 balls in his first innings… I was not alone in predicting a long innings from him…

November 15, 1989 - Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar had arrived

An Inspiration for a lifetime

... not just that innings… I have watched almost every innings in his illustrious 20 year career, and pray we watch many more from this batting genius.

Today as he completes 20 years in International cricket, having conquered many a statistical milestone, I write this ode to a person who has been an inspiration for a generation and more and I have one thing to proclaim, like millions of others in this country and across the world – I am THE biggest Sachin Tendulkar fan of them all.

Today in my 40th year, I am proud to have journeyed 20 years with his career and have seen many cricketing ups and downs and in all these years never once have I had one word of negativity for the idol, who not just inspired cricketers but made every day lives more pleasant with his achievements that only got better by the day.

The days I have squirmed in sleep over his missed centuries, the bitter fights with friends and colleagues over why Sachin is the Greatest and how Sachin never played for records, but records continued to happen are just too many to be recorded here.

Barring few minor incidents, one cannot remember any on field behaviour or off field tantrums from the little master, that have blotted even the greatest like the Don or SMG’s career and that is the humility of the person which needs to be emulated by the present generation, of not just cricketers, but everyone in general life

I have admired the positive attitude that stemmed from his exemplary on field presence and has made my life one that has been what it is today – one that has discipline written all over.

Even as I am tempted to reel off the statistics, greatest innings, best shots, wonderful moments, disappointments and phenomenal achievements and not to forget the innumerable records... I just have this to say... my half life was memorable thanks to you.

I wear my patriotism on my sleeve and carry the national flag in my
wallet always… inspired by the greatest Indian sportsman ever.

Pray! May you continue set standards for the world to follow in cricket and off it.

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A day in the life of a mafia Don

- Confession of a flawed perfectionist Don!

It’s quite intrinsic in nature, every person desires to discover the dark side of one’s personality and would actually love to live it in reality too, provided there are no legal tangles or social inhibitions.

I adored the Godfather movies, gazing at the stars in the middle of the night, lying on the roof top, wondering how I should have been living the life of Al Capone in the movies… that was in mid 1980s, over two and half decades later - two decades after the last of my teenage years, I live in this fantasy underworld of the Mafia – with my most original pet name Zal – now Don Zal.

As much as it may sound quite juvenile to imagine being part of the online gaming zone, that just needs to be clicked and clicked to fulfill your fetish, its truly a harmless medium to re-discover your dreams and also live in open the assumed alter ego, which given a choice, in reality, stays incognito.

Mafia Wars on Facebook fans every human’s desire for unabashed power,
unaccustomed armoury, unlimited wealth and property and the ego-thumping status.

While its fun to be playing games online, it also gets nervy with the kind of jobs the Mafia does ranging from liquor smuggling, running an illegal poker game, burning down tenements, buying off Federal Agents, helping fugitives flee the Country, ordering hits on a public officials to embezzling funds through phony companies and also, hold your breath, Assassinate Political Figures. If these were the day to day jobs in New York, one gets to fly in and out of Cuba to do jobs like rob the Banco Nacional, offer "protection" to nightclubs and also transport shipment of US arms.

To do all these, the kind of inventory involved is just awesome too, one gets to own and use Cannons, Assault Rifles, Street Gang Members, Camouflage Body Armors, Montaine 320s, Multi-Purpose Trucks, Riot Gears, Bodyguards, Gas Masks, Night Vision Goggles, Jungle Trackers, Multi-Purpose Trucks, Hearses, Luxury Yachts, Prop planes, Armored Cars, Town Cars, armoured Sedans and much much more.

Just wondering what is it that one gets doing all these, well the rewards are much bigger too one can own hundreds and thousands of Mega Casinos, Beach Front Property, 5-Star Hotels, and takeover businesses in Cuba like Tobacco plantations, Sugar plantations and Coco fields, which are so lucrative that you earn a million times what you can dream of owning in a life time in just one hour – sample this – Don Zal’s total income is a whopping US$17,400,050 per hour, which is multiplying with every passing hour and with the addition of more and more property.

If you thought all that was macabre, then just check these statistics for the ‘level 100’ Don Zal : Jobs Completed – 2164, Most jobs done in one day – 93, Fights Won – 5376, Fights Won in Cuba – 703, Mobsters Whacked – 87, Hitlist Kills – 11 (being a hired gun) and Successful Heists – 3180.

Yes the mundane 9 to 6 jobs we do are getting routine where you secretly dream of eliminating clients and co workers which is what you do on mafia wars where enemies are put up on a hitlist for a bounty and the satisfaction is unlimited. How else can you satiate your quest for untraceable cell phones, illegal transaction records, blackmail photos or get gifts from mafia ‘families’ and the Godfather which range from trucks, guns poker playing cards to sculptures to Rembrandt paintings.

Even as I sign off this diary of a mafia don, I am served with a fresh ‘energy pack’ that gives additional energy to whack mafia like nobody’s business.

- Don Zal

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Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust…

…If Thomson doesn't get you, Lillee must!

So goes the folklore of cricket that seems to have been the hallmark of what cricket was all about – Test Cricket! Add Gary Gilmour to the attack, and cricket in the 70s and 80s was in its fiercest form of competitiveness, in spite of the fact that it was played over six days with a day’s break in between. The West Indies defined the four pronged pace attack and the spearheads like Croft, Roberts, Holding, Garner, Marshall sent chill down the spine of the batsmen. There were batsmen of the likes of Geoff Boycott and Sunil Gavaskar who would play out days and nights to blunt the above attack.

Cricket in flannels is still considered the purest form and Ashes the flag bearer. Today cricket is followed as religion in India but then the passionate following that this game has dates back to 1882 when a young London journalist, Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote a mock obituary in the Sporting Times, which read: “In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, RIP. NB: The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia.” That was to be Australia's first victory on English soil over the full strength of England.

Things haven’t changed much even to this day, Ashes conjures some of the most competitive displays of the gentleman’s game and has stood the test of time. If the overdose of Twenty 20 through the Indian Premier League and the T20 World Cup makes the modern follower feel that test cricket is losing its sheen, then look back to the year when Kerry Packer hijacked the cream of the cricketers to a new brand of coloured clothing game, which brought a revolution to the fifty over format.

The 1978-79 Ashes was played in direct competition to the unofficial WSC matches elsewhere in Australia and, while England lost a few regulars, Australia fielded a weak side that lost the series 5-1. The crowds dwindled and Test cricket seemed threatened. After things settled down the following year Ashes saw some of the most memorable performances The 1979 series was notable for the remarkable number of players who made nineties - Kim Hughes (99) Boycott (99*) David Gower (98*) Greg Chappell (98*) and Graham Gooch (99), missing out his maiden century being run-out. Those days cricket was keenly followed on BBC and ABC radio and of course through the newspaper columns. Even as One Day cricket with coloured clothing and white ball made strides, Test cricket continued to flourish and yes with some record breaking performances across the World.

After almost two decades of dominance Australia lost the Ashes to the English in 2005, but then regained it at home eighteen months later with an emphatic 5-0 whitewash. Two years later and with the cream of the Aussies leaving, the team from down under are facing a stiff challenge, not just to retain the Ashes, but also uphold the dispassionate interest that followers of the game have always had in the five day version.

July 8, 2009 is a day of reckoning, an eagerly awaited date for the connoisseurs of the game, for this will decide whether the longest version of the game will bite the dust or rise from the Ashes.




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