Call for world cricket revamp - Just Unfair

John Buchanan, the former coach of the Australian cricket team has suggested new ways of promoting cricket. “Franchise based system”, he calls it with which the players are given the option of choosing the countries which they want to represent. He should’ve probably made this statement with only Australia in his mind, as he has stated that most of the talented youngsters fail to make it to the highest level as the competition is too stiff to get a place in the national side. Australia’s domestic cricket is the strongest of all other existing structures around the globe. With 18 counties in England and a unbelievably huge pool of players, England still are not impressive. They have produced great players, but not yet found a team which could win at least one major tournament.

Allowing the players to migrate from one country to another may probably allow a greater flow of players in World Cricket, but I don’t think this would work out in the sub-continent. Especially, in our country where cricket is not just a game, people would never digest a foreign player representing India and also a Indian player representing some other country. However, this is not new in the world of cricket, as we all know that Kevin Pietersen, the England batsman was a citizen of South Africa. There are other cases like this as well.

Recruiting players from countries like Australia, India and allowing them to play at different countries is a good idea, but they cannot be allowed to represent the country as such. Like football, promotional leagues may be sketched by the ICC involving young players from all the countries, form teams and make them play in test and one day tournaments. The “club culture” which prevails in football can be tried out in cricket in order to encourage greater flow of players.

Cricket, especially the one day format has become like a horse race, where the favorites win all the time. However, this “franchise based system” cannot be a solution to stop Australia’s dominance in world cricket. Strength against strength – This is probably the way to stop them . At present, a few teams which look good on paper, succumb to Australia when they take on them on the field. Thankfully, Twenty20 format has not been that way.

It is pathetic that the ICC has also shown interest on Buchanan’s ideas, and thinking about relaxing the rules of players' migration. Though it has not been discussed seriously, this would surely be a flop if implemented. The need of the hour is not a world cricket revamp, but the domestic structure revamp. Upcoming leagues like IPL and ICL would sure be good enough to nurture the talent pool especially in a big country like India, provided they offer a chance to young talents and make them play along with the seniors.

தீபாவளி

முதல் சிறுகதை முயற்சி.... நல்லா இல்லேன்னா தாராளமா திட்டலாம்.

கருத்து சொல்ல விரும்பும் "கருத்து கந்தசாமி"களையும் வரவேற்கிறேன்!
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"பாலா...இருட்டிக்கிட்டு வருது, மழை வரும் போலிருக்கு... உன் பட்டாசை எல்லாம் எடுத்து வை"
அம்மாவின் குரல் கேட்டு நாலு கால் பாய்ச்சலில் மொட்டை மாடிக்கு ஓடினான் பாலா. கார் மேகங்களால் சூழப்பட்ட வானம் மிரட்டியது. அவசர அவசரமாக, காய வைத்த பட்டாசுகளை எல்லம் அள்ளி சாக்கு பையில் கொட்டினான். அந்த அவசரத்திலும் வெடிகளையும் மத்தாப்புகளையும் எண்ணிப் பார்த்து, கணக்கை சரி பார்துக்கொள்ளத் தவறவில்லை!
பட்டாசுகளை வாங்கிய நாளிலிருந்து, தினமும் மதியம் வெடிகளை மொட்டை மாடியில் காய வைப்பதும், அவற்றை எண்ணிப் பார்ப்பதும் பாலாவிற்கு வாடிக்கையாகிவிட்டது.

எந்த வருடமும் இல்லாமல், இந்த வருடம் தீபாவளிக்கு பத்து நாட்களுக்கு முன்னரே அப்பா பட்டாசு வாங்கித் தந்ததால், தீபாவளியன்று வெடிக்க வேண்டிய வெடிகளை எல்லாம் அட்டவணை போட்டு வைத்திருந்தான்!
காலை எழுந்தவுடன் ஆயிரம் வாலா, இரெட்டை சரம், ஒற்றை சரம், பிறகு லெக்ஷ்மி வெடி. மதியம் சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு அணுகுண்டு, ஒற்றை வெடி போன்றவற்றை வெடிக்கலாம் என்றும், இரவு மத்தாப்பு வகையறாக்கள் என்றும் திட்டம் தீட்டியிருந்தான்.

இந்த தீபாவளிக்கு, கிராமத்தில் வசிக்கும் பாட்டி வரப்போவதாக அம்மா கூறியதும், மகிழ்ச்சியின் உச்சத்திற்கே போனான் பாலா. பாட்டி என்றால், பாலாவிற்கு கொள்ளைப் பிரியம். வம்பு செய்துவிட்டு அம்மாவிடமோ, அப்பாவிடமோ அடி வாங்க நேரும் போது, பாட்டி தலையிட்டு காப்பாற்றுவாள். பேரன் மீது அதீத அன்பு செலுத்துவாள்.
பாட்டி ஊரிலிருந்து சுவையான பலகாரங்கள் எடுத்து வருவாள் என்று நினைக்கும் போதே பாலாவிற்க்கு நாக்கில் எச்சில் ஊறியது.

பாலா, தன் நண்பர்களை எல்லாம் அழைத்து வந்து மத்தப்புகளைக் காட்டுவதும் அவற்றை வெடிக்க, தான் போட்டு வைத்திருந்த அட்டவணையை சொல்வதுமாக பொழுதை கழித்தான். மேலும் தன் பாட்டி ஊரிலிருந்து வரவிருக்கிறாள் என்ற செய்தியையும் சொல்லி பெருமை பட்டுக் கொண்டான். தினமும் இரவு உறங்கச் செல்லும் முன், காலெண்டரின் தேதியைக் கிழித்து தீபாவளி நெருங்குவதைக் கண்டு பரவசமடைந்தான்.

இன்னும் இரெண்டே நாட்கள் தான்... தீபாவளி வந்துவிடும்! நாளை பாட்டி வந்து விடுவாள். பாட்டி வந்தவுடன் மத்தாப்புகளையும், புத்தாடைகளையும் காட்ட வேண்டும்... பாட்டியின் கை முறுக்கை ருசிக்க வேண்டும்... இப்படியெல்லாம் யோசித்துக் கொண்டிருந்ததில், தூக்கம் வரவில்லை...நேரம் போனதே தெரியவில்லை. நாளை காலை சீக்கிரம் எழுந்து, பாட்டி வருவதற்குள் குளித்து, சாப்பிட்டுத் தயாராகிவிட வேண்டும் என்ற முடிவோடு கண்களை இறுக மூடி, தூக்கத்தை வரவழைக்க முயன்றான்.

