I've heard a huge number of people complain about India's loss against SA on Saturday. Whatever may be the reasons, and there were many of them, defeat is one thing that is not so readily accepted from this team.
This wasn't always the case though. Moments of brilliance weren't savoured as much earlier because we knew they were fleeting moments. We would pray for draws and respectable second round exits, we would settle for a loss on the last day or in the death overs, considering them an honourable result.Why now are we not as patient? If you try tracing it back to see if there was one point where change began, when it turned around, it's this game.
It's not exactly a moment, because moments cannot contain the struggle which tests you. Struggles are beautiful, they empower you.
My memories of the game are a bit hazy. We'd been rolled over in the first test and ecams were approaching so preparations were on in full swing especially at the tuition I would go to after school. A small TV would play on mute (If our tuition master felt like it) and the feed would be blighted by static but it was good enough. It was on the first day's afternoon that we saw Harbhajan put us in a good position for the first time. A lot of unbelievable Australian fightback followed which made use lose hope.
The first innings collapse was a stark reminder of our hopelessness. But what followed was history.
For two days we feverishly followed the score with transistors hidden in schoolbags, through the kids of teachers who had the luxury of going home during lunch break, or we would ourselves go to the school peon's quarters and beg their families to let us watch the cricket for that half an hour, giving up lunch for a seat.
On the final day, at the tuition, everything else stopped. Algebra and trigonometry could take a hike because we were egging the team on with every delivery. When the victory was sealed, our tuition master treated us all to samosas, a rare gesture from a man whose telephone lines we would cut and whom we would lock in his house (getting up at 5 am to do this stealthily - and we were a bunch of 12-13 year olds!) so that he couldn't call our homes or get out of his.
There was more drama within the next week at Chennai and then there were series in West Indies, England, Sri Lanka where we could sense possibilities but none can match up to this game.
Today is the 10th anniversary of this game. Here's a lovely account of the day by Sambit Bal, it's a gem especially with the anecdotes by then India coach John Wright.
So the next time you cry about India being a team that can only snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, remember the time it went the other way around.
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