Men in White!

I remember bunking classes way back in my fifth standard to watch a test match between Zimbabwe and Pakistan.I also remember missing a marriage function in 1999 to see Sachin getting (legally but immorally)run out owing to Shoaib Akhtar's antics and the subsequent clearing of the entire Eden Gardens stadium for the match to progress.Watching cricket was such a cool thing to do until 2007 or thereabouts when T20 started invading our imagination.IPL trivialised cricket and turned cricket from sport to 3 hours of masala entertainment.

Even I got carried away by the IPL brand of entertainment writing lots of rubbish in this very space.IPL (or T20,to be generic) never tested a cricketer's calibre.Before a player gets really tested,the match would be over.On his day,any player could play with the finesse of Sachin Tendulkar.T20 has put Pollard over Dravid,power over technique,sound over silk,money over men and cheergirls over everything else.

In the above context,the India Vs Australia test match at Mohali gains loads of significance.At the end of the second day,I wondered whether a clear-cut outcome was possible.But the fourth day was an absolute roller coaster ride.Australia went wicketless in the first hour building a vital opening partnership.Suddenly,a deluge of wickets and Australia were all out for less than 200.India would have rejoiced "The Day is Ours" before it lost 4 wickets in quick succession.150 odd runs to win with 6 wickets in hand.Australia knew that the fifth day would be theirs but for one man.

Very Very Special Laxman has been the biggest nemesis for Australia from time immemorial.Even Dravid will feel like an awkward cricketer after watching the silken touch of Laxman.Laxman's batting feels like a Maniratnam movie: a connoisseur's delight.Laxman saw Dhoni run himself out and Sachin throw away his wicket.Hundred runs to win and his batting partner is Ishant Sharma.Any other batsman would have sweated inside out grinding for runs.Laxman played in his own universe stroking fours in regular intervals and maintained a strike rate of around 100.It was as if Laxman was playing a practice game against Scotland.To make it sound more heroic,he played the knock with a bad back.

Laxman's knock served many purposes.It gave India it's only first wicket win.It made India retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.Personally,Laxman had a point to prove.The selectors have never treated Laxman with respect.Only Laxman can show the middle finger to so many critics in such a polite manner.But Laxman's knock(and the entire Mohali match) has done one more thing too.It has shown that Test cricket is the real deal and T20 is a mere mirage.

Pollard can hit 9 sixers in 10 deliveries but can he ever get the satisfaction of Ishant Sharma's 92-ball-31?Dhoni may win IPL and Champions league but will they match his mindframe post-Mohali?Chetan Bhagat may sell in droves but will he come near Mahabaratha or Ramayana?In cricket,the old remains the beautiful.The Men in white are still the men who matter.Long live Laxman and Long live Test Cricket!