Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund - A tactical analysis

Before like 10 months ago, none of the footballing fans in the world would have betted on an all German finals at the wembley. Most of us would have envisioned atleast the likes of Barca and Real to be at the finals. Well yes, being a little liberal, Bayern playing at the finals would have seemed reasonable but Dortmund? Who would have thought the black yellows to be there?

Bayern Munich: The undisputed pride of german football seeking for the legendary treble this season!

A top quality side with a starting lineup any team would fear to face at their peak. The likes of Bastian, Lahm, Ribery and Neuer and the rest of the Die Roten would be itching their hands to grab that once in a lifetime trophy and guess its high time their quality and loyalty deserves a accolade, the best one at that!

Strengths
One of the best full back- attacking flank coordination in the world currently. Lahm/ Muller and Lahm / Robben duo are a lethal threat even to the best of the defenders. Robben at his peak is a beas. I mean the defenders clearly know what he is gonna do and so do the viewers, but then he simply seems unstoppable once he gets into the mood. I would not be surprised if I see a link up play with Lahm with Robben cutting in from the right, going for the angled left footed curled shot on the right top corner of the goal! With Toni Kroos still a doubt, Robben starting is highly likely and if so, this duo is something that might pull off a stunning show!

And oh! Lahm is the best Right back in the world. Period! Defensively he is one of the most patient tacklers of the dead ball and one of the best readers of wing play! As an attacker, his crosses, long range through balls and link-ups have been clearly proved all through his german national team and Bayern career! The closest any other duo would come would be likes of Coentrao/ CR7 and Alves/Messi.

Mario Mandzukic the machine in the form of a No.9 will be a dominant force near the D, winning the one-on-one aerial balls and feeding the every hungry Muller and Robben. Highly effective in set pieces and known for his clinical finishing, leaving him unmarked will easily fuel the ship that would take the European glory away from the Schwarzgelbens. 

Frank Ribery, my star pick of the German reds! Well, his creativity and close control is world class  comparable to the likes of Iniesta with a wider range of crossing, tackling and aggressive abilities. He will be the game changer at Wembley! And for me at the end of the year he will definitely figure in the Ballon D’or top 3 nominees!

The core of Bayern’s gameplay-The Bastian-Martinez combination in the deep lying midfielder positions in the 4-2-3-1 would allow enough cushion for Robben, Ribery to launch their attacks from the wings.

Lot was said about how much of an impact Martinez would have in the current Bayern squad after they triggered his buyout clause from Bielsa’s young Bilbao side. Guess he took the way of proving it on the field rather than through the media or the press. Martinez is typical no.8 and his strength, tackling skills and marking abilities will prove to be crucial in the match.

Schweinsteiger, you beauty! One of the best CDMs in the world currently. A fighter by nature, he is the one Bayern would be looking upto if they start to trail against Borussia. From deep in the defense, he is the one who can orchestrate a whole move and can feed those critical crosses and through balls. You can see him play CB, RWB, CDM, CAM and even on the right flank popping his head out to spot Mandzukic, Muller or Ribery. 

Weakness

Lack of a class No.10 CAM in the box. The availability and fitness of Kroos being a doubt will be a concern for Bayern because now Ribery will have to keep switching with Muller, both of them playing a more central role. Well a clear reason for the Gotze signing for the next season!

Centre backs: One area where Bayern are yet to attain a perfect combination. Heynckes would have to choose amongst the likes of Boateng, Van Buyten and Dante. Boateng should be starting alongside either Van Buyten/Dante. Though aerially very strong, they seem to be a little susceptible on counters on the ground especially seen against their UCL performance against Arsenal. Dortmund should be aiming to freeing Lewandowski and capitalizing on his clinical first touches and finishing skills. I like the way Dante positions himself and am a fan of his aerial supremacy. I bet on him to start but if there is an area where Bayern would want to focus, it would be the department of CBs. But if the CBs are spot on to read the Dortmund counters and ground balls which both Boateng and Dante are capable of, it should be a clean sheet!

Bench

The Bayern bench is full of quality. Robben’s form being vulnerable gives Heynckes good options in Shaqiri. Similarly their yesteryear hero Mario Gomez, who seems not to figure in Pep’s next year team at Bayern would also be itching his legs for playing time at Wembley. He could be the one who might pull off a late 15min magic if needed and this would help him make a statement to Guardiola next year.

Coach

Heynckes the 67 year old veteran. He has been a silent figure in the world of managers and has been one who believed in dreams comig true. This Bayern side is his baby and he should be undoubtedly the most deserving one to hold that trophy at Wembley.

Heynckes the patient tactician is one of the most underestimated managers around. A striker by himself, he has had experience with managing clubs across Spain, Portugal and Germany. His stint at Borussia Monchengladbach  scoring 218 goals is particularly notable where he continued to reign as a manager in the future. As a manager, Heynckes’ first major achievement was aiding Real Madrid grab the Champions League trophy after a 30 years gap. At Bayern, he has built a team that should uphold the flag of german domination for years to come. His tactical buys of Martinez, Dante, the way he has encouraged talents of the like of Alaba, Muller and Shaqiri and the way he has moulded Madzukic into a classic No.9 stands testimony to his futuristic vision. Managing a team with one of the most balanced sides wrt age and experience is indeed an achievement. Ribery is 30 and Muller is 21. Both of them play a critical role in the team. This is what he believes the most in a team, the right balance and he is almost there with one of the greatest achievement in the world of club football- The Treble!

