by ABFRLadmin | May 17, 2023
Between not letting the younger siblings play with the big boys and pleading with the kids in the society to let us play one over after a tiring day at work, we all grew up. All the Sachins, Sehwags, and Bhajjis of the colony dressed up nicely in formals, swapped their kits for office backpacks, and went to work.
However, as Indians, we knowthat cricket is not just a game. And with the shortest format gaining momentum over the last decade, it has unified us even further. With IPL, cricket gives a daily escape from the mundane, a cause for exhilaration, jubilation and sometimes heartbreak. It brings together people from all walks and forms bonds that wouldve otherwise been pretty unlikely, even at the workplace.
So, when the nation is gripped with this fever, we went around looking for all sorts of different cricket enthusiasts that show up, wherever theres a match going on. Whether watching it live in a stadium, or on television screen; whether in the comfort of our homes, at cafes, at offices or even in a mohalla or gully, we found these characters in our workplace that will always stand out, personas that we all know so well!
The (Self-proclaimed) Genius
Shouldve played it on the off-side!”, “There should never have been a 2 there , “I wouldn’t have given him the last over!” Ring any bells? Yes, the quintessential expert! Apparently, if they were the coach, we’d have won every single match, sometimes even without playing! Every ball the batter touched, would have been a six, every ball the bowler bowled, would yield a wicket and the opposition would have been bowled out in 10 balls!
The Loudspeaker
Oh how you wish you could find a mute button for this one! These are the ones that let you know exactly whats going on – every four, every six, every hit, every miss, even though you are sitting right next to them, witnessing the exact same action in real time! Their enthusiasm cant be kept bottled up and as it bubbles over on every ball, it has to find a verbal outlet. The hapless recipients, of course, are the