ஏதோ சத்தம் கேட்டு பாலாவின் தூக்கம் கலைந்தது. அம்மா, அப்பா இருவரும் பரபரப்பாக ஏதோ பேசிக்கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். தூக்கக் கலக்கத்தில் அவர்கள் என்ன பேசிக்கொள்கிறார்கள் என்று புரியவில்லை. பாட்டியையும் காணவில்லை. போர்வையை விலக்கிக் கொண்டு எழுந்து வந்து அறையின் கதவருகே நின்றான். அப்பா, கலங்கிய கண்களோடு யாரிடமோ தொலைபேசியில் பேசிக்கொண்டிருந்தார். என்ன நடந்தது என்று சுதாரிப்பதற்குள், அம்மா அருகில் வந்து, "பாட்டி இறந்துட்டாங்க பாலா! திடீர்னு நெஞ்சு வலி வந்து இறந்துட்டாங்களாம். நாம எல்லாரும் கிராமத்துக்குப் போறோம். நமக்கு இந்த வருஷம் தீபாவளி கிடையாது, சீக்கிரம் கிளம்பு" என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு, தன் பதிலைக் கூட எதிர்ப்பார்க்காமல் உள்ளே சென்றுவிட்டாள்.

பாலாவிற்கு தொண்டையை அடைத்துக் கொண்டது. கண்களிலிருந்து தாரை தாரையாக நீர் கொட்டியது... பாட்டியின் மேல் கோபம் கோபமாக வந்தது. முதன் முறையாக, பாட்டியை பாலாவிற்குப் பிடிக்கவில்லை!

Shopping Mania

T.Nagar – The shopping paradise of Chennai was no different this year. With hardly 10 days away from Diwali, you can see fleetness among the crowd, busy with their shopping. With huge stores attracting the crowd, T.Nagar easily becomes the most happening place in Chennai. The traffic strategy adopted by the Chennai traffic police was pretty handy and helped the mobility of the crowd to some extent. The construction of flyover in Usman road added to the traffic policemen’s headache. Despite all these hurdles, crowd was continuously pouring in and infact, there was a significant increase in the number of people visiting T.Nagar this year.

The shopping style of the consumers has undergone a sea change over the years. Even though the shopping malls prove to be a major crowd-puller especially for youth, T.Nagar stands tall with its ever-growing popularity! There are in fact certain drawbacks like lack of parking space (driving in T.Nagar during these days, a night mare and finding a parking place is even bigger) etc., but it has been the major destination for shopping. However, people who don’t mind spending more prefer other big outlets, rather than gasping amidst the fleeting crowd. But, most people say T.Nagar gives them the real shopping experience! ( I suppose all gals would agree with me)

Today (28th October), Chennai experienced some heavy down-pour that continued since overnight and lashed quite heavily at times. Driven by curiosity, me and my uncle took the car and drove to T.Nagar to see how rain has affected the business. As expected, the traffic was not terrific in pondy bazaar and near panagal park, the roads looked relatively void (as per its previous standards). But, all the crowd were seen inside the shops! Unable to come out in the rain, people who were inside the shops were standing at the entrance with umbrellas in their hands. You usually get to see only heads in panagal park, but this time, it looked different. Instead of heads, umbrellas were seen! Take a look at the pictures which I managed to take sitting inside the moving car… You can see a lot of people holding umbrellas and standing at the entrance of Saravana Stores.

Seems like nothing can stop people from shopping! The consumer market in this part of the country has grown like anything and has caught the attention of all big players in business. It has been said that about 70-80% of the gold sold in Chennai is from this region. Buyer’s potential has shot up significantly compared to the last decade and the emergence of hyper markets and shopping malls and the kind of business they make prove it right.

Crowd in T.Nagar lights up the festive mood in Chennai. Diwali is underway and by
this time, lot of people would have already burnt a hole in their purses and for people those who are waiting for the 1st of November to arrive and yet to go for diwali shopping, get ready for a big one!

Wishes for a happy, colorful and safe diwali...!

Cheers!!!

வாழ்க தமிழ்!

"எனக்கு தமிழ் தெரியாது" - இன்றைய தலைமுறையினர் இப்படி சொல்லிக்கொள்வதில் பெருமை பட்டுக்கொள்கிறார்கள்...! இதில் வேதனையான விஷயம் என்னவெனில், பிள்ளைகள் இப்படிக் கூறுவதில் பெற்றோர்களும் பெருமை அடைவதே! பள்ளிகளில் ஆங்கிலத்தைத் தவிர இரெண்டாவது மொழியாக தமிழை தேர்ந்தெடுப்பதை விடுத்து மற்ற மொழிகளை தேர்ந்தெடுக்க பெற்றோர்களே ஊக்குவிக்கிறார்கள். மற்ற மொழிகளில் மதிப்பெண்கள் அதிகம் பெறலாம் என்கிற சப்பைக்கட்டு வேறு! ஃபிரெஞ்ச், ஹிந்தி போன்ற மொழிகள் நமக்கு என்னதான் அந்நிய மொழிகளாக இருந்தாலும், அவற்றை கற்க காட்டும் ஆர்வத்தில் பாதி கூட தமிழ் கற்கக் காட்ட மறுக்கின்றனர். இதற்கு பெற்றோர்களே முக்கிய காரணம். தமிழ்ப் பாடம் கற்பது கடினம் என்று கூறுபவர்கள், ஃபிரெஞ்ச் போன்ற மொழிகளை மட்டும் சிரமமின்றி கற்பது எப்படி? கணக்குப் பாடம் கஷ்டமாக இருக்கிறது என்று, அதை புறக்கணிக்க முடியுமா? தமிழிற்கு மட்டும் ஏன் இந்த ஓரவஞ்சனை?