Formation

This is what I think will be the squad Heynckes should start under unusal conditions. Typical 4-2-3-1 euroepan formation . Tactically he would want the following:

1. Ribery playing a more central role and Alaba compensating for the width down the left flank
2. Robben playing as wide as possible with Schweinsteiger providing cover in the right midfield. Lahm overlapping runs through the sides and moving central with Schweinsteiger moving back then
3. Muller playing a striker’s role and often moving ahead of Mandzukic in the attack
4. Mandzukic playing as a typical No.9 winning aerial balls and disturbing the back 4 of Dortmund and feeding the balls on to his right for Robben and Muller
5. Martinez and Bastian combining defensively, with Martinez playingbit deeper allowing Schweinsteiger to move up during attacks
6. Van Buyten playing last man shielding Neuer and Dante darting in for attacks
7. Corners and set pieces: Dante, Van Buyten, Martinez and Mandzkuic moving in for the headers with Schweinsteiger/Ribery mostly on the dead ball.

Borussia Dortmund - The stereotypical poor man’s club which believes in a way of football!

The yellow lilliputians as I would call them, they have come a long way to reach where they are currently. Being an arsenal fan, I can only keep admiring th way the team has managed itself fighting through tough times, with grave financial constraints and players bleeding away to seek money and glamour every damn year! Wouldn’t it be lovely for the current players to laugh at the ones who flee away from them once they secure European Glory. It would be an ROFL moment.

Strengths

 The Pole: Critics label tag him as the best striker around currently. 4 goals against Real Madrid in a UCL semifinals, damn it, is an achievement. Well for me he belongs to the ancient class of strikers, the likes of Bergkamp, Owen and Raul. The soft first touches, smart positioning, timely sprints and clinical finishing are characteristics of all these players. This is quite in contrast to the typical lone striker we find in Europe, the likes of Falcao, Benzema, Mandzukic, Zlatan and Torres. Lewandowksi, has time and again proven that he is a match winner. Winning it against Barcelona was the latest feat and Bayern’s top priority will be to mute him which is going to be a tough asking! 

Back 4!:

Hummels would clearly be sought after by any of the big clubs currently if he is in the market. He is one of those defenders who likes to launch forward in for attacks and is very good at set pieces and feeding crucial long range passes. I think he can be tagged along with Thiago Silva to form the lethal CB combo any club would want to have! Plus his loyalty and attitude towards the club makes me a great fan of his. He starting for Dortmund at Wembley will be a match decider.

Subotic is the ideal match for the German combatant. Tall, aerially supreme and very critical in set pieces. Both of them have been a set combination for Klopp to safeguard his net

Piszczek is there in the league of the best full backs playing currently. He is defensively spot on and also transforms into a winger supporting his polish compatriot Blaszczykowski in the right flank

Schmelzer has moulded himself into a LB for Germany through  his days at Dortmund and I think that summarises his skills as a typical LB good at launching swift runs and also performing his defensive job with utmost attention.

So yes, the back 4 of Dortmund is probably the best in Europe. Well coordinated and organized, they are difficult to tumble down when at their peak and Wembley will demand them to play yhe game of their life.

Ilkay GUndogan, a fighter, a genius and a gem of an orchestrator. He reminds me of Scholesy in one way! Those defense splitting passes, long ranges and timely tackles. He along with Bender will be the reply to the Bastian-Martinez problem Bayern poses.

Marco Reus, a talented player in the form of a winger, center forward and a creative midfielder. HE is quick, skillful, creative and highly reactive to situations. The absence of Gotze would demand him to play a more central role and if I were to bet it would be him to be the game changer for Dortmund.  

Weakness

Lack of big game players and experience

The Dortmund team that goes to wembley will be noted for it’s inexperience in big matches. None of them in the entire squad have ever really played a game with such magnanimity and energy. Tough calling which Im sure Klopp would be urging the young warriors in the likes of Hummels, Gundogan and Reus to step upto!

 Mario Gotzes absence: $37m and there goes another Dortmund gem moving to his arch rivals the spendthrift Bayern. The Deco-goat head incident when he switched allegiance from Barca to Real, the RVP transfer saga all take a setback given the way the whose Gotze transfer dramatically falls in place. Imagine, the No.10 of a club moving to their arch rivals and he playing his last match at the biggest stage in Europe against his future club. I don’t think it can get any more dramatic. Had it been in England, we would have all felt for it, but German football not very familiar to us makes us probably not understand the magnanimity of the situation. But all this said, the German star-rated midfielder will be out for the clash and tactically it is another setback that Klopp will have to solve through his options including Gundogan and Reus.

Hummel’s injury might then demand the late minute goal scorer against Malaga: Santana. But personally Hummels not playing will be a major setback to the defensive department. Nevertheless Klopp would be hoping Santana plays the match of his life if it were to happen so.

Bench

Dortmund bench though not as deep as Bayern on paper, is a very youthful and energetic bunch of lads. The
likes of Sahin and Kehl can provide enough reinforcement in the midfield. Santana the late-minute Malaga goal hero is another example of youthfulness that exemplies Dortmund’s footballing philosophy.

Coach

Klopp is the undoubted man of the tournament! Who would have thought that Dortmund would reach so far in the Champions league but for him. He is an example that can be portrayed to younger generations as “Hey here is a man who reinforced the definition of loyalty in current day football, here is a man who stood by the club during sad times, shedded tears, when the club got relegated and when his babies parted him and here is a man who despite what happened around him continued to relentlessly strive for success”. He is the most resourceful manager around and I can go ahead and compare him to the likes of Arsene Wenger in his old days, both of them though different in their own ways had one thing in common, the belief and motivation in their team, failing to succumb to whatever happened around them! Klopp’s philosophy is quick energetic passing football in the attack and the typical zonal marking in defense. He has been optimally leveraging the skills of his players to build a team. Last year Dortmund utilized Kagawa, this year it has been Gotze and in the finals he would be expecting the likes of Reus to step up to play the arch-typical pivot of his team. I believe Dortmund’s focus will be on counter attacks and Klopp’s strategy would be revolved around this key theme at Wembley. Finally, it would be awesome to see Klopp have the last laugh at players who already left his club and the ones leaving in the coming window, with European glory secured in his trophy cabinet!

