All I Remember

How did it all start? Well, I am not quite sure. All I remember is, I was around 3 years old when my parents and their friends were watching an India-Australia match. As any other toddler would, all I enjoyed was watching players hit the ball with their bats. As I watched the batsman clad in blue (who our nation now recognizes as MSD) take stance and swing his bat, sending the ball into the stands for a six, I jumped up in excitement only to slip and injure myself.

Well that story, isn’t mine. What you just heard is how my mom likes to tell this tale. Mine is different. Completely different. My eyes were glued to the figure within the screen. The form he displayed: the position of his bat, his focus on the ball and the determination in his eyes. I was left dumbfounded; how could someone hit a shot like that?

All sports are special, but cricket, is in a league in of its own. It may simply be a game to you, but for me, it’s more than that. It has guided me into becoming a more mature and disciplined person overall. Whether it’s learning to respect our seniors, paying the price for being arrogant and over confident or recognizing the importance of working hard - I owe it all to cricket. The game brings out a different person in me, and thats what i like most about it. Because while playing it, I may be competitive but at the same time, I’m careful of each and every decision I make on the field. I may be short tempered but it will never stop me from upholding the spirit of true sportsmanship. You see, it all comes down to the reality you choose to live in. Some see life as having endless obstacles and hurdles stopping them from reaching their goal. All I see? Bouncers and yorkers blocking me from my century.