தமிழ்நாட்டில் இருந்து கொண்டு, தமிழ் கற்பது கேவலம் என்று நினைப்பவர்களை என்ன சொல்வது? கர்நாடகம் எவ்வளவு முன்னேறியிருந்தாலும், பெங்களூர் என்னதான் மென்பொருள் துறையின் பிரதான இடமாக இருந்தாலும், அங்கு கன்னடதிற்கு முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்கப்படுகிறது. நீங்கள் வேறு கிரகத்தை சேர்ந்தவர்களாக இருந்தாலும், அங்குள்ள பள்ளிகளில் உங்கள் பிள்ளைகளை சேர்க்க விரும்பினால், அவர்கள் கன்னடம் கட்டாயமாகக் கற்க வேண்டும். வேறு வழியே கிடையாது! அங்கு வசிக்கும் மக்கள், தங்கள் தாய்மொழியை கற்பதை கேவலமாக நினைப்பதில்லை. அந்த அவலம் தமிழகதிற்கு மட்டும் தான்!

இதே போன்று, தமிழ் புத்தகங்களைப் படிப்பது, தமிழ் இசை கேட்பது, தமிழ் படங்களை பார்ப்பது இவை அனைத்தையும் கௌரவப் பிரச்சனையாகக் கருதுகின்றனர். இந்த நிலை மாற வேண்டும். குழந்தைப் பருவத்திலிருந்தே தமிழ் கற்கும் ஆர்வத்தை ஊட்ட வேண்டும். A,B,C சொல்லிக் கொடுக்கும் போதே, அ,ஆ,இ சொல்லிக்கொடுக்க வேண்டும்.

தமிழை வளர்க்கிறோம் பேர்வழி என்று, "அனைத்திலும் தமிழ்" என்று கோஷம் போட்டுக்கொண்டு அலையும் அரசியல்வாதிகள், வாகனங்களின் எண் பலகையை தமிழில் தான் எழுத வேண்டும் போன்ற பயனற்ற கோரிக்கைகள் எழுப்புவதை நிறுத்திவிட்டு இத்தகைய விழிப்புணர்வை மக்களிடையே ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும்.

உண்மையில், தமிழ்நாட்டில் இருந்து கொண்டு, தமிழ் தெரியாது என்று சொல்வதே வெட்கக் கேடு!

பி.கு :- அரசியல்வாதிகளைப் போல், நான் ஆங்கிலத்தை எதிர்க்கவில்லை. ஆனால், தமிழை புறக்கணிப்பது தவறு என்பதை சுட்டிக்காட்டுவதே என் நோக்கம்.

Witnessing the spoilsport, yet again!

29th September 2007 - Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – It was all set for Bangalore to host a superb one-day match between Australia and India. Expectations ran high among the fans as India stunned everyone by winning the World Twenty20 tournament which was concluded recently. I traveled all the way to Bangalore from Chennai to watch this match. I could manage only a couple of tickets for me and my friend, who has a great reputation of carrying the rain with him wherever he goes. Yes! I’ve watched quite a few matches with him, but 4 out of 5 matches that I watched with him were rain-affected.

The first one being the fifth day of the test match between India and Australia, which was affected by rain, which forced a draw. The second one is a ODI match between India and South Africa, which was abandoned due to rain, without a ball being bowled. Third is the India vs Sri Lanka test match and the fourth one is the challenger series final match which was played between India A and India B. The only match that was not rain-affected being the India vs West Indies ODI, which we lost!

My friends warned me about taking this risk, but I was very confident that it’ll not happen again. But, we decided to take the risk of challenging our luck since both of us knew about the passion both of us have towards the game. With white clouds all around, it appeared to be a perfect day for cricket that morning. The match was scheduled to start at 2.30pm, but as usual we were present at the stadium at 11.30am. There were some tedious security procedures which I had to undergo before entering the stadium. The policemen at the gates snatched the newspaper that I had and checked my pockets. I was irritated as I could not take the newspaper inside. People who have watched a cricket match in Chennai will know the importance of carrying a newspaper inside the stadium. You can’t really imagine sitting on the chairs without cleaning it with a newspaper. Most of the times, people used to put the newspapers on the chairs and sit on them.

After the first level security check was done, I entered the stadium which was unlike the Chennai stadium, properly maintained and I was even more pleasantly shocked when I saw a barcode scanner which was used to scan the tickets. Another security check was there, this time it was more serious as two guys were around me, with one checking with the metal detector and the other one, checking my pant pockets. Third round of checking was even more horrible as the police guy who checked my pockets again, threatened to squeeze my balls as he was vigorously doing the searching process. He checked my socks, my wallet and I was asked to unlock the keypad of my cell phone and show the display to him!!

Huh…. After undergoing the tedious security checks, we managed to get inside and find seats for us. Thank God, there was no need for the newspapers as the chairs were pretty clean. We had the liberty of choosing our seats as there was not much crowd there at that time. It was a beautiful ground, a bit small when compared to the Chennai ground with the electronic advertisement boards and a good electronic score board. After sometime, the players walked in for net practice with a huge roar in the crowd. We enjoyed the atmosphere there as the crowd were pouring in and the excitement was building. India lost the toss and bowled first. There were a lot to cheer about when the first four wickets fell quickly, but since then we could not but appreciate Michael Clarke and Haddin’s beautiful stroke play.

After 50 overs, the Australians amassed 307 runs, which appeared to be quite a big total to chase under the conditions, but since we Indians live on hopes, we hoped that our batsmen could do it, just as we hope every time. When Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (Gambhir opened the innings as Ganguly was injured) walked in, the crowd was on their feet. It was absolutely electric. It started to drizzle in the first over and it got heavier as time went on. To add to the misery of the spectators, Sachin was dismissed by Mitchell Johnson. It was a pin-drop silence in the stadium and Pathan walked in at number 3. Gambhir managed to score a couple of boundaries in the next over off Brett Lee but then, the rain got heavier and the covers came on. Alas!!! It happened again….

It is the worst feeling to wait inside the stadium, hoping for the rain to stop. After a continuous heavy downpour for one hour, it stopped. Huge cheer from the crowd again!! The India vs Pakistan Twenty20 finals was put on the screen when rain interrupted play, which entertained the crowd a little bit. The ground staff worked hard to make play possible. The super zoppers were busy sucking water all over the ground. It was announced that play might be extended to one hour if needed and also, the equation of the Duckworth-Lewis method. We were really happy that we could at least witness a twenty over game. India’s target was 165 in 20 overs in the DL equation. We firmly believed that India chase the target, considering their present Twenty20 form.