Formation

1. Reus playing a central midfield role playing in the box primarily
2. Lewandowski playing totally up front seeking the crosses and the through balls waiting for the one-touch-go shots
3. Gundagon playing an orchestrator’s role initiating attacks and playing deep when required.
4. I’m rooting for Bender to start ahead of Kehl given his pace and better defensive abilities. Bender will be assigned the job of keeping a check on the dangerous Lahm-Robben-Bastian moves in the right flank
5. Blaszczykowski and Großkreutz are energetic, hard working lads who will be the prime counter attack targets for Dortmund
6. The prime aim would be to keep the defense tight against the world class attacking force of Bayern. Klopp would want the WBs, CBs and CDMs to be on their toe so as to win at Wembley.
7. Corners and set pieces: Hummels, Subotic, Piszczek and Pole in the box with Reus / Gundogan on the dead balls

My judgment

After having lashed at the domination of Spanish football, proving the theory of victories in club football being a cyclic process, I am totally happy if any of these sides claim the trophy. I shall watch the match unbiased having seen what I wanted to happen already happen. Eventhough my heart is with Dortmund, logically I think it is going to be Bayern all the way at Wembley. Obviously a lot of factors go into deciding who will emerge successful at Wembley. I think the game would be fought out in the midfield with lesser happenings in the flanks.

I am going for a victory for Bayern after considering the following factors:

1. The dream run and the current momentum of Bayern
2. A fully fit and motivated squad compared to a handicapped Dortmund side with the absence of Gotze and even Hummels for that matter
3. Football greats and experience on one side in contrast to a no big-game experience and young Dortmund squad
4. The Treble in Bayern’s mind and with Heynckes leaving soon adding fuel to fire
5. World class attacking lineup with dangerous and lethal attacking options
6. Better midifled setup for Bayern with Bastian and Javi expecting to win over Gundogan and Kehl/Bender
7. Defensively though not as good as Dortmund, Bayern should be successful in muting the likes of Pole and Reus                        

Predicted Score line:

Half time: 1-0 Bayern leading at half time

Full time: 3-1 Die Roten brigning back European glory to the german land of Munich!

(Bayern Munich) 3 – 1 (Borussia Dortmund)

The scoreline and the prediction is an end result of the above logic and majorly a gut-feel driven estimate. I can only end with the clichéd statement: “ Football! Bloody hell”

But bottomline, no matter who wins at Wembley , there shall be one unanimous winner and that’s gonna be the rejuvenated soul of German football !!

A question of your identity

Being in Mumbai, in fact in office on Sunday (18/11/2012), when the whole of Mumbai was frozen following the demise of BST, I was amazed at two key aspects pertaining to the frugality of human thoughts and rational.

1.       How could an individual be shaped by his peers and society to follow an ideology which purely had an emotional implication, deprived of any logic.

2.       How could a self-centered soul seek, create and reinforce one’s undefined identity by reiterating a stand that was driven by sheer pride, prejudice and narcissism

Bal Thackeray, the roaring lion of the most endearing Aamchi Mumbai is clearly whom I’m referring to. I am not being plain judgmental about a person who has burned down shops of non-marathi citizens who were struggling to meet their ends in the city of trade. I also realise the other side of the coin depicted a regionalist hero who worked for his state. But lets look at it logically, India a sovereign, socialist, secular democratic and republic union, an amalgamation of polarsied cultures was defined on the sheer base that there had to be co-existence. One who questions that, I simply fail to understand, tagging him in a bucket of national heros who deserve a stae-wide bandh or a freaking holiday!

From what I have understood, he was a hypocrite with a xenophobic ideology. Period. None of his ventures could be listed as marvels towards social development. It becomes even more important to see how he shifted his target pool from a Marathi base to that of a Hindu nationalist one, thereby entering into national politics. I can draw comparisions of him with those of Hitler, Musolini or Stalin, but then I realize that we for a reason live in a democracy! Puppets, without an identity all of us are in some way or the other succumbing to lack of logic only to establish an identity for ourselves. For a fact, you and I are as well.

Tat-Tvam-Asi

Months of corporate life without any inspiration motivated me to set foot for a journey that hopefully would inspire me. Sabarimala – the abode of lord Ayyappa located on the banks of Pamba river on the Western Ghats, has been one place that had got my attention from y childhood days. Ever since I started looking at things logically, it has continued to amaze me. I knew that it preached Tat-Tvam-Asi and being open to one and all irrespective of creed, all castes and religion. But what was it, that made this place, one among the highest populated gatherings (after Mecca). What was it that motivated the millions of Guruswamys and the Ayyappas, endure an arduous fasting for 41 days go all the way up the hill? Well my elders had an answer: "It had to be experienced".

We were on an AC car that made one’s  4 hour journey comfortable enough to see Ayyappa. As always, I do my research on the place and it’s history. Mythology states that Ayyappa, an orphan kid was adopted by a childless kingly couple in 3000BC.The warrior prince at the age of 12 had set forth to the jungle to procure medicinal plants for treating his step mother’s ailment. The ailment now was a concocted story crafted by his step-mom and her allies to ensure that the prince never returned back and that the queen’s actual child inherited the kingdom. Expressing his love for his mom and his tireless determination to serve his karma, he endures into the deep forests with unforeseen, mysteries to be unfolded. The turning point in the story comes when he meets the monstrous beast / devil of the forest and valiantly kills it. The beast was quite powerful as it had a boon from both vishnu and shiva saying that no one except the son of Shiva and Vishnu could kill the otherwise immortal. And thus Hari-Hara Sudhan or our dear lord ayyappan was started to be worshipped.

