We all have been through the 36 all-out phase in our lives. Considering the year 2020 has been, we as Indians faced social, economic, medical and many more challenges. But when young Shubham Gill held the Border-Gavaskar trophy, pride was not the only emotion in the eyes of Indian fans.
Differences have always been a prominent part of our society, but cricket has always proved to unite us no matter what. But this year, the Indian test cricket squad bestowed India with one more gift, hope. No matter how many bouncers life bowls at you, no matter how injured you are, stay on the pitch head held high and face one ball at a time.
Defeating the Australians in fortress Gabba was not an easy task. Seemed impossible when Pat Cummins took the wicket of captain Rahane with Paine catching the ball behind the wickets. Everyone was sceptical about the inexperienced team for the fourth test. Jokes were being shared saying veteran Ravi Shastri will be a part of playing eleven for the final test. But we all are aware of the results.
How did they pull this off? With a dozen injuries, both physical and mental, how did each man stay focused and give the best they could. Let’s talk about how the team’s problems can be related to the problems in our daily lives. What inspiration can we draw from the fight of our team?
Throughout the series, uncertainty was at its peak. When hitman Rohit Sharma left the pitch contributing mere seven runs to the massive chase, many fans had given up hope. But Rahane and Shubham Gill remained calm and focused in the game.
Everyone was now expecting a draw, but then Gill started bashing the Aussies and switched to fearless cricket mode. With a strike rate of 62 and approaching a century, he fell for Lyon’s beautifully bowled offside that drifted towards him.
With Gill gone, the unpredictability rose. So basically, our journey through life, however planned it might be, will have unexpected obstacles, remain calm and keep your head in the game. Criticism is an unavoidable part of our life. May it be our career or personal life, people around will always have an opinion about it.
Same happened with 23-year-old Rishabh Pant. He was constantly criticised for his performance as a wicketkeeper and to be honest, he was unable to give what was expected, but how could he? He had to fill the boots of a legend, MS Dhoni. But he proved his metal and earned his position in the team. Victory would never have been possible if he hadn’t played the explosive game he played. One should acknowledge the criticism constructively and filter out the negativities.
The 26-year-old fast bowler from Hyderabad couldn’t hold back his tears during the national anthem. Mohamad Siraj had lost his father and couldn’t come back home to complete the last rites. But Siraj chose to honour his late father the right way, he embraced his pain and helped his team get a grip on the match by dismissing five key batsmen.
Many around the globe have lost family and friends to COVID-19. Floods and cyclones have led to major destruction of life and property in India. We lost our brave soldiers protecting the Galwan Ghati from Chinese aggression. Siraj represents a spirit, a spirit to overcome our fears, our pain and give life our best effort.
To conclude, the determination and fearless attitude of the Indian cricket squad can be applied in every aspect of our lives. 2020 hasn’t been the best year for Indians. But with victory in Gabba, every fan’s spirit was uplifted and the fact that sabse aage honge Hindustani was made evident.