Two and a half hours passed by and the umpires made their way to inspect the pitch. Both the umpires were discussing seriously and nothing came out. Our patience was tested. Finally, it was announced that match was abandoned due to wet outfield. We got totally pissed off and stated cursing ourselves for having come all the way to watch rain play spoilsport. It is a terrible feeling to experience this again and again. India vs Pakistan test match is coming up this December at Bangalore, but I am seriously re-thinking about going to Bangalore to watch it.

Twenty20 - Excitement galore!

The sweetest sound of the ball hitting the juicy part of the willow, followed by a huge roar in the crowd – You’ll get to hear these very often now. Yes, the Twenty20 world cup has kicked-off and its time for some excitement. Initially, I was one among those who criticized this format of the game citing various reasons like no scope for bowlers, etc., But, I had to soften my anti-Twenty20 stance after watching the Australia v Zimbabwe match. It was a cracker of a match and Zimbabwe’s stunning triumph sent the most significant message to all cricket teams around the world – On any given day, any team can beat any team, no matter how strong you are.

It has been said that the bowlers don’t get a chance to show off their talents, but I don’t see that happening. Though it is a batsmen’s game, there are a lot of things to do for the bowlers. Bowling in the Twenty20 game requires a lot of skill and character. Its all about showing variations, putting the ball in the right areas
and bowling well in tandem. They should start attacking from the word 'go' and they cannot afford to relax at any point. We saw the Proteas bowl exceptionally well during the death overs against England and the lights of Vettori, Flintoff, Jayasuriya were impeccable with the angle they bowled, making life difficult for the batsmen. It’s all about skill which really matters. In fact, the batsmen don’t have many options but to somehow find the boundaries. When the shots in the book don’t work, they should probably play a few strokes like Dougie Marillier. The power plays, free hits and the most sensational bowl-out are all included to spice up the game. The crowd could not have asked anything more at Durban when they witnessed a truly spectacular game of cricket. It’s hard to express those joyous moments when India clinched the thriller with a bowl-out.

Let us wait and see how this Twenty20 cricket is gonna affect the 50 over format. 300 was once a impossible target but today, even 400 is being chased. The evolution of Twenty20 could well take the one-day games to another level. We can hopefully see teams scoring over 400 consistently and also chasing it successfully. I see this as a major opportunity for the minnows to narrow the gap between them and the test playing nations by playing more Twenty20 cricket.

ICC hopes for globalization of the game with this format. We can also hope that cricket becomes a part of the Olympic Games as the time duration is reduced to just three and half hours per game. I can now expect a true competitive cricket match even when Australia plays Bangladesh. Cricket, a game of glorious uncertainties gets even more uncertain when it gets much shorter.

Though ICC is eyeing on the financial implication of the game, there should be no negligence shown for the test matches. The real essence of cricket lies in test cricket. The real skills of a cricketer can be evaluated only in test matches. Besides watching the willows behave violently, we would like to watch a good battle between the bat and the ball. The ICC should encourage Twenty20, without diluting the number of test matches in future which is very healthy for the game.

Cheers….!

I swear – iPod is the best invention of this decade. Undoubtedly, it is the best of all the gadgets that I have. iPod is too good but at times, that itself becomes a problem. The following poem (not sure whether it really is a poem) is an outcome of my frustration on an insomniac night….

In search of sleep....

It was another weary day

I lay on my bed

Trying hard to rest my brain

Too many problems thrust upon

Eyelids refuse to kiss each other

In search of sleep, I scuffle

I finally decide to switch on my iPod

Sleep comes on click of a button

A perfect example of how mechanical

My life has become

Music makes its way to my ears

I enjoy the pleasurable sensation it creates

In search of a better song, I browse

Too many choices to make

Not convinced on one,

I keep hopping from one song to another

It makes me impatient

Yes, man’s soul is a monkey

Realization happens again.

I decide to give-up the search for song

And get back to the search of sleep

The struggle continues….

Too many cooks spoil the food

Too many choices spoil the mood

The two great idols

I am not a movie buff basically, but I do watch a lot of movies. Besides watching Rajini movies, I prefer watching a few selected movies again and again. One of them is Virumaandi. I happened to watch it recently and that made me write this article. Now, don’t raise your eyebrows. I am a die-hard Rajini fanatic, but I never dislike Kamal. He is indeed a rare phenomenon in the Indian Film Industry. With a bundle of talents in him, Kamal has the potential to take Indian cinema to the next level. Virumaandi is one movie, which showcases his all-round talents – direction, screenplay, singing and of course acting. The screenplay of this particular movie is so brilliant which is a best example of Kamal’s direction skills.

I don’t really understand one thing. Most of the IT nerds, topnotch guys who are Kamal’s fans take pride in criticizing Rajini’s movies as dumb. They think that they are the most intelligent audience in the world and sound like they have never seen any Tamil movie. Let me put this question to them – Just look back at Kamal’s career. Where did he come from? What kind of movies was he acting in the 80’s? He may now give flamboyant movies like Hey Ram, Anbe Sivam, etc., but what about movies like Sakalakalavallavan which was a blockbuster in the 80's? Both Rajini and Kamal were acting the same kind of movies. Kamal’s zeal for cinema drives him in trying out various things, risking the producer’s money. Anbe Sivam and Hey Ram are masterpieces, but they were utter flops. It becomes difficult for the common people to understand his movies, though they bear a significant message.

Rajini, on the other hand has always been the czar of the box office. Though Baba was a flop (as per Rajini’s standards), the loss was made up as the money was returned to the distributors by the superstar himself. This is a known story though.