I was smiling within me, wondering how easy it was to convince a group of identity-less humans through stories and myths. Further research told me another version of the story. This time, the story of a warrior who ventured into the forest for his kingdom alongwith his companions (including Vavar, a muslim) and killed a beast which troubled the common mob in the kingdom. The temple was a memoir to pay homage to his bravery. Stories, they are and there are many.

The ride on the car was good. We really didn’t bear the hardships an Ayyappa had to actually undergo en-route. “Playing the songs are fine no sir? Never really asked you”. It was our driver who used to be on calls most of the time, even while driving, discussing about his next trip and other business deeds. I had by then, made first impressions of him, that of an irresponsible, in disciplined, greedy human being. My dad but nicely started a conversation which turned out to be a turning point in my quest for Tat-Tvam-Asi. He started to narrate his life story.

He was born to a low-caste poor family. As a child he never really thought about being educated and at a tender age, he had started driving. Saved every penny for his family and his future. Marriage happened. He had an identity for survival now. He was a responsible husband. It was the time of his life. All the hardships till date seemed to have paid off. He was settling down. He soon became a father. Now, he had to work day and night to feed his family. His sweat had the scent of happiness.

Frugality of hope and happiness, they say. Before his child was even a year old, his wife passed away in a dreadful manner. Heart attack and lack of good treatment thereafter were causes. He tried all he could have then but “God” for him thought otherwise. He now had a 1 year child in his hand and a renewed identity this time , that of a father who would now have to raise his kid without a mother. “I don’t sleep much sir, these days. I have an aim and I’m working hard for it. I want my kid to grow up well. “He was so happy to show his wife’s and his kid’s pics. I could see his ecstasy in showing us the pics only to realize, that was him forgetting what has actually happened to him. He but still moved on, not stirring to what had happened to him.

This person in front of me whom I had judged whimsically showed me what attitude meant in real life. I was ashamed of myself only to realize that every human, you me and everyone was an ego-centric, selfish creature, the extent to which being the variable. How foolish it would have been to make those first impressions. How many times would we have already done that. It was a realization.

Looking at the bigger picture, I could picturize what might have motivated the ancient sages and rishis to tread up hills and wander alone. It would be the people they would encounter. Their experiences and these teachings would never come from textbooks nor does it open-up to the ego-centric. A peaceful repose on the tranquil riverbanks would have made them introspect and retrospect and thus initiating the refining 

process within themselves.

Now when I started analyzing the whole concept of Sabarimala, things seem to be different to me. 41 days of no luxuries would not mean that God or Ayyappa would be happy. I realized that the meaning was deeper. It would only systemtaise our otherwise life without a control. It would mean the realization of the simplicity/triviality of our existence. It speaks about spending time for yourself , sacrificing worldly pleasures and blending with nature irrespective of caste creed and color. It talks about refinement which later on other philosophers like Adi Shankaracharya  through the concept of Duality and Gautam Budha though his story of the enlightenment, preached. Walking all the way from home to the mala, through the heart of the forests did not mean all your sins would be washed away. It would mean that, your mind and your thought process would be more refined as different experiences and people confront you and eventually change the way you think. It would nurture the qualities goodness, kindness, generosity, love and care (combine it and call it “God”) in you. It is this what mythology also preaches. “Find the God in you.” Similarly the legendary Makaravilakku and the Patinettam padi (18 steps to enlightenment) were all mythological references / stories, which can now be justified as incentives offered for mediocrity in order to achieve the bigger purpose of being civilized and simple.

Well, these were my key takeaways and the icing on top was that, Sabarimala was open to all religions and castes and they proclaim the philosophy of everyone being one and the same (except for women entering the temple..well that is mythology / part of a story which mediocrity has believed in). It advocates the principle that each and every individual,  irrespective of what he is, has a story to tell of good and bad , happy and sad. Each of these stories has the power to influence in ways one might not think of. Eventhough I cannot prove that the concept of ‘Tat-tvam-asi’ is what drives all the millons of people to the shrine, it is clear to me that, all of them have knowingly or unknowingly initiated this refining process, when they started climbing the mala.

I reached the Sannidhanam and bypassed all the queue and the crowd, thanks to my dad’s passes. There was nothing inspirational on top except the sight of so many Swamis, standing in the queue, seeking Tat-Tvam-Asi. I met the idol and winked at him, for in a way opening my eyes to the much profound and esoteric essence of Tat-Tvam-Asi. It was a religion in itself with a motto that would go like: ‘The God my friend , is in you. Nurture him, adore Him, love Him and hug him tighter, coz he my friend is you!!’ My parents and grandparents were right.  It HAD to be experienced!

The Story of a Hero

Cricket is undoubtedly a religion if not more in India. The game’s influence on the common man is so much so that cricketers are treated as demi-gods, literally worshiped here. Even an uneducated auto driver is well updated about the recent commonwealth series and it’s happenings. People relate to cricket so much so that, most of them create an identity for themselves through cricket. Sachin’s Bday and Sehwag’s 200 is celebrated in probably better ways compared to a diwali or holi! Such is our culture, such is the respect we have for our players here.

In a land that has seen a lot many legends thrive and succeed, cricket has been one sport that has kept India well known at the global scene. There have been legends in the past, who are respected and honored throughout the nation; heroes, who have brought glory to our nation. The hero I am talking about is not someone who has grabbed all the records on earth and is deservedly on the top, neither am I talking about someone who captained a team and won the world cup single-handedly or in that case, a bowler who is often listed in the legendary bowler’s list.

"For me there's only one Dravid. I will miss him in the dressing room & on the field.". These were Sachin ’s words on hearing about his retirement. The hero I am talking about is Rahul Dravid, the unsung champion of Indian Cricket. With all his records, in the bag-pack and with the drive in him to face the world’s best bowling attack , in the most enduring of situations, he simply ceases to surprise any cricket lover. Two decades of relentless service to our nation. But for what he has done to Indian cricket, has he deserved the respect he has to? I'm not very sure!

