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Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
How music moved me from India to America
And it had everything to not feeling groovy
On May 28, while strolling through the internet, I learnt that Gregg Allman had died the previous day. It was something I would’ve liked to unlearn. Allman, along with the others who left over the last year, all appeared quite indestructible. It was sad as it was puzzling. Allman, possibly even more than some of the others. Allman, possibly most of all. Maybe it was a cumulative musical death interest that had just shot through my mental roof.
On May 28, while strolling through the internet, I learnt that Gregg Allman had died the previous day. It was something I would’ve liked to unlearn. Allman, along with the others who left over the last year, all appeared quite indestructible. It was sad as it was puzzling. Allman, possibly even more than some of the others. Allman, possibly most of all. Maybe it was a cumulative musical death interest that had just shot through my mental roof.
I was sitting by myself when my wife walked in and I broke the news to her, like some close friend had died. It was then that she said, “It’s decided, we’re going to watch Paul Simon next month." We had a 10-year US visa, and Paul Simon was playing all of June, through the US. That much was sorted.
Sometime back, music lover and writer, Sanjoy Narayan, wrote about The Allman Brothers Band making an entrance at their gig – a gig packed with geriatrics, who transformed into wolf-whistling groupies and herbmen at that precise entry point. The Allman Brothers had possessed me ever since their "Eat a Peach" had fallen into my lap as a kid. One of my first overseas CDs ever purchased was The Allman Brothers Fillmore East. Reading Narayan, I had already sat myself at the gig, it had to be done, it was pretty much done.
While Simon & Garfunkel belonged to everybody, it was Paul Simon’s solo stuff that I built a camaraderie with. When I met Shridhar Chitale at Siri Fort, he told me how he’d just ticked Billy Joel off his bucket list. Mine seemed to be more a mug list, and Paul Simon was way up there. He said, “you should go”.
Rhyming Simon had started to possess me some more; the possibility of a gig in London, around October, why not? Friends and family, of which we all have plenty of in London, were darted with loose plans that never came to fruition. While I walked and jogged through winter listening to Paul Simon’s latest, "Stranger to Stranger". A confession, I was no stranger to the same when it came to the gym either. Needless to say, it was a very light weight gym routine, sometimes abruptly stopping midway through a set, just to nod and listen to the lyrics again:
"Stranger to stranger
If we met for the first time
This time
Could you imagine us
Falling in love again
Words and melody
So the old story goes
Fall from summer trees
When the wind blows
I can’t wait to see you walk across my doorway
I cannot be held accountable for the things I do or say
I’m just jittery
I’m just jittery
It’s just a way of dealing with my joy
It’s just a way of dealing with my joy
It’s just a way of dealing with my joy
It’s just a way of dealing
Words and melodies
Easy harmony
Old-time remedies."
And then we found ourselves on the day after Gregg Allman’s death day. Suddenly, Paul Simon seemed real but there was little joy to it. I was just jittery.
On a walking tour in Greenwich Village, the guide had in a matter of fact way mentioned, “Oh, and Paul Simon lives around here, and can be seen walking around and catching a coffee…”. From a relative backbencher, I nearly sprang for her throat, “Oh yeah, where? He lives here? He comes around here? Is there a chance, we could see him?” I was already doing my bit of visualisation of how I’d go up to Paul Simon and chat him up, but it passed.
Next, buying the concert tickets – Paul Simon was performing in Summerfest, Milwaukee on Friday, June 30. With less than a month to go, and much deliberation, looking for better tickets, better deals, we belled the seats on May 31. A week later, my brother, Gautam, said he’d drive us down from Chicago. Tickets were still available. And I was beginning to wonder what sort of ears these Americans have.
We drove out early from Chicago, it was no less than going for a pilgrimage. Just that I hadn’t ever been for one, but yeah, still. And like every pilgrimage, there was a high level of difficulty – heavy snarls, Chicago wasn’t letting us go. Highways were closed, detours were made, raincoat was purchased, Walmart was approached. And just like that, the highways opened up, the skies though, continued to threaten. After we knew it, we were in Milwaukee, and were googling our way to Summerfest on the lake, but before that, our parking spot, which I was told, is a big deal.
We were in early. In my excitement, I left my jacket behind. In my excitement, I went back for it. We nourished ourselves with food, so as to only drink, groove and listen when Simon says whatever it is that Simon says.
