Humble Australian Pontiff

An era of gallantry has come to an end.

Humble Australia, the world's best sledging team, has been forced out of another well-undeserved World Cup win by a low-intimidating Indian side. Ponting, a humble and chivalrous sportsman, whose principles will force him to stand his ground till the umpire declares him out, will ride into the sunset with an impeccable record as the captain of the team that raised the bar for non-walking, sledging and gentlemanly chicanery. Among the many things that went wrong today, Australia failed to capitalize on the extra man playing for them in Munaf Patel, their bowling focused more on the bodies more than the stumps, and their back-up verbal volleys proved quite impotent.

However, Ponting can find solace that there are TVs on the flight back to Australia, and Indian students still left in the sledging capital of the world. May he find a suitable opportunity to bequeath his wealth of character and vitriol to aspiring cricketers back home.

Good bye Australia, and good riddance Ponting.

Ponting and the art of perpetual impertinence

Ponting always aims to raise the bar, whether it relates to banging the TV screen, or blathering about probity, his version of probity, that is.

Ponting preferred to stand his ground even when he knew he had edged the ball, but preferred to stand his ground, till the umpire confirmed he was out. He later reconfirmed that he preferred to wait as he had never been a walker. That is the way the gentlemen of Australia always address the game. His principles are pretty clear,- you can be a murderer only if you are caught for murder.

Not surprising why Australia seems to a microcosm of the world at large. From foreign students to cricket, they set the standards. And their standards are always right. Why? Because they say so.

Land of the Rising Spirit

I was watching the news on TV in the comfort of my hotel bed in Brussels last night, and the hot news as always had to do with Japan.

Two short scenes of life post-tsunami-earthquake-radiation caught my attention. One was that of a phone bank which was offered for the use of Japanese trying to get in touch with their relatives. There was a long line of disciplined people in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties and seventies, waiting for the police to allow themselves to enter make-shift tent. The phones were placed in a long line. As soon as the police removed the barricade, you could notice every person in the queue walking in a resolute, poised and polite manner to the nearest phone, without even the minimum of unconscious jostling and pushing. This is after a day or two had just passed from probably the worst tragedy of their lives. I can't even fathom a similar Indian reaction. Not surprising that the news also highlighted that a similar cataclysm in another country would have resulted in consequences of far higher magnitude. Incidentally, not once did I hear of any news article suggesting looting and theft, while these could be natural propensities in many other countries.

The second scene was that of a restaurant in Tokyo, which has not been affected physically (of course, paranoia does not need substance to propagate itself) by the multi-cataclysm. They showed the owner removing bulbs from the ceiling so that he could save power for people in the affected areas. Nothing could be more empathetic in something so infinitesimally small. And the message could not be more timely for me. I was shaving the previous morning with glasses of water, as the tap gushed too much water too uncontrollably, and asking myself whether this made any difference to anyone.

Everything does make a difference. A drop saved or a watt reined, both are important. This is an inter-connected world, and we all make a difference to everyone else. Profligacy has brought humanity to its knees, and only the opposite will make us walk again.

International woMAN's Day

TOI - 09-03-2011: 48-mile cap for women travelling sans escort

This seems to be just what the religious doctor ordered for women who are waiting for an excuse to remain shackled. This latest fatwa by Darul Uloom Deoband, which comes at the most appropriate moment - that of International Women's Day, insists that women cannot travel alone beyond 48 miles without a male escort who should be either husband or father or brother. My colleague just returned alone from work, which is exactly 49 miles from her home. What will become of her?!

When modern Muslim cities like Dubai encourage women to join the police force, we have our desi outfit just wanting to ensure that reality remains frozen in time.

Reading Between the Lines - 36 - Please interfere in our problems

TOI - 05-03-2011: Wish to resolve all issues with Pakistan, including Kashmir: PM

P's C: Please read as: Wish to resolve all issues with Pakistan, specifically our internal issues. The finest of lame-duck governments would still not welcome outside interference in internal issues. I mean, have you ever read, "Pakistan wishes to resolve all issues with India, especially Karachi" or "China wishes to resolve all issues with Japan, including Hong Kong"? It is only this Italian government of ours that is always willing to engage everybody in Antartica for sorting out our problems. How spineless can our PM be?

Every country is punished with the government it elects.