Reasons? Yes quite obviously, when there is a batsman along with you, who has broken all possible records and has been playing the sport for more than 50% of his life, you are shadowed. Quality is something which can't be compared between greats. I am not comparing them. Start penning down the top quality batsmen; on an average, both of them will figure in the top 10 across the world. Such is their eminence. Sachin and Dravid are artistes at the same stage, but the former has performed a little more than the latter, in terms of technique and impact. Both of them are individuals who inspire many, owing to their persona. This article struck a chord with my thoughts http://www.firstpost.com/ideas/the-karna-syndrome-and-rahul-dravid-as-the-hero-60411.html/2 . Comparing him with Karna while casting Sachin as Arjuna would be fair, to a certain extent. Both warriors, one who went on to seek glories and become famous, the other, equally talented, shadowed by his counterpart.

Any budding batsman from my generation would want to become a Sachin or a Dravid,when he grew up. Both of them have saved matches and restored the glory we've had in cricket. These 2 along with Kumble and Ganguly to an extent were the forerunners of a golden period we've had. When this team entered a test arena, the opponents were taken aback by the magnanimity of these players and their achievements.

Now, Dravid undoubtedly has been labeled a legend, when it comes to test cricket. I hope the reader is aware of what he has done for our nation. If not, let me try to summarize why his achievements have been considered legendary!

• Dravid is the second only next to Sachin Tendulkar across the globe to score more than 13,000 test runs, with a consistent average of 53, and a massive number of 36 centuries
• He has been involved in the most century partnerships in Test history
• He was the 1st player to score a century against every Test playing nation away from home
• He is currently 2nd among batsmen who have scored most away runs in Tests . Only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more away Test runs.
• Interestingly Dravid has faced highest number of deliveries in test cricket, more than Allan Border's previous record of 27002 deliveries
• He has scored nearly 23% of the total runs put up by India (with a batting average of 102.84) in the 21 Test matches won under Ganguly's captaincy. This is the highest percentage contribution by any batsman in Test cricket history in matches won under a single captain where the captain has won more than 20 Tests.

Dravid's comeback with his 32nd test century

What has made Dravid a top class test player is his sound technical ability coupled with his never-give-up attitude. His technical class is beyond description . The way he executes his shots and the way he reads and approaches a game,should necessarily be used as references for the next generation. It is not that Dravid was blessed with these skills, it came with sheer hardwork and commitment. He is a born fighter that is what makes him special in test cricket.

I must say that, his test contributions are acknowledged to a large extent. It is ODIs that has caused problems for Dravid, something that always denied Dravid, from being epitomized to greatness. Greatness is sometimes bestowed arbitrarily in Cricket. It is a concept that could have been forged with Rahul Dravid in mind. Well I strongly feel that ODIs are only derivatives of test cricket. T20s are again a derivative of ODIs. Such derived forms are more of an entertainment than a sport. Any batsman who would want a spot in the team , would want to have a test cap. A test , literally tests the entire skill sets a batsman should possess. Subject to strategic field setups, and more variability and creativity from the bowler, a test is when , a batsman is tested to the extreme. You would always want to see Warne, Murali and Kumble, bowling in tests rather than ODIs. Such is the intensity for test matches. This is often forgotten. Cricket of late, is changing so much so that, it has started becoming a business. How on earth do we have a celebrity cricket league with fatso, uncles playing (rather spoiling) the sport, and god, the hype media gives them. Crazy it is! Well yes entertainment is a business and I accept, I would also want to see Dhoni, smashing a few sixes out of the stadium in the last few overs of a ODI but again ,sport is never an entertainment, it’s essence is realized when it is played in its original way. Cricket is changing, but for the better? I would say no!

Having said this, it is not that Dravid has done bad in ODIs. He has never claimed to be a natural ODI match winner, he is very defensive in nature, very reliable in low run rate chases and at facing the new ball under pressure. These are a few facts that need to be noted:

• Dravid is the 8^th highest run getter with more than 10,000 ODI runs at an average of 40
• He was involved in the highest partnership in the history of ODI cricket with a 331 run partnership along with Sachin vs NZ in 1999–2000
• He was the leading run scorer in the 1999 WC with 461 runs.
• Has the 2nd highest score (145) by a wicketkeeper in a World Cup behind AC Gilchrist(149)
• He has the 3rd Highest number of fifties, after Sachin and Kallis
• He has the second fastest 50 by an Indian
• He is one of two Indians to be the top scorer in a World Cup (the other is Sachin Tendulkar). He amassed 461 runs in the 1999 World Cup, the first World Cup he played.

Dravid at 1999 WC.

Random accusations by some people that , he is a “waste”(wtf?) in ODIs should be treated as ignorance and should be excused(a diplomatic way of saying, screw you)! On top of all this, history shall declare Rahul Dravid as an ODI player, who’d retired after India secured a world cup, not having figured in the WC winning team. I personally felt it to be unfair, leaving out him. Kohli’s and Raina’s were performing better prior to the WC, but he deserved a spot definitely, given his experience and the confidence he would bring into the dressing room! I am not trying to portray him as a great ODI player, but, just because he can't play like a Sehwag or Dhoni, he should n't be denied the respect he clearly deserves. Given his style of play, he has adapted when the country needed him.

Oh talking about adapting, none should forget that Dravid has even gone to the extent of keeping stumps when the situation demanded and done a good job at that. For me, what keeps him unique, is the way he rises to situations and offers his hands as a team player. From opening the batting line-up, to batting down the order to wicket keeping , to captaining our team , he has done what he could have done, when the team needed someone. He has also led our team, and the continuous 15 ODI match chase win, stands testimony to his leadership qualities, both contributing and leading the middle order to all these chases.

