Published: Aug 09, 2016, 02:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 09, 2016, 04:27 PM (IST)
It is an unusual sport, cricket, more so in India. Cricket-lovers here can barely bring themselves to watch other sports, but will go to any extent to follow cricket, in print, on television, on the internet, by magic (okay, I made that up). But now, with Olympics clashing with an overseas cricket tour (where India has the rare opportunity of pulling off an overseas series win), the Indian heart finds it difficult to choose between ‘go Abhinav Bindra’ or ‘make India proud, Dipa Karmakar’, and the ubiquitous ‘Kohli, Kohli, Kohli’! It is like the term ‘your heart lies with cricket, but your mind supports the Indian contingents at Olympics.’ India and co. are back into the ‘actual’ cricket arena after long months of T20s. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs West Indies 2016, 3rd Test at St Lucia
They started with a bang, with an emphatic victory against West Indies (who had defeated hosts India in the World T20 semi-final earlier this year). Test cricket has been stigmatised as being too slow, too leisurely, lacking in colour and excitement. Where some Olympics events do not last more than 20-30 minutes (did you realise that an Usain Bolt sprint takes less time than the time allotted to a captain to decide on a DRS?), whereas a Test goes on for five days. But despite all that, there is a cricket-and-Olympics connection in India…
Olympics come to rescue of cricket in 2012:
It does not need a photographic memory to remember the tough time Indian cricket was going through in 2012. After riding high on confidence winning the 2007 T20 World Cup, India were eliminated in the group stages in 2012. India won a total of four matches before heading back home. West Indies had lifted their maiden trophy on that occasion. It was not just with T20: the scenario did not look good. India had been whitewashed in England and Australia, and even lost to England at home. They has lost two of their long-standing men, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, and long-term replacements were yet to arrive.
In contrast, Olympics 2012 saw high and proud moments. In fact, it was perhaps India’s greatest outing in the biggest sporting show on earth since their halcyon days when they ruled the world of hockey. The 83 athletes sent to London returned with 6 medals in place, doubling the number of medals from 2008. Abhinav Bindra, till date the only Indian gold medalist in an individual event, had won silver, as had Sushil Kumar. Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win a bronze medal in women’s singles. Mary Kom won a bronze as well, in the first ever women flyweight event. Yogeshwar Dutt and Gagan Narang also chipped in. 2012 was hailed as the most successful time for Indian contingents in the Olympics.
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As Indian cricket was undergoing a downslide, Olympics had come as a savior, giving the country of 1.3 billion something to dream about, to cling on to, to look forward to. India had finally found an alternative to cricket, at least temporarily. As news poured in with India contingents flourishing in London, people back home rejoiced, and despite the failure in cricket, they had something to smile.
Can Virat Kohli and co. repay the Olympians?
By 2016 the fortunes of Indian cricket have changed significantly. It had started with the Champions Trophy in 2013. India reached World T20 final in 2014. They won a series in Sri Lanka, coming from behind. IPL surged, underwent major setbacks, and resurged in 2016. New heroes emerged in Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and a motivated group of batsmen. With the arrival of young cricketers and Kohli and MS Dhoni at the helm, things have just got better.
India started 2016 on a low, but ended up winning the T20I series against Australia at their own den. They pushed Sri Lanka aside, and crushed every team en route to the first edition of Asia Cup T20. They did not win the World T20, but were certainly not humiliated. IPL was also a success, and India started the West Indies tour on a triumphant note.
2016 also saw the rise of Virat Kohli. His aggression, his determination, his confidence catapulted him to the pantheon of India’s all-time greats across formats. Kohli has been in sublime form this year, and has given Indian supporters reason to dream about the future.
On the other hand, India are facing an unexpected low in the 2016 Olympics till now. When India left for Rio this year, there were questions on what tally would be, and whether they can double the tally again, taking the count to 12 — something unimaginable in the dark days of 1980s last time.
Heena Sidhu will be competing at air pistol, while wrestling, boxing and badminton are yet to begin. The archers still have a shot (sorry for the pun). The hockey teams are still alive, while Dipa Karmakar has set social media ablaze following her qualification.
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Day Three at Rio proved to be disappointment for India, as both Bindra and Narang were unable to clinch a medal. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. While the Olympians do not have a hero to look forward to at this point, they can easily tune in to their countrymen playing north of the Equator for inspiration.
India had started off the Test series with a bang. Kohli’s maiden double-century and Ravichandran Ashwin’s excellent all-round show had given India a resounding lead. West Indies fought back, drawing the second Test. It is time for India to break the shackles again.
Indian cricketers go into the Test with a greater responsibility than usual. While the onus is on them to clinch the series with a Test to go, they will also take field with an additional role — that of motivating their mates in Rio. If India can resume their domination after the ordinary show on Day Five at Sabina Park, it will definitely come as a source of inspiration for their Olympians.
Kohli’s magic wand has worked at almost everything this year, on field. He has brought entire stadia to their feet. But will his charm work on the Olympics contingents as well?
Will he get the handful of Indian supporters at Rio to cheer “Indiaaa, India!” with his own performances? Will he motivate others, playing another sport but representing his country, to emulate him?
(Shruti Hariharan is Content Writer with CricketCountry. You can follow her on Twitter at @Shruti_2890)