Sivaji – The much expected movie which is already a super hit, is approaching its 100th day. Lot of people complaint about the logic of the story, but with Rajini and Shankar, both the super-hero and the super director, its no wonder that a “larger than life” story has come out in grand style. Labeled as India’s costliest movie ever, you cannot expect this movie to be so realistic and very story-oriented. Shankar’s stories have always been a fantasy. For brainy people who discuss about the missing logic in this movie, I would like to say one thing – We all know that the black money issue cannot be sorted out the way it has been portrayed in the movie, but at least we can be happy that it has happened on the silver screen! The movie was very much enjoyable and entertaining. Understandably, this is a huge business. Nearly 60 crores of investment has to be taken back and then the profits are to be made. Returns would only come if the movie is like this and not like Anbe Sivam. We all know that Kamal’s “Marudhanayagam” is a world-class effort, but who is ready to fund for it?

It’s always not wise to compare a Lion and a Tiger. Both Rajini and Kamal are here for different purposes. If Kamal takes his movies to Oscar nominations, Rajini’s movies set a fire in the box-office all over the world. I personally feel that both of them did not get the recognition they really deserve. Only the bollywood stars are seen as the representatives of Indian Cinema. In terms of fan-following or business, tamil cinema is infact far better than the bollywood, except that Bollywood movies are watched by almost all people across the country whereas tamil movies are being marked as regional movies. Otherwise, our idols - both Rajini and Kamal would've reached the pinnacle by now!

Kamal amazes...
Rajini inspires !!

A poet in me

This is my first attempt to write a poem. I know its very uncharacteristic, but yet...

Here we go....

"CONFUSED"

It feels worlds heavy
It feels aloof
Mind becomes void
When I miss you…

Where were you when I was broken?
Where were you when I was shaken?
Where were you when I needed you?

In search of your shoulder,
To rest my head,
To shed my concealed tears,
To cleanse the wounded heart

Never will fight with you
Never will upset you
Never will behave grumpy
I want you to believe me this time,
Just as you do every time
Lets be this the last time.

Your silence kills...
Wistful to hear you talk to me
Waiting to see you walk towards me
I stay alone here… for you
With all cherished memories

The short lived glory

It’s very hard for me to stay away from cricket. Cricket and me are inseparable. India’s dispiriting performance and the early exit from the world cup has broken many hearts and the men in blue probably lost so many fans across the country. But, nothing could keep me away from this game. I am kind of addicted to this sport. It’s the passion for the game and not for the team that keeps driving me. Even after India’s exit from the world cup, I almost saw all matches in the tournament and thoroughly enjoyed some good cricket!! I watch even county leagues, Australian leagues and almost all matches when I am bored. I prefer to watch the whole day of a test match (even if India is not a part of that match) if its really interesting, rather than passing time by just switching the TV channels back and forth.

I’ve admired so many cricketers and some of them really are unforgettable. Amongst them, there are few cricketers who had a brief stint in the international arena, but really impressed me.

1. Neil Clarkson Johnson (Zimbabwe)

Made his debut in 1998 and created an impact in the 1999 World Cup. I am sure, any cricket lover would remember him for his excellent performances during the world cup. He was instrumental in the victories secured by Zimbabwe in that particular tournament (they won us as well…) . Gifted all rounder who opens both the batting and bowling for his side. He was really a stand-out performer and would have probably helped Zimbabwe cricket in its revival. Unfortunately due to various reasons, he moved to England and joined Leicestershire which obviously forced an end to his international career.

2. Neil Douglas McKenzie (South Africa)
   

Flawless in his technique, a sturdy middle-order batsman, who made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2000. He is such a elegant stroke maker, whose cover drives are a treat to watch. I like to watch him play the seamers rather than the spinners, as he scores very fluently against them. As a perfect replacement for Daryll Cullinan, his role in the middle-order was crucial. His international career also came to an end very soon. I don’t really know the reason why. I still think that a lot of cricket is left with him.

3. Lakshmipathy Balaji (India)

A bowling sensation for India during India’s tour of Pakistan in 2003. Right arm speedster with a whippy action, who bowls Yorkers and bouncers regularly. A injury-prone player, who suffers from injuries quite often and keeps him away from action. Earlier in his career, he was struck by an injury in 2004, but he managed to comeback with a slightly different bowling action. With all the inputs from Denis Lillee and Shekar from the MRF Pace Academy, Balaji bowled with a good wrist position, wide from the crease troubling most of the batsmen. He seemed to have mastered the art of bowling the deliveries that straighten after pitching and the one that comes into the batsmen. He is also famous for his big-blows with the bat, especially the massive six he pulled off Shoaib Akthar.

When he was all set for a permanent fixture in the Indian side, injury struck him again! Pathetic, but he is hopeful though to make a come back.

4. Mathew Stuart Sinclair (New Zealand)
   

A double ton in the debut test match against the West Indies – Doesn’t this sound good?? Mathew Sinclair had most promising of starts to his international career. With two double-centuries very early in his career, he was considered as the one for the future. I was watching his debut match against West Indies at Wellington. His splendid stroke-making capabilities and the way he played the fast bowlers were really impressive. Inconsistency was his major problem and despite so many chances in both forms of the game, he failed to make runs and was left out of the NZ squad. The absence of Hamish Marshall has opened up the gates for Sinclair now, but should wait and see how he manages to grab the opportunity.

My association with the game has been so strong all these years and I follow a few Ranji players and a few county players as well. Planning to post about them also.... :)

Cheers...!

Bridge the gap....

Life's best lessons can be learnt only by experience. Sometimes, fate puts a hex on us making us to walk through the toughest paths of life. A seperated friend who means a lot to us can make his/her absence felt very much. Reminds us about the unwarranted quarrels, fugacious anger and of course all joyous moments spent together. The worth of that relationship can only be realized when we start missing each other. According to me, intimacy is directly proportional to quarrels. The more intimate you are, the more you quarrel. Not sure how many of you will agree with this, but this is my perception. Sometimes, time gives us the best possible solution in case of a break in relationship. It is always good to sit together, talk and settle conclusively in case of a conflict, but still... a separation could do wonders. Try giving it a break! We are the masters of the untold word and slaves of the spoken word. Don't let your emotions take over your senses, which would aggravate the problems.