Whenever, we as children , had a long target to face in a match, I remember all of us trying to emulate his gameplan and imitate his shots. Always insisting on hard work, practice, teamwork and determination ,he has been a continuous source of inspiration for youngsters. He has been shadowed, by other legends, but every interview he has had, every press meet he has had, his farewell speech for instance, he has always chosen to be humble . Never ever complaining, never ever cribbing, always taking up responsibilities and not even in the slightest of interest, seeking for fame or personal glory, he always gave credit to the team and his partners in a game! It would be very difficult to find a team player like him; such a committed and dedicated player,quite obviously turning him into an iconic hero!

I was searching for what other cricketers had to say about our nation pride. This is what I’d stumbled upon
Matthew Hayden:
"All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes".
Brian Lara :
"If I have to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis or Dravid".
Navjot Singh Sidhu:
"Rahul Dravid is a player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to"Glen McGrath
”If there was one Indian player who would get an automatic entry into an Australian team filled with stars, it would be Rahul Dravid.”
Sachin(God apparently)
"Dravid is not only a great cricketer but also an ambassador of the game, a role model and a gentleman. Runs apart he is a cricketer who should be emulated by the youngsters,"

Good things come to an end, they say . It is an era coming to a halt. An era that had witnessed classical batting at it’ best. Retirement was on the cards, but so soon, was never expected. It's his choice at the end of the day, and whatever you do, the whole nation's respect and support will always be there for you. This was Dravid’ message to all his fans. “Finally I would like to thank the Indian cricket fan, both here and across the world. The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you. To represent India, and thus to represent you, has been a privilege and one which I have always taken seriously. My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride” . It simply doesn’t take too much to like him.

Let me conclude by thanking this legend for his contributions to the team, for teaching us what a sportsman had to be . All of us will continue to admire you for your technical expertise and your fight-till-you-die attitude. The nation might not engrave your name along with Sachin when both of you retire, but you shall be in every one of our hearts, as Mr.Dependable and as an inspiring gentleman, a true ambassador of Indian cricket.The WALL of Indian Cricket. TAKE A BOW!!!!

P.S . The stats used in the article are directly from Wiki and cricinfo and it's for people who are not aware of his contributions and the rest who are ignorant.
The rest of it and the article as such is my humble way of saying, I have been a fan of yours' since childhood and just like me, I’m sure there are many, sharing the same sentiment, We will definitely MISS you!

Seniors are wonderful people!

This is something which I wrote for the Godav Blog .

“It’s almost over man. Godav Chapter is soon, in your life coming to an end..!” It hurts big time when random juniors tell us this but, it quite is the blatant truth. In retrospect, mixed emotions are felt when we say that these ‘were the best days of our life’. The agony of leaving this place, and the happiness of having lived a life here. It’s a sem more here, but most of us ‘seniors’ are already “senti” leaving this place!

Seniors. Woah!, the name reminds me of all those awesome people we had in or hostel; each of them who taught us a lot of things. To learn is to observe and surely we have all done that. It is quite a trend at IITs for juniors to emulate what seniors have done here and to follow their footsteps. All of us learn a lot from our seniors here. After thinking over a bit on what would be, an apt topic to write on; I thought this article would make sense if it could remind all of us, how important a role ,our seniors have played in our lives.

So once upon a time there was this guy. He stepped into a 4 floored green coloured building with a beautiful garden on the front with Godavari engraved on a piece of rock. Like any other freshie, he had no clue of what was in store there. Scared he was, shy he was, a bit nervous he was. A lot happened in his mind. Random thoughts about home , parents and siblings. Strange people, having conversations with ‘raas’ and ‘daas’. The pressure of acads looming dark over him. And on top of all this, there were seniors.

We(our batch) were, like any freshie batch, shit scared of them , to start off. Our very first roll call, and I remember one senior coming in and saying: “Rajasthan waale sab get up!..aah you..come to room no: XYZ”. Back then, we sincerely hoped other states never had such an issue. But that was our first impression, which we realized was wrong after actually knowing them better. There are a lot of incidents that each one of us could share in our hostel days, wherein our seniors have taught us lessons. Let me enlist a few similar incidents.

While during the frequent quadi matches, me and a couple of first years were waiting outside the ground depserately awaiting our turn. In general freshies do not get a start in the first 10 in the quadi. Suddenly there is this senior(Let us call him X) who happens to be one of the best players of our hostel, slowly moving out and asking one of us to replace him. He comes out and tells us very silently with a pat on our back: “Guys I’m here only for a few more months and it’s your hostel from now on. You guys need to keep up the spirit and keep playing”. This gesture by him was genuine and he waited till all of us got a chance.

Then there was this senior (let us call him Y) who I remember kept alternating from one Schroeter match to another simply because he was good at all sports on earth. I still remember him coming to our footer match in our first sem, from a water polo match, fully cramped. For a second he was down and then he was up with a bottle of cramp spray, spread all over his body . “This is my last Ganga match and I need to play”. Both these incidents, in my first sem taught us what it meant to be a Godavite, and to be passionate and dedicated to what one was committed to.

I still remember those sports grooming sessions that we used to have in our freshie sem. Most of us would attest to the fact that, those fundaes from seniors actually laid our foundation in whatever we have done today. I can vaguely recollect those gyaan sessions when our seniors gave away footballing fundas, ranging from, passing the football around, to giving through balls, that would win goals. We sure had picked up a lot during those days. I am definitely sure, the same was with TechSoc and LitSoc. We truly had seniors who used to tell us like brothers, what they knew, so that we grew better, ultimately for a better Godav.

Then there was this very famous wing, the FIRST WING of Godav, which surely has inspired many juniors to follow. The wing taught us what it meant to be together, despite language, state, branch or whatever on earth. One of my wingies even went to the extent of saying : “Oye I was XYZ core daa and so was LMN the first wing senior , in our first year. I still cant believe it man!”

