Most of modern lovers of the game of cricket are hooked on to the shorter limited overs version (One-day and T20) for its high octane action, thrills & entertainment where one team can emerge victorious, by thinnest margins – on a last ball hit or even in a suspenseful ‘edge of seat’ Super Over ! In all this, the classical five day Test Match has understandably lost its charm.
However, like retro fashions of the earlier era make a comeback from time to time albeit in altered avtaars, Test Cricket seems to have received a fresh lease of life. The firebrand ‘Bazball’ style of play that’s now been adopted by the English Team is finding favour with other teams, for the massive excitement it generates with it’s strong positive intent at providing great contests between players of incredible skills and courage that sets no limits.
Of the most famous terms associated with Cricket is that it’s ‘a game of glorious uncertainties’. Nothing is for granted with its ‘outrageous swings of fortune’ as the Bard would’ve said. As it’s played outdoors, it might be bright sunshine the first day, but may turn overcast the next and playing conditions change as 22 yards strip, called the ‘pitch’, docile the first day & good for batters, starts turning from second day to delight of the spinners.
Even consistent performers can lose their form suddenly at start of a game and those out of form earlier may rediscover it & run into a ‘purple patch’ where they can do no wrong. A brilliant innings by one can exhort others to keep up the tempo while on the fielding side, an incredible catch or run out of a batter going great guns, can change the course of the match. That’s why it’s also famously said ‘the match isn’t over till the last ball is bowled’ !
That said, to students of the game it has such a familiar ring to the vagaries of life where dark clouds gathered above can suddenly clear with emerging rays of sunshine and vice versa. Good times, bad times come for everyone yet they aren’t there for keeps. Cricket teaches us ‘it’s not game over’ until you’ve ‘lost’ it in the mind. Skill sets have to be constantly honed to meet the challenges but luck will play its part too ! Above all it’s a team game and we only excel in life, when we play with and for the success of others too !
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