A match made in heaven or hell?

Personally it’s been a rough wedding season. Looking back it’s like I’ve played 3 tests, 7 ODIs and an IPL in a few weeks. The ODIs are mostly like the wedding day (usually dry, I’m done with Car-o-bars, just come in late, leave early); while the tests and IPL are like the wedding receptions or the sangeet – it’s either a mindless binge or one of those rare days of joyous excess that make you want to pledge your life to the virtues of booze.

Bummers are games where India's slayed, and you’re so badly hung over the following day, because something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you Mister Jones?

There was one such sangeet in March, 1996. India played Lanka at Eden. Party at my place, watched very little of India’s innings, thankfully. One man in black claimed he was in mourning; most guys had the blues, they drank way too much. Bored Member Bhaskar Khaund was a notorious bartender; drinks flew over the cuckoo’s nest.

Today, I revisited that scorecard. Apart from the obvious pointers, only Sachin, Sanath and Murali remain from the 96 squads; I look at the Indian numbers – both Azhar and Jaddu didn’t score; Azhar was captain, Jaddu bowled 5 overs for 31, Srinath who had a three for bowled only 7. It’s crazy but once the mind goes strange places, there’s no stopping it. Unless you care to remember Aravinda walking down thumping them over mid on.