In short seniors at Godav have inspired us .They have taught us, guided us and essentially made things easy for us. Today we are seniors and sooner or later , all you juniors will be in our shoes. Have we inspired you, influenced you, motivated you? We hope yes! It was simply then, giving back the feeling we’d got from our seniors. I was talking a little before, about all the pain and pressure in the first sem. Most of it were sorted out after having these conversations with these people. From internship gyaan, to useful fundaes and life advices, they have influenced us in major ways and most importantly have taught us what life at Godav was.

A lot has changed in a span of 5 years here at Godav. We have a new block built up, we have a better common room today , we have lost our volley court. But even amidst all these changes, it’s quite amazing to see that there is still the same spirit of Godav within its inmates living on. It’s quite nice to find the same senior-junior bonding that was there in my first year exist even today. We sincerely hope it continues .

Well now, a lot of things go through my mind, the festival matches, wing sports, QoS, Inter-Hostel matches, Schroeter practice sessions, LitSoc. All of them suddenly pass through my mind in a jiffy. Good things come to an end they say. I hope this end comes slow.

Being Happy

Machaa..dey!...Cleared the course..da . Party tonight.

Honey….I’ve got my first pay cheque!.. dinner tonight..?The last wish of a convict satisfied…Met my family for the one last time..Happy I am to die.

I guess everyone has one reason or the other to be happy. Be it, a young child who receives his much desired toy or, an age-old grandpa who sees his long time childhood friend. Age aside, background aside, life aside, everybody wishes to be happy any time.
Its therefore simple alright? Everyone wants to be happy. But coming to thinking of it, do we all try to be happy always?.
For example, imagine a world, where you could just go on playing your favourite sport, watch your favourite TV program and do whatever you felt like. I guess most of wouldn’t be reluctant to live such a life. Reality check: This is actually possible .isn’t it. As in yes, people could go on living this life. But why doesn’t it actually happen.
Money dai!.... Your dad ka dad will pay for me or what? , is the response. Life is unfair in this way that most of the fun comes with cash. So…assume I give you the cash you need…unlimited cash. Think of me as the Zimbabwean govt. a year before, printing dollars and using them as toilet paper. Guarantee me that happiness shall be attained and you shall never be sad.
Hell Yes…Are you crazy..anyone would take this offer. OK so imagine you are given a million billion dollars, what all would you do? Erm..a lot, well I ‘d start off with buying my dream BMW…! I would travel the whole world, bust loads of cash at the casinos enjoy at the pubs!And?...and yeah I would erm uuh erm..do a bit of social service given that I have so much money.. you know…then, I would again buy more stuff and travel more..oh really... and then..?Oh how did I forget..I would buy loads and loads stuff for my family, my girlfriend, who- not.Go on….I..that’s it? No way..i will keep doing this till I get bored. So ultimately monetary fun ends up boring! Even more sad part…this boredom comes very fast.
Now think of this rationally, take the case of a coolie working at the station, I would say the same guy who toils his body out is also as happy as you are. Scale down your dreams and desires and similarities would be striking. The coolie would want to take his family out for a movie some day when he has a good day at work. He would want to lend a few bucks for the unfortunate . He would also want to travel to nearby places. He would also be having all these fun. This pic which I stumbled upon in a documentary speaks volumes.

The way you live or the way you satisfy your needs, the way you prioritise your wants is ultimately what matters. Happiness doesn’t simply come with money.Having lots of money is obviously an advantage for being happy, but is less leveraged and is not a necessary ingredient for being happy.Happiness doesn’t come with busting a lot of cash at luxurious places. Real happiness comes through satisfaction. Boredom is inevitable; it is like a necessary dissipative force in life, like friction. Makes you NOT do lot of stuff but again it is essential isn’t it. The value of an alternative is often realized only when you are bored. Money can’t make one run away from boredom for sure, but your desires/interests/deeds that satisfy you can.I couldn’t agree more with a Philosopher named Epicurus, whose article I happened to browse through on the philosophy of happiness. Well he claims that happiness is a function of friends, your passion and your way of living. He opines that even if one is rich, he need not be happy and he claims even the underprivileged are happy given the way they utilize their time doing activities that amuse them.

Passion or interests actually defines a person and pursuing itself is in fact a painful process given the distractions and responsibilities we have in life. But then, whatever be one’s pressure level or work stress, everyone should carry his interest along with himself and pursue it in his own way possible. A very simple observation is that, most of the renowned, successful people around are people who have made their work their passion. Lionel Messi, AR Rahman, Steve Jobs and the list of inspirational people you have in your list are all people who derive happiness and satisfaction through their work. Therefore success is in fact the time spent happy in a day. The more it is, the more successful you are.
Lifestyle similarly becomes important as one ought to be defining his lifestyle, realizing his limitations. Obviously the coolie can’t thinking of going to casinos but has to find ways to amuse him and the first step is realizing his limitations. Happiness is thus about scaling down your desires, beliefs and luxuries to your level of capability. Similarly, being involved in what you really want to do in life, is way more important than going behind stuff that might appeal to the society. Because again, what you do might not make you rich , but will leave a smile on your face, looking back and that matters a lot, I think!
Socialising is important as well. Spending time with friends and your priorities in life, sharing moments of fame, shame and glory is essential. Priorities matter a ton, cause time in real life is a constraint and optimally spending time with important people in your life is very important. On a related note, making others happy is probably another dimension to the theory. It could be a small deed or a small step from your side. Eventually, if it can make a few faces smile/console a few minds and make them happy, I guess this is best form of satisfaction and therefore the best form of happiness.
Self- analysis or spending a few hours on reliving moments in your past is another way to realize happiness. Memories that are to be cherished have to be revisited. Times that let you down and the way one has recovered and again been happy has to be analysed. For all this, spending a decent amount of time alone, thinking about your past and your roots is essential.
Life is thus an optimization problem with the objective function being to Maximize Happiness and the constraints being your priorities, lifestyle and time. If you are good at OR, solve this and be happy! else these theories should make sense.Ha!
*Having said all this gyan, for I don’t-for-what reason, I feel happy for having written down something that has been going through my mind and I end restating the sad truth :“The art of being happy always:the least specialized!”

