1996 VERSUS 2011

In continuation for thread crcketing experience of my life .

Now today we are standing at a juncture where everybody was talking about India Versus pakistan knockout 2011 . I remember 15 years back country was standing on the same juncture when indian meet pakistan in banglore.. I think it was 9th march 1996 ..now a days bengalluru . that match I remember was also a very high tense game . I was preparing for my engineering entrance during that time . at cricket is normally seen as a disturbance during studies.. how I manoever and made it sure to watch that match was also a snapshot of life. My elder brother was studying in his engineering and he was also inthe town as a result of vacation in his college. we were compeletely geared up for that day.. Those were the days in India where debate was going on to have cable television at home or not . Entire India Middle class families were having that as an important debate in the family and world cup has played an important catalyst in that battle. as people prefer to watch match in private broadcasters rather than soporofic broadcasting in our own Desi channel. Passion has not change a little but yes brand war has changed Marketing has changed.. Marketing war has changed ....we remember nothing official about it pepsi compaign .. and today pepse is the main sponsor.. during those days also pepsi had fantastic ad and even today also they have good unleashing of cricketer ( upar cut and all)... Match went to down the wire had jadeja ,sidhu,venkatesh stood up to the occasion and india had a famous victory .. One thing which I think we need to touch base .. lot of things have changed in last 15 years.. so many news channel,mobile war,cable televiosion, multiplex viewing ,life streaming video ,facebook mania (where every has become an expert on cricket).. I think this 15 years how we as a country has changed .. good thing is more developed... more fast .. more vibrant.. nice too see this.. but what about our neighbouring country.. i think all of us know what has happened to them in last 15 years... Indian citizen to say this with a pride that as we link everything to cricket..so much of changes in last 15 years.. good news is as a nation we have moved ahead.. but as an individual... Lets ask ourself are we the same indian which we use to be during those days or we have become more artificial.. everything is more artifical.. more fabricated.. during those days people use to celebrate in mohallas of small town .. where is that India ? people use to chat on pan shops for so long.. people use to play cricket to vent out their feeling .. what is happening now.. more nuclear family.. more artifical relationship ( where catch up,meet up .will give you a call and both party also know that catch up meet up and call will not happened at any time), I think cricket should be look from that angle also.. where are we heading towards.. cricket gives us an opportunity to compare ourself from few years backk. are we reallly positive side.. TIME HAS COME FOR ALL OF US TO THINK .. THINK BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE..........



ANKUSH SHARMA (POSTED ON 27TH MARCH 2011)