Cricket Last Nights at an English Art Museum

Hi you,

Last night, I was in a old, rustic arts museum in south of London and happen to run into Ricky Ponting and Surya Kumar Yadav. Quite a company they were. One whose knock sealed the 2003 world cup for Australia and one quite a bit of criticism for his knock in the final.

I surprisingly got a seat near Ricky Ponting. So taking my chances, I asked, which all of us in India since the heartbreaking loss in ICC world cup final have been meaning to ask.

“Isn’t it hard for sports to survive if it gives so much pain? Why one of the best team in the world has to lose that day? I can’t take this pain anymore”, I said.

He looked at me for sometime and then painting. Then with his disarming laugh said, “there is no pain in just appreciating arts and sipping wine. Is it? But how much adrenaline rush is in that? Sports is about the joy of victory and pang of loss. One without the other is incomplete, and you can’t ask for just one.”

I know I could argue, but I also knew he was right. And perhaps it’s time for me to be grateful for the incredible joys and adrenaline rushes that I had over the last 6 weeks. And it was also the time to enjoy the present — right there in front of me — paintings and you e who I couldn’t find in the party.

I sat on risen chair a bit far from him, and Surya Kumar Yadav just came and sat near me. He was dejected and wasn’t saying anything. I told him nothing takes the skills away from you. Yes, result didn’t go you way. But who in the world can control results?

Just then you arrived in a beautiful gown at that party. I was wondering how I ask SKY to leave, and I couldn’t ask the other person sitting beside me, as he was giving don’t ask me vibe. I waived you as you entered, and you smiled back. Just then SKY left and without me even being able to say thank you. Such a gentleman. You came holding her gown as it was a bit long sat near.

Ricky Ponting just then looked at me with you and said without saying that’s the therapy. You and I watching paintings and sipping wine. Not cricket. Don’t expect it to be :)

[Forgot to tell you that just then Papa knocked at the door. The sun was out. And the dream so far away in another world. But not without with making me so much grateful for the past 6 weeks and my present in front of me :) ]