Two Lives, One Soul

Saturday 04/12/2010
I am travelling in my car to my grandfathers home. It had actually been a long time since I had gone there. With a sweet violin composition running behind and with my mind compltely free , I felt all nostalgic. The place where I was heading to was filled with many memories. A lot has happened there.The onam vacations and Christmas vacations the weekend moments all of them just pass through my mind in a jiffy .The signal is green and the music changes . I drive on to reach the house.
Ecstatic and filled with joy I was , to open the door and run in. I still remember those days when I used to break open the door and run into the house only to trip down and get scolded later. I look around to find happiness and fun filled memories lingering in the air. Taking a huge gasp ,sensing loss and passing away of those good old days, I move into the house
My grandparents were all old now. Retired they were from life. They could no more, run behind me and my cousins just as they used to when we were kids. But I could sense the immense joy they had when they saw me. That was enough. One hug and I was the small kid again. I knew they had lots to tell me.
The story of the mango tree behind the house being cut, the story of the old milk booth being shifted, the story of the old shiva temple being renovated and the way things have changed around them . I could sense joy and happiness when they started talking. Who would then want to interrupt and talk about all the trivial Deutsche Bank and the DAAD interns. I would be mad to do that!
My grandfather was a renowned and respected engineer in the railway service. He therefore always finds interest in asking about my course and my academics. “Civil engineering is the best profession. Recession had had its impacts.But now its booming back” he claims .I nod my head . He then goes on to talk on how obedient my dad and his brother was as students. “Your aunt was a fool when it came to academics”. My grandmother who had gone to the kitchen for the usual dosas runs to the front room and cuts into the discussion saying : “ She might have been bad in her studying but she is the only one still calling us everyday” That had a bit of sorrow in itself. My grandfather smiles and replies “She is jobless therefore the phone calls ” He then lays back and looks through the open window outside thinking over a lot of old incidents I guess. He might have been reliving those good old days as a kid, as a student, as a father …and now as a grandfather. Lots of advices on life and tips for my future were offered. With a smile I took them happily. He continued staring outside. I was sure he was taken back to his old days.
I thought he was happy till I found tears running down his eyes. My gradmother comes with the Hot dosas and the chutney.I get it from her and she takes her seat along with my grandpa. The tears disturbed me but their love made me happy.
“He used to sit on my laps and watch the movie. Shivaji ganeshan was his hero! He was a brilliant son, the most adorable one" I was taken aback by the statement. This was the only thing I did nt want to have a discussion on. My grandmother starts weeping.
They had lost their son, my uncle.He had died of Cancer. I could go on talking about my uncle but I am not. That one statement from a loving father summed it up.
I couldn’t console a man who hugs me and tells me that he has lost one of his eyes. Neither could I console a staunch god loving woman who tells me that God is unfair at times. I did not want them to weep .I am sure they would have done that for enough for the past 1 month and my uncle would definitely not have wanted them to do this.! I tried my best to shift the topic and my grandfather suddenly pats me on my back |”Son, what is life if you do not have people to cry for. It’s ok he was taken back because GOD simply wanted him not to live in this treacherous planet. Love your relations son, cause you never know when you’ll never have them to share your love ”. I nod my head in complete acceptance.
The scene changes and my grand mother slowly realizing that I had come to meet them not to listen to their sorrows, takes the plate of dosas up and offers me. The dosas had gone cold .Shes runs back to make new ones.
I go behind her. She was slow but that happiness in making those dosas for her grandchild was overflowing. Respect for the lady that stood for the endless love and maternal care. I went into the kitchen to help her with the cooking. She didn’t want to know about my academics. Food and people around were her concern.”Bad Friendship is the biggest trap in the world. Do not fall for temptations around” . I told her how friends around me were easily into booze and smoke and how I felt it was NOT wrong. Arguments started. I was not justifying the case of my friends but only stating that it was all human. My grandmothers only solace was my stand that I wouldn’t engage myself in any of these until and unless I felt it was alright for me to do so . She drags me into a room with all her efforts. I follow her like the old kid that was upto all the pranks!
She takes me to the Pooja Room.The room that housed many gods. I' ve always felt divine entering that hall. She chants few slogans and I am asked to pray which I do obediently .”I cant ask you to obey me, you are a grown up. You have your own perspectives. But think of us and all those people who love you before indulging yourself into any such malpractices” .I was not surprised .It was expected  I hug her like the same old kid and assures her that I would do that.
I spend a lot of time roaming around many places within the house the backyard, the terrace.Each nook and corner of the place had memories attachéd to it. All those kutti matches we used to play. My cousins around. Those hide and seek games, those “sweet” bruises which you had and somehow managed to escape from being caught by ur parents, the glass panes we broke. Those anthaksharis, hide and seeks, gullycricket .I could actually see those incidents happening around me. For a moment, I was taken back to those good days. It was all as if it was over yesterday.I realize that time has moved very fast.
People want us to grow up and once we get old we always want to be the kid, reliving those golden days. Hours went by and it was time to bid goodbye to the place where I had spent many of the wonderful moments I had in my childhood. Blessings and goodbyes followed. The car was on and the music had changed this time to a song with a faster tempo only asking me to move on in life and to think and believe that I was lucky enough , just like all you guys to have such a wonderful childhood. It might not be soon when I come back to this place but today, Ive relived days which I've always longed for.
In my rear view mirror, I could see them stand together waving their hands at me praying and wishing me the best. Two lives, one soul and a life full of experiences, they stand there personifying love and care.The car takes a left turn and off I was into the world full of new stories to be told. I move on :)