We always wish we could rewind the past, apply a few changes in it and make things happen the way we want. But unfortunately, that's not life! Its important not to get disheartened in case if a misunderstanding occurs and rather find out ways to resolve it. Time is the best medicine and give sufficient time to each other to start the thinking process. Analyzing one's faults would never happen initially, as the brain would've been clouded by anger. Take the much needed break and allow things to settle down. Refresh your thoughts and confess to each other. This can always help in maintaining a healthy relationship. A strain in the relationship is very sensitive and should be handled with utmost care. Treating it gently can remove it treating it heavily can cause even more strain. A truly understanding friendship will resume after a hibernation period.

I am trying to emphasize the fact that, friendship involves different individuals no matter how intimate you are. Respect each other's emotions. Every one has their own likes and dislikes. Don't try to impose your ideas and thoughts on them. Most importantly, put a check on your possessiveness. I wouldn't say that possessiveness shouldn't be there, but it shouldn't bother them(Well, I am planning to post a separate article on it)

Learning from mistakes is always good and learning from others' mistakes is much better. But, try to learn somehow before life whips you and gives you the painful experience, just as it did to me.

Happy friendship day...!

ஹலோ...கொஞ்சம் பேசலாமா? -1

முன்குறிப்பு : இது காதலைப் பற்றிய கட்டுரை அல்ல...

தயக்கம் - பல சமயங்களில் நம்மை முடக்கிப்போட்டு விடுகிறது. எந்த விஷயத்தில் தயக்கம் காட்டினாலும், அன்பை வெளிக்காட்டுவதில் மட்டும் தயக்கம் வேண்டாமே ப்ளீஸ்... ஒருவரை உங்களுக்குப் பிடிக்கும் என்றால், கொஞ்சம் கூட தயங்காமல் உங்கள் அன்பை அந்த நபரிடம் வெளிப்படுத்துங்கள். அது உங்களைப் பற்றி ஒரு நல்ல பிம்பதை ஏற்படுத்துவதுடன், ஒரு அருமயான உறவு மலர்வதற்க்கும் வழிவகுக்கும். அன்பை நெஞ்சில் அடைத்து வைத்துக்கொண்டு இருப்பதில் எந்த லாபமும் இல்லை. நான் பல குடும்பங்களில் பார்த்திருக்கிறேன்... செல்லம் கொடுத்தால் குழந்தைகள் கெட்டுவிடுவார்கள் என்பதால், எவ்வளவு அன்பு இருந்தாலும் அதை வெளிக்காட்டாமல் குழந்தைகளிடம் கண்டிப்புடன் இருப்பார்கள். குழந்தைகள் வளர்ந்த பின், அந்த கண்டிப்பை வெறுக்கத்தொடங்குவதுடன் பெற்றோரயும் வெறுக்கத்தொடங்குவார்கள். ஒரு கட்டத்தில், பெற்றோர் தங்கள் குழந்தைகளின் பாசத்துக்காக ஏங்கும் போது அதை உணரும் நிலையில் பிள்ளைகள் இருக்கமாட்டார்கள்.குழந்தைகளுக்கு அந்தந்த வயதில் கிடைக்க வேண்டிய அன்பு நிச்சயமாகக் கிடைக்க வேண்டும். என்னதான் நீங்கள் உண்மையான அன்பு வைத்திருந்தாலும் அதை வெளிக்காட்டாத வரையில் அதற்கு மதிப்பே இல்லை!

பெற்றோர்-பிள்ளைகள் உறவு என்றில்லை... உலகில் கிட்டத்தட்ட எல்லா உறவுகளுக்கும் இது பொருந்தும்.
பரிசுப்பொருட்கள், வாழ்த்து அட்டைகள் மட்டுமில்லாமல் இன்றய நவீன யுகத்தில அன்பை வெளிப்படுத்த எவ்வளவோ வழிகள் இருக்கின்றன! ஏதோ எனக்குத் தெரிந்த சில...

இ-மெய்ல் அனுப்பலாம், sms(வெறும் forward மெஸேஜ் இல்லாமல், ப்ரத்யோக sms) மூலம் உங்கள் அன்பை வெளிப்படுத்தலாம்... 100 forwards அனுப்புவதற்கு பதிலாக நீங்கள் ப்ரத்யோகமாக டைப் செய்த ஒரே ஒரு மெஸேஜ் மட்டும் உங்கள் நண்பருக்கு அனுப்பினால், அதன் மதிப்பே தனி. இது உங்களுக்கு silly யாகத் தோன்றினாலும், உங்கள் நண்பர் பூரித்துப்போவார். அதை உணரும் போது தான் புரியும்(நான் உணர்ந்திருக்கிறேன்).
நண்பர்கள் மொபைலில் உங்களை அழைக்கும்போது தவிர்க்க முடியாத காரணங்களைத் தவிர, வேறு எக்காரணம் கொண்டும் அழைப்பை துண்டிக்காதீர்கள். பொதுவாக அழைப்பை நாம் துண்டித்தால், அழைத்தவருக்கு எரிச்சல் ஏற்படும். அப்படியே துண்டித்தாலும், உங்கள் வேலை முடிந்தவுடன் உடனே தொடர்புகொண்டு பேசுங்கள். இதே போல், நண்பரின் missed call இருந்தாலும் உடனே தொடர்புகொள்ளுங்கள். அது அவர்கள் மீது நீங்கள் வைத்திருக்கும் அக்கறையைக் காட்டும்.

பிறந்த நாள்,புத்தாண்டு போன்ற நாட்களில், உங்கள் வாழ்த்துக்களை தெரிவிக்க மறக்காதீர்கள். நண்பர்கள் முக்கியமாக இதனை எதிர்ப்பார்ப்பார்கள்.
ஆண்-பெண் நட்பில், பொதுவாக ’ஈகோ’ பிரச்சனை தலைவிரித்து ஆடும். பொதுவாக, பெண்களிடம் "ஆண்களைப் பற்றி உயர்வாக பேசினால், அவர்களுக்கு தலைக்கு மேல் ஏறிவிடும்" என்கிற மனப்பான்மை உண்டு. இதுவே பிரச்சனைக்கு முக்கிய அடித்தளமாக அமைகிறது. இருவரும் வெளிப்படையாக அதே சமயம் ப்ராக்டிகலாகவும் பேசிக்கொண்டால், பிரச்சனை வரவே வராது. பாராட்ட வேண்டிய தருணத்தில் மனம் திறந்து பாராட்டுங்கள், அதே சமயம், தவறை சுட்டிக்காட்டவும் தயங்காதீர்கள்.
’ஈகோ’வைத்தூக்கி எறிந்தால் தயக்கம் காணாமல் போய்விடும்.

