Author: M V Kamath
Publication: Afternoon Despatch
& Courier
Date: July 26, 2002
Introduction: On such an occasion
as the Indian victory at Lord's one does not have to bring extraneous elements
to mar the joy and ecstacy of the people
Nothing reveals the mindset of an
individual better than his reaction to a given event, whether it is one
of success or failure, death or disaster. Few in India thought that India
would win the NatWest Trophy at Lord's after the cheap dismissal of Sachin
Tendulkar and the score stood at 146 for five. In despair Mohammad Kaifs
family turned off the TV and went out to watch Devdas at the near-by cinema
theatre. And then the unbelievable happened. The Hindu (July 16) turned
into lyrical prose to recall the situational change. "It is difficult"
said the paper, "to find the appropriate words to describe what transpired
at Lord's". But it tried. "It is clean" it went on, "that whatever happened
on that hallowed turf was not just a game, but a piece of sporting magic.
Not just a contest for a cup but a war of wizardry. Not just cricket, but
enchantment... It is difficult to think of another One-day match in which
India has played which surpasses this."
Enormous odds
Pointing out in breathless prose
that only one other team batting second has scored more than 326 runs to
win a One day international, the paper said that India's Win at Lord's
"reflects the enormous odds" which it had to face. With odds multiplying
many times over, when TV sets were being switched off, when the English
Captain Nasser Hussain was probably rehearsing his victory speech, that
was where "two young men set about repairing matters". Said The Hindu,
still struggling to catch its breath: "They plugged the leak, made sure
the boat stayed afloat, got it moving and finally, when the time was just
right, sailed full steam ahead to over-run the English fleet and storm
their way into Indian hearts." What Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh possibly
represent, the paper added, is "a brand new face of Indian cricket". And
for good measure it added: "Whether it is Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh,
Virendra Sehwag or Zaheer Khan, it is impossible to miss the buzz and the
energy that the younger crop of player has infused into Indian cricket."
The approach of most newspaper editorials
was much the same though not always with the same literary flourish. The
Free Press journal said: "Two young lads at the crease, Kaif and Yuvraj
Singh, not counted among the major players, performed a miracle... Bravo,
Kaif and Yuvraj." The Bangalore-based Deccan Herald (July 15) praised "the
team spirit, harmony and a raging desire to be competitive and successful"
shown by the Indian team and said that "the elan allied with the combativeness
that the Kaifs, the Yuvrajs and the Harbhajan Singhs" brought with them
was indicative that "the future would appear to be in the safest of hands."
The Hindustan Times (July 15) had a delightful story to tell from its Allahabad
correspondent that said that when Kaifs not-out won India the trophy, the
never-give-ups in the city (looked like its entire population) descended
on his house in Kydgang, only to find it locked. The crowd then proceeded
to the cinema theatre and escorted an ecstatic Mohamad Tarif and his wife
Kaiser Jehan out. The audience did not seem to mind the commotion; in fact
it stood up and applauded Kaif and his family right in the middle of the
film.... "Felicitations have been pouring in not just from neighbours but
from strangers all over the country...... reported the paper. And those
who came to congratulate the family belonged to all religions, castes,
creeds and communities. Not a single paper - with the exception of one,
of which anon, commented on Kaif s religion. The Hindustan Times dealt
with it circumstantially, in the context of terrorists' killings of 27
people in a Jammu slum. It said: "To medieval minds obsessed with the idea
of killing, a democratic exercise has no meaning. Not do they understand
the simple joys of living which can include a sporting encounter in a distant
land. Indeed, it would have been beyond the comprehension of the Islamic
zealots that two Indians with the (to them unlikely) names of Mohammad
Kaif and Zaheer Khan were guiding their country to a famous victory to
the unbounded joy of a billion people as well as the cricket enthusiasts
of 'all races and religions'. The only paper to bring in communalism in
its comment happens to be The Times of India. Its editorial said: "India's
most memorable One-day win ever remains the World Cup triumph at Lord's
in 1983. But Saturday's victory against England at the same venue must
surely take second spot. When man-of-the-match Mohammad Kaif and Zaheer
Khan 'Hindutva brigade, please note' - scampered a quick 'two, they gave
India its first tournament victory since July 1998. What the Hindutva brigade
has to do with cricket, only the presiding deity at Bori Bunder would know.
For the ordinary Indian Mohammad Kaif and Zaheer Khan were Indians, new
elements in the Indian Sixteen, but Indians. Those good people in Allahabad
who thronged to the Kaif home to congratulate the parents on their son's
amazing fight were not Islamic fanatics: the majority were Hindus. Those
1,500 people who kept calling the Kaifs were not all Muslims: a large number
of them was Hindu, whatever their political affiliation. One would imagine
that even the most communal of Hindu has rejoiced at India's victory and
thanked God for a Kaif. Was that snide remark really necessary? Did the
Hindutva brigade protest when Azharuddin was made India's captain? Did
that brigade celebrate at that same Azharuddin's downfall? Do people, whatever
their political or social affiliation among Hindus treat Bismillah Khan
as a Muslim or bear grudge against Shah Rukh Khan for turning two Bollywood
films into the success they turned out to be? Whether in the realm of films,
or sports, or scholastic achievements, Hindutvawadis do not require the
Times of India to prod them to recognise the truly great.
Communal elements
Kaif and Zaheer Khan won the hearts
of all as well they should. Not a single sports commentator so much as
said a word about the religion of Kaif and Khan. Not Sunil Gavaskar. Not
Kapil Dev. Not Chand Borde. The chairman of the Cricket Board's Selection
Committee said that he was "particularly happy for the two youngsters -
Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh".
There are times when sports and
politics are best not mixed up. Goodness knows that there are communal
elements in the country with their marked prejudices but who are marginal
to society, just as there are elements in Europe that hate Jews and have
no hesitation in desecrating synagogues. But on such an occasion as the
Indian victory at Lord's one does not have to bring extraneous elements
to mar the joy and ecstacy of the people. Kaif and Zaheer Khan, Kaif and
Yuvraj Singh did what they did - and all glory to them, The Times of India
and alleged Hindutvawadis notwithstanding. For God's sake, can't we at
least once in our lifetimes forget communalism and give our praise to the
great, the good and the brave without snide asides to spoil the beauty
and grace of an occasion?