Everything appeared to be delayed, and when we got to the Amphitheatre Section 6 Row L Seats 51 and 52, I needed to just stand there and soak in the reality of what was about to happen. Which is when my wife instructed me to go check on my elder brother who was sitting by himself in the same row on seat 4. Obviously she hadn’t quite fathomed that this was all about Paul Simon and me. I instructed her to check on big brother. Later, at peace with my beer, I did go say "hi" to the occupant of seat 4.
There was an excellent opening act, Brandi Carlile, a folk rock singer-songwriter accompanied by two twins on guitar. What endeared her most to me, and the crowd in general was her repeated, “Can ya believe it, Paul Simon is gonna be playing next???”
And then Paul Simon was playing next.
And all those years of listening to "The Boy in the Bubble (Graceland)" and knowing that, that is the opening act of opening acts – and I whispered to her, what if he plays "The Boy in the Bubble" first up, he gotta; and he did.
It was mellower than the full throttle Central Park version that seems like it’s being sung perched on a drone, hovering above us all, but hey, Paul Simon had opened.
After which, I told her, what if he plays, "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover", next. And he did just that. I was thrilled, making secret requests or knowing what to expect, wanting it, prompting it, grasping it.
"The problem is all inside your head, she said to meThe answer is easy if you take it logicallyI'd like to help you in your struggle to be freeThere must be fifty ways to leave your lover
She said it's really not my habit to intrudeFor the more I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstruedSo I repeat myself, at the risk of being cruelThere must be fifty ways to leave your lover, fifty ways to leave your lover
Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, StanDon't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to meHop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss muchJust drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free
Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, StanDon't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to meHop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss muchJust drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free..."
What is it about Paul Simon’s choruses, even before a song takes off, you get jumpy, all set to blurt out the chorus, certain parts of that chorus – “You don’t need to be coy, Roy” which for some strange reason, I always blurted out as, "you don’t need to corduroy".
The day before this, there were plenty of choruses to sing along at the much larger Wrigley Field, for Tom Petty’s mega gig. That was enjoyable, this for me, was intimately enjoyable.
When the opening chords of "Stranger to Stranger" played, I sprang out of my chair. Grooving to your music, whatever it is, is easy, just as it is pumping iron or running to it. And just like Paul Simon, “I cannot be held accountable for the things I do or say, I’m just jittery, it’s just a way of dealing with my joy, it’s just a way of dealing”.
Paul Simon went on to sing for everyone too. There were encores, so many of them. He went off early, so he could keep coming back later and later. He changed guitars early song. After wrapping up "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" to rapture, he asked, “You want me to play that again?” And he did, for about half-a-minute or so. He asked, “Do you have any requests?”
Paused and then snorted, “We don’t do requests. But we’ll do Graceland." He was doing goosebumps too.
Towards the last few songs, he’d hold up his guitar over his head, there was a bit of Springsteen in him there. There was so much that was cool America about him. And thoughtful and kind, almost warm in a New York sort of way.
After knowing him for so long, it felt nice to make his acquaintance. To hear him talk about the times we live in, and the anger in all of us.
He spoke as he sang, with cool wisdom, that doesn’t come with age or time, it’s just there. Appears Paul Simon has had it for most of his 76 years.
And then he finished with "The Sounds of Silence".
First published here
Parthiv Patel says he is ready to take over as captain from Dhoni
In a deep voice that belies his age, Parthiv Patel has come forward to
be counted yet again. As if keeping wickets for 157 overs against England wasn’t
enough, Patel then went on to open the batting in the Chennai Test. When you
consider the switch between innings is barely ten minutes, you can be sure that
this Gujarati stumper is made of sterner stuff. Patel also opened the batting
in the Mohali Test after keeping wickets for 94 overs. One can argue that he
had the benefit of overnight rest there but to open yet again in the second dig,
orchestrating a tricky chase was nothing short of stunning. Chasing 104 for a
win, Patel gave us a glimpse of the Mumbai Indian dasher that he has turned out
be – smashing 67 off just 54 balls with 11 fours and a six. That too in a Test
match where the maximum run rate was a mere 3.01 runs per over.
Still, putting his hand up to captain India has come pretty much out of
the blue. And even though the underage jokes have died down, and there’s a
thick stubble to go with that cherubic face, captaining Gujarat is one thing,
and being at the helm of the national squad quite another.
However, after just captaining Gujarat into the Ranji Trophy finals, pragmatic
as ever, Patel offers his two cents, “Yes, you can say that captaining India
and Gujarat are entirely different but in many ways once you captain a state
side for as long as I have, you start to enjoy the challenges the job throws at
you. Also after conceding a first innings’ lead to Jharkhand in the semis, we
were determined to give it our all. Back in the dressing room, and you can
excuse my modesty here, but I made a speech that moved not just the ten others
in the team but our coach and little ol’ me as well. At that moment I knew, the
time has come, to not just lead Gujarat into the finals, that too against all
odds but to lead India in limited overs cricket, even it is for a limited
time”.