உறவில் விரிசல் விழுந்த பிறகு "நான் உன்மேல எவ்வளவு பாசம் வெச்சிருந்தேன் தெரியுமா?" போன்ற டயலாக்குகள் எல்லாம் பயன் தராது. சில சமயங்களில் உங்கள் அன்பு உரியவரிடம் கடைசிவரை சென்று சேராமல் போய்விடும் வாய்ப்பும் இருக்கிறது. சரியான சமயத்தில் வெளிப்படாத அன்பு, கடைசிவரை ஏற்கப்படாமலேயே போகும் அபாயமும் உண்டு.

காசா? பணமா? அன்பை பறிமாறிக்கொள்வதில் எதற்கு தயக்கம்? அன்பால் சாதிக்க முடியாதது எதுவுமே இல்லை.

பின்குறிப்பு: என்னடா இவன், திடீர்னு இந்த மாதிரி டாபிக்ல எல்லாம் எழுத ஆரம்பிச்சிட்டான்னு நினைக்கிறவங்களுக்கு...

ரஜினி, கிரிக்கெட், hinduism - இம்மூன்றும் என்னுடைய அபிமான தலைப்புகள். இவற்றைத் தவிர வேறு தலைப்புகளிலும் எழுதி அந்த வட்டத்திலிருந்து வெளியில் வருவதற்கான முதல் முயற்சி. தவறுகள் இருப்பின் மன்னிக்கவும். விமர்சனங்கள், கருதுக்கள் வரவேற்கப்படும்....

'க்ளிக்'கியதில் பிடித்தது-1

இதுக்கு மேல காதுல எடம் இருக்கா??

2005ம் ஆண்டு தீபாவளி சமயத்தில், சைட் அடிப்பதற்காக(மட்டுமே) தி.நகர் சரவணா ஸ்டோர்ஸ் சென்றிருந்த போது 'க்ளிக்'கியது.

சென்னை அருகே உள்ள ஒரு "பேக் வாட்டர்ஸ்"இல் 'க்ளிக்'கியது.

கேரளா - வயநாடு என்கிற இடத்தில் நண்பர்களுடன் ஜாலி டூர் அடித்த போது 'க்ளிக்'கியது.

கேரளா "God's own country" என்பதில் சந்தேகமே இல்லை...
ஆனா, சாப்பாடு தான் பேஜார்....!!

என் போட்டோகிராபி ஆர்வத்துக்கு அளவே இல்லை என்பதால், இந்த பகுதி தொடரும்...!! (''க்ளிக்'கியதில் பிடித்தது-1'-ன்னு போட்டிருக்கும் போதே புரிஞ்சிருக்கும்)
"கிளம்பிட்டான்யா....கிளம்பிட்டான்"-னு நீங்க புலம்புறது எனக்கு கேக்குது... ஆனா, வேற வழி இல்ல...

ஹி ஹி...

THE BOSS experience

Photo Courtesy: Behindwoods

It was a fun-packed week, the week prior to “THE BOSS” release. Nothing else was discussed, nothing else was making news, nothing else caught people’s interest except the release of THE BOSS. I was excited about the experience ahead when I get to see the movie on the previous day of its release!! (What a proud fan I am!! I managed to get hold of nearly 15 tickets for my friends). I was “never before and never after” kind of busy since I was getting nearly 30-40 calls per day, out of which 80% of the calls were about arranging tickets for the movie!!

It has been pretty tough for us to wait so long for the release of the movie, especially when the release got postponed thrice, we had to re-schedule all our appointments. In a fan's prespective, its not just another release of thalaivar's movie but its more like a festival. The festive mood was on and all the fan clubs were busy gearing up to welcome THE BOSS in grand style. Probably I should write another blog describing the kind of celebrations that were going on and the experiences I had with the other die-hard fans!!

Since media also joined hands with us in welcoming THE BOSS, the excitement was just doubled. Thanks to Sam Daniel of NDTV for keeping me busy the whole week by engaging me in all the stories about Sivaji. We were all waiting for the ultimate moment to come, when we gathered at the Albert theatre on 14^th June to watch the preview show. Since the show was scheduled to start at 6.30pm, I was there at 5pm, but we were allowed inside the theatre only around 9’o clock. The 10.30pm show started only at 1.30am and thats a different story!

After the long hard wait, we just rushed into the theatre with the anxiety of getting the first glimpse of our Thalaivar on the big screen. 30 minutes later, the movie started and I find it really hard to describe how it felt when the trademark typographic text “SUPER STAR” appeared on screen, this time with a different style and with A.R.Rahman’s throbbing music. My joy knew no bounds and I was standing on the seat in a flash as soon as our Thalaivar appeared on the screen.

The songs “Oru Koodai” and “Adhiradi” needs a special mention here as the whole crowd were on their feet for these two songs. The ultimate styles of our Thalaivar have been made use to the fullest by the director. What a feast it was!!! I could hardly sit and watch those two songs. The exhilaration was remarkable in this couple of songs and probably the best show put up by our super star.

The feeling we get while watching thalaivar’s unique styles is quite similar to the excitement of the kids when they see a superman or a superhero!! You never know when his punch dialogues enter your vocabulary and becomes the most-pronounced dialogue among people in course of time!!

“CHUMMA ADHURUDHULLA………”

"COOL........."

These are the most popular dialogues now in this part of the country.

A man who is synonymous with style, when asked to perform a more stylish character, guess what comes out??? Boss… Motta Boss…. When the new boss makes his way, the exhilaration touches the peak point and new definitions were set for the word “style”. To be honest, when the audio was released, I was a bit disappointed with the theme music of “The Boss”, as the lyrics were very childish and there was no real fire in it. Thank God!! The theme music of the MOTTA BOSS was simply fantabulous and that was a surprise package in the movie. With Rahman’s awesome RAP number rocking at the background, the entry of the Motta Boss and the next half-hour is simply electrifying!!!! All the hard work put in by the rest of the actors, the crew, the special effects that astonished us in the first half of the movie are all overshadowed by the MOTTA BOSS. When you come out after watching the movie, you definitely speak about none other than the MOTTA BOSS… Watch that for a stylish performance…..! For people who are still wondering why people are crazy about Rajini, the last half-an-hour of the movie and the people’s cheer for it should give an answer.

