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A Tribute

It would be sacrilege not to acknowledge one of India’s greatest sporting triumphs that was achieved on the 19th of January 2021. Not because the Indian cricket team won the series against Australia in Australia. Not because they did it for the second successive tour there. Not because they clinched it at The Gabba, where Australia had not lost for 30 plus years. Not because they did so after losing the first Test by being bowled out for their lowest ever score of 36. Not because they were without their talismanic captain who went back after the first Test on paternity leave. Not because the team was without 9-10 of their first choice players due to an assortment of injuries, starting from pre-tour to mid-tour to end-tour.


To my mind it is one of the great triumphs because it was done with dignity. There was no whining or complaining when things were not going your way. There was no throwing up excuses when you were losing. There was acceptance, determination and steel. 

It was a triumph of resilience, single-mindedness, bloody-mindedness, team spirit…a David vs. Goliath act. In the end, there was no gloating, no ‘in-your-face’ celebrations. It heralds a new India, where there is no ‘Star’….where the country is bigger than the team….and the team is bigger than the individual. 


One for the ages, that will give you the goosebumps…the lump-in-the-throat…whenever you replay the footage on TV….replay the memories in your mind. 

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