When asked why he was volunteering for only a limited time, the Gujarat
skipper, proved disarmingly honest yet again, “I have no illusions about who or
what I am. I am basically a stop-gap arrangement for Indian cricket. At 32
years (he turns 32 in March this year), in spite of the fight in this dog,
there is only that much time I can captain Indian cricket realistically.”
The ‘that much time’ refers to when Virat Kohli, the Test captain, is
ready to take over in all formats. Again, Parthiv both agrees and disagrees,
“Yes, that is for Virat Kohli to decide but in my humble opinion, he has just
had a very intense Test series leading us to a mammoth 4-0 victory so a little
more time to ease into the job will be ideal…ideally speaking, the Champions
Trophy in England will be the right stage as Virat really enjoys the big stage
but then again it is up to him and the selectors…whoever or however many they
maybe…” he tapers off with a smile, tongue firmly in cheek.
When asked about MS Dhoni’s legacy, Parthiv Patel minces no words, “I
don’t think I’m in a position to comment on that but this much I will say, if
he was playing for Jharkhand in the semi-finals against us rather than mentoring
them from the sidelines, the result could’ve been quite different…”
Come to think of it, how many players would’ve had the conviction to
call it as it is. Who knows, perhaps it is Parthiv Patel’s time in the sun.
Then again, we may never know.
(However plausible this may sound,
this is largely a work of fiction.)
Blimey!!! Blighty!!!!
Plenty of commentary, especially post the collapse at Mirpur, about England's prospects in India.The general consensus is that it will be a wipeout, that India will steam roll England. But even the most optimistic (or pessimistic, depending on what camp you are in) supporters are unwilling to concede a 5-0 series win to India. Granted it is early days, and cricket, by its very nature, is a fickle mistress, but lots of parallels are being drawn to England's last outing in India, where they emerged victorious, 2-1.
While there is a lot to merit for cautious optimism, I respectfully beg to differ.
And this stems not from the fact that 2016 is not 2012, but also the following additional factors:
In 2012,
Alistair Cook was on his third tour of India, having played 4 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Kevin Pieterson was on his third tour of India, having played 5 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
James Anderson was on his third tour of India, having played 3 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Ian Bell was on his third tour of India, having played 5 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Monty Panesar was on his third tour, having played 5 tests in 2006 and 2008.
5 players were on their third tour of India, having previously played a sum total of 22 tests between them.
Stuart Broad was on his second tour, having played a test in 2008.
Matt Prior was on his second tour of India, having played 2 tests in 2008.
Graham Swann was on his second tour of India, having played 2 tests in 2008.
3 players were on their second tour of India, having previously played 5 tests between them.
Tim Bresnan played his first 2 tests in the country.
Nick Compton played his first full series in the country.
Jonathan Trott played his first full series in the country.
Samit Patel played his first 3 tests in the country.
Steve Finn played in Kolkata.
Johnny Bairstow played in Mumbai.
Joe Root played in Nagpur.
7 players were on their first trip to India, with no experience of playing in these parts.
In comparison, in 2016
Alistair Cook will be on his fourth trip to India. [8 tests]
James Anderson ( if fit), will be on his fourth tour. [ 7 tests]
2 players on their fourth tour, with 15 tests between them.
Stuart Broad, on his third tour [3 tests]
1 player on his third tour, having played 3 tests previously.
Johnny Bairstow [1 test]
Steve Finn [1 test]
Joe Root [1 test]
3 players on their second tour, having played 3 tests between them.
Ben Duckett [0 tests]
Haseeb Hameed [0 tests]
Adil Rashid [ 0 tests]
Ben Stokes [0 tests]
Jos Buttler [0 tests]
Gareth Batty [0 tests]
Gary Ballance [0 tests]
Moeen Ali [0 tests]
Zafar Ansari [ 0 tests]
Jake Ball [0 tests]
Chris Woakes [0 tests]
11 players with no prior experience of playing in India..
When you look at the numbers, the contrast couldnt be starker.
As Aussies of the 2004-05 vintage can attest, cracking India is hard at the best of times. And by playing India repeatedly, in India ( 1996, 1998,2001,2004), the puzzle was finally solved. And not without a little help from the rain gods and Shashank Manohar's lackey.
England, in 2016, have basically sent a project team on tour.
Alistair Cook has the most experience in these parts, and the next most experienced player is Stuart Broad ( in Jimmy Anderson's absence).
Their bowlers have a sum total of 4 tests bowling in India. In comparison, England bowlers of the 2012 vintage had 11 tests between them.
And the spinners of the 2012 vintage, had played 7 tests, over 2 tours and a bit. England's current spin quartet has a sum total of 0 tests in India.
And then there is the small matter of a wicket keeper playing his first series in India. I have always maintained that England's fortunes are directly linked to Johnny Bairstow's performance behind the stumps, rather than in front of. And notwithstanding Dobell's extolling of Bairstow's performance in Bangladesh, the fact remains that he dropped catches and allowed byes.
And this against a team that the English barely beat ( by 22 runs) and were pounded by 108 runs in the follow up.
And then there is the small matter of the Pataudi Trophy being played over 5 tests, instead of 4 ( or 2 or 3) as in the previous go-arounds. 5 tests, over 6 weeks, across the breadth of India, taxes even the best. For an England side that is top heavy in experience, and very little after, the task is even more daunting.
And then there is the small matter of the Indian batting, bowling and crowds.
Also, unlike 2012, where the gap was closer to 2.5 months, the Indian team will be going into the test series with less than a month between tests.
Anything less than 5-0 and the Indian team will be selling itself short.
While there is a lot to merit for cautious optimism, I respectfully beg to differ.
And this stems not from the fact that 2016 is not 2012, but also the following additional factors:
In 2012,
Alistair Cook was on his third tour of India, having played 4 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Kevin Pieterson was on his third tour of India, having played 5 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
James Anderson was on his third tour of India, having played 3 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Ian Bell was on his third tour of India, having played 5 tests prior, in 2006 and 2008.
Monty Panesar was on his third tour, having played 5 tests in 2006 and 2008.
5 players were on their third tour of India, having previously played a sum total of 22 tests between them.
Stuart Broad was on his second tour, having played a test in 2008.
Matt Prior was on his second tour of India, having played 2 tests in 2008.
Graham Swann was on his second tour of India, having played 2 tests in 2008.
3 players were on their second tour of India, having previously played 5 tests between them.
Tim Bresnan played his first 2 tests in the country.
Nick Compton played his first full series in the country.
Jonathan Trott played his first full series in the country.
Samit Patel played his first 3 tests in the country.
Steve Finn played in Kolkata.
Johnny Bairstow played in Mumbai.
Joe Root played in Nagpur.
7 players were on their first trip to India, with no experience of playing in these parts.
In comparison, in 2016
Alistair Cook will be on his fourth trip to India. [8 tests]
James Anderson ( if fit), will be on his fourth tour. [ 7 tests]
2 players on their fourth tour, with 15 tests between them.
Stuart Broad, on his third tour [3 tests]
1 player on his third tour, having played 3 tests previously.
Johnny Bairstow [1 test]
Steve Finn [1 test]
Joe Root [1 test]
3 players on their second tour, having played 3 tests between them.
Ben Duckett [0 tests]
Haseeb Hameed [0 tests]
Adil Rashid [ 0 tests]
Ben Stokes [0 tests]
Jos Buttler [0 tests]
Gareth Batty [0 tests]
Gary Ballance [0 tests]
Moeen Ali [0 tests]
Zafar Ansari [ 0 tests]
Jake Ball [0 tests]
Chris Woakes [0 tests]
11 players with no prior experience of playing in India..
When you look at the numbers, the contrast couldnt be starker.
As Aussies of the 2004-05 vintage can attest, cracking India is hard at the best of times. And by playing India repeatedly, in India ( 1996, 1998,2001,2004), the puzzle was finally solved. And not without a little help from the rain gods and Shashank Manohar's lackey.
England, in 2016, have basically sent a project team on tour.
Alistair Cook has the most experience in these parts, and the next most experienced player is Stuart Broad ( in Jimmy Anderson's absence).
Their bowlers have a sum total of 4 tests bowling in India. In comparison, England bowlers of the 2012 vintage had 11 tests between them.
And the spinners of the 2012 vintage, had played 7 tests, over 2 tours and a bit. England's current spin quartet has a sum total of 0 tests in India.
And then there is the small matter of a wicket keeper playing his first series in India. I have always maintained that England's fortunes are directly linked to Johnny Bairstow's performance behind the stumps, rather than in front of. And notwithstanding Dobell's extolling of Bairstow's performance in Bangladesh, the fact remains that he dropped catches and allowed byes.
And this against a team that the English barely beat ( by 22 runs) and were pounded by 108 runs in the follow up.
And then there is the small matter of the Pataudi Trophy being played over 5 tests, instead of 4 ( or 2 or 3) as in the previous go-arounds. 5 tests, over 6 weeks, across the breadth of India, taxes even the best. For an England side that is top heavy in experience, and very little after, the task is even more daunting.
And then there is the small matter of the Indian batting, bowling and crowds.
Also, unlike 2012, where the gap was closer to 2.5 months, the Indian team will be going into the test series with less than a month between tests.
Anything less than 5-0 and the Indian team will be selling itself short.
Anil Kumble turned up for the job interview in bandages
India has a desi coach after a string of firangs somehow got by without knowing the language. Yet, knowing the language was one of the prerequisites this time.
What language, you may ask - there are so many, which is possibly why someone like Anil Kumble who speaks not only English and Hindi, but also Kannada and engineering, scored the highest marks in the coach’s final exam.
Anil Kumble, it is learnt, has developed a wicked sense of humour, and had his mates in splits, when he turned up for the job interview in bandages. Reminiscent of the time when he returned to bowl, jaw broken and bandaged, and grab Brian Lara’s wicket; Sachin, Sourav and VVS, all stood up and hi-fived him, as they did on the field, that day in Antigua.
When asked what he was thankful for, Kumble thanked the broken jaw: "It was a flat deck, worse than our Indian roads that we call wickets. I’m glad I broke my jaw and only bowled 14 of the 248 overs that India bowled.”
To which Laxman cracked up, and said in his usual jovial self, "Aneel, even I bowled 17 overs haha, you’re very lucky Aneel, I agree, you’re a very lucky guy."
At this point, Tendulkar jumped out of his seat to admonish Laxman, "Aila! 17 overs, what is that, I bowled 34 overs that day! We should make Anil coach just so that we can force him to bowl more overs in the nets."
Sourav Ganguly, all serious so far, wasn’t about to be left out when he said in his usual deadpan manner, "One of the advantages of being captain is that I bowled only 12 overs in that innings." He looked around for approval which he got in spades from the little private club.
Laxman blamed Ganguly, alleging that because of that Test match, where Ashish Nehra bowled 49 overs in an innings, he was never fully fit again. "You killed Nehra the bowler for life, Sourav, hehehe... and Zak too, and Srinath too. How can you make your quicks all bowl close to 50 overs? You were a heartless captain."
Ganguly corrected him, "Medium pacers, VVS, not quicks, medium pacers."
The banter went on, when Tendulkar decided to do a Q&A on the Test match, "How many bowlers bowled for India? And no, you cannot Google it, Anil."
Kumble looked on sternly, asking matter-of-factly, "Will this question decide whether I make it as coach?"
Tendulkar nodded.
There was a deafening silence in the room. After a few minutes of levity it was all down to one question.
Kumble started to toss the player’s names in his head – and then it came to him, he had just visited Ajay Ratra’s (the wicketkeeper in that match) cricket profile.
A thorough researcher, Kumble had looked at every aspect of Ratra’s career – he also noticed he had bowled six balls in a Test match. That one over had to be in the Antigua Test.
Where else? If Laxman could bowl 17 overs in a Test, even the twelfth man had a chance to bowl.
Anil Kumble’s already firm jaw appeared more determined as he looked Sachin, Sourav and Laxman collectively in the eye. It was as if he was interviewing them for a post. He nodded ever so slightly and started a roll call of the team, listing every player, and then laying a greater emphasis on Ajay Ratra’s name.
To which, Sachin and Sourav were poker-faced but Laxman let out the hint of a smile.
In Kumble’s mind, it was either ten or eleven players who had bowled. Spotting Laxman’s smile, Kumble went for the jugular: "All 11 bowled in that Test match, including the one over from Ajay Ratra. Sourav, I do think for his economy rate, he was a trifle underbowled. Let me tell you, as India coach, I won’t let the wicketkeeping duties come in the way of bowling. I expect MS to turn his arm over."
There was a gentle applause. Laxman called a peon in and requested Kumble to dictate his appointment letter.
But Ganguly was all serious, "Sorry Anil, but we have to ask you one more question, how do you plan to improve India’s performance overseas?"
They all laughed heartily. It was a question asked many times before. The masters in the room knew only too well there were no real answers yet. Still, a man's got to ask.
Anil Kumble started his PowerPoint presentation. Laxman insisted there wasn’t any need. Long after Kumble’s appointment letter had been printed and signed, he continued to present, talking about the future.
(However plausible this may sound, this is largely a work of fiction.)
First published here
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