Logic can afford to be defied in Super star’s films as he has always been a “larger than life” hero. This privilege is granted only for the Super star as when any other film star tries to copy those logic defying stunts, it ends up as a comedy!!

The deadly combo of the Super star, Rahman and Shankar has worked out very well indeed. Is it a Rajini movie or a Shankar movie? The debate is still on, but who cares? The movie is full of energy and it assures 101% entertainment to all categories of audience. It was the super star, who was prominent in the movie, pushing everything else behind including the story.

Thanks to Shankar for presenting our Thalaivar so beautifully and also for exploiting his charisma. Also, it’s a bit worrying whether we could see him again like this in his forthcoming movies!! (Yes, thalaivar will soon announce his next movie with K.S.Ravikumar).

The BOSS rules!!!!

Happy SIVAJI!

Shame on you.....!!

Soon after India's exit from the World Cup,
there were anguish reactions all over the
country. The Indian team accountable for the
loss, hardly did any justice to the billion
people who were ready to give anything to
watch their heros play. Being a big fan of
Rahul Dravid, I feel really bad of his
activities after the WC debacle.
He wasn't brave enough to face the media
soon after the team reached India. People of
India, undoubtedly the biggest stakeholders
of the game of cricket deserve at least an
apology by the whole team after their poor
show in the WC. Inzamam has to be praised as
he met the press after they reached Pakistan
and took the whole responsibility for the
humiliating defeat. He also answered all
questions that were fired by the press.
There were hardly any message for the fans
out here from the captain.
It was evident that the players were shaken
by the firm steps taken by the BCCI to
cut-down the endorsements to 3 per year,
which is really good. The defensive stand of
the board has never helped them to improve
the quality of cricket and hopefully, this
is the right time to push this forward.
After a series win, it might become difficult
for the board to impose such restrictions on
the players. The players in India are
actually the paid more than the world
champions. This is the testing time for the
players as they are to choose whether to
play for the nation or to play for their
sponsors. If a player(no matter whoever it
is) refuses uphold to the regulations framed
by the board, it amounts to saying that they
are not willing to play for India. The real
faces of the cricketers are to be exposed
likely in a week's time as the people of
India would come to know the outcome of this
issue.
Finally, the Indian captain reacted after
the BCCI announced its stand in the
endorsement issue, calling out for a healthy
dialogue between the players and the board.
Its really a shame on him for showing keen
interest on the commercial part of the issue
rather than coming out with an apology
message and talk about the re-building the
team. It clearly shows the attitude of the
players and their commercial interests,
rather than taking the pride of playing for
the nation.
The team may have been upset by the
reactions back home(burning effigies,
attacking players' houses, etc) but these
things happen in a country like India where
a team has got a billion supporters. Which
country in the world has got a billion
supporters who are crazy about cricket?? If
you do not want such reactions, then you
shouldn't be playing for India, you should
be playing for Bermuda rather....
Both India and Pakistan were knocked out
from the world cup in the first stage, both
teams had tough times back at home, but Inzi
was brave enough to face the public and
at last won many hearts!!!

'Mass Exodus' - End of an era??

The forthcoming worldcup is probably the end of an era as far as cricket is concerned. One can expect a lot of retirements by the frontline players after this worldcup. Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath(though he has opted to continue his stint in the shorter version of the game), Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Steve Harmison and Nicky Boje have made their announcements earlier. How far does this 'mass exodus' have an impact on the respective teams??

As far as the Aussies are concerned, they don't seem to worry about this too much, as they have already got a bunch of young players waiting to replace the giants. Stuart Clark has been a very valuable prospect for Australia in the Ashes and he is expected to fit in the 'McGrath' spot after his retirement. Bracken and Mitchell Johnson seem to be a perfect duo in sharing the new white ball. Ben Hilfenhaus is impressive with his ability to bowl the perect 'outswingers'. However, Brett Lee will be the spearhead of the pace department after McGrath. Warne's relinquishment has opened up the gates for other spinners like Bradd Hogg. The Aussies have clearly planned their future and have groomed players in the recent years. Players like Shane Watson, Nathan Bracken and Michael Hussey have emerged as match-winners.

Unfortunately for us, this remains a questoin mark. Greg Chappell has been in search of fast bowlers right from the day he sworn in as the coach. We aren't able to produce fast bowlers who could do the job for us in the Carribean. We've tried many speedsters in the past couple of years but only a few could manage to hang around till today. Sreesanth's natural agression as a fast bowler is very impressive and he could easily mature as a frontline bowler in near future. Asish Nehra was impeccable in the last world cup(except for the finals, obviously) but today?? He has not been included in the World Cup probables even! L.Balaji had a promising start to his career, but he has been a 'injury-prone' player. Zaheer Khan's comeback has given some hope for the team though. Robin Uthappa's immaculate hitting in the last couple of matches against the West Indies were eye-catching, but with just under ten matches under his belt, we should really wait and watch how he moulds himself as a LOI player.

A tough task ahead for the BCCI to identify the players for the future. Our domestic cricket's infra-structure has to be reviewed and quality piches that match International Standards should be made. Domestic cricket should no longer rely on the Ranji matches and Duleep trophy games sice the Twenty 20 games are gaining popularity. The board should concentrate on the extra-short version of the game and bring out good players.

As far as this World Cup is concerned, all teams have their key players, who could put up a match-winning perfomance...

According to me, players to watch out in this world cup (New Comers)

Australia - Mitchell Johnson
Sri Lanka - Chamara Silva
New Zealand - Peter Fulton and Ross Taylor
West Indies - Dwayne Bravo
England - Kevin Pieterson
Pakistan - Mohammad Asif
South Africa - AB de Villiers
India - ?

It is very difficult to point a single player as of now, coz the players who could fit in there are all struggling for form right now... Cricket is a game of uncertainities. So, don't be surprised if India goes on to win the world cup!

Cheers,
Gowri Shankar
"Proud to be an Indian"