The whole world puts out the bats. And this man reads a
funeral speech. Days later with a broken heart, he scores a hundred. With a
broken hand too. It’s at Brisbane and first game of a four game series. Fifth
Day of the same test, An young man on captaincy debut stuns the world by his
fearless approach but falls short. The Hundred with a broken heart results in
an emotional win.
Broken hand doesn’t heal and another man on captaincy debut
scores a hundred next game. He scores over seven hundred runs over four games
that series including four hundreds. He made his captaincy debut because he was
considered the man of the future ahead of an old vice captain who himself had
recommended his name. The series is won but the form of the man with a broken
heart and hand doesn’t get better just because he has a broken hand. Months
later in a world cup game, his team plays a specialist captain because this man
can’t make it. This specialist captain is dropped as his hand heals. Six weeks
later at Melbourne, a campaign that stirred a nation meets a sad end. But this
man’s broken heart is filled with joy as he holds aloft the World Cup at the
iconic MCG.
But his heart is broken and the joy flows out. His form just
doesn’t seem to get right. Then he sets off with his team to achieve something
his team has failed for the past fifteen years. He loses his old warrior
because his broken leg hasn’t healed in time and even if it heals it’s likely
to break again. A match and a thrashing later, his deputy, also suffering from
poor form leaves the side for personal reasons. His team levels the series with
a crushing win but he is dropped from the third game for being a good father.
Another thrashing and the opponents now need two draws or a win to extend the fifteen
year wait.
A young Number 11 on debut makes 98 a couple of years ago at
Trent Bridge. All that results in a thrilling defeat, despite a valiant fight
from the vice captain. Neither that debutant nor that vice captain is here this
time around. The captain is nervous for another defeat could spell doom. To his
team, to him, to his teammates, to his selectors and to his pride. What follows
is not just a defeat but a thrashing. Rolled over for 60 before lunch day one
and lose by an innings in three days, or 7 sessions to be precise. The
inevitable happens. His heart is broken or probably it never healed. His hand
is likely to break again. All this is not well. His team is in dire straits.
And he announces his retirement. He walks away with dignity and grace.
He walks into the sunset of his career. Burnt by the evening sun. His records during the afternoon sun wont be forgotten. He has carved a place for himself.
Eleven Years of excellence. A great career comes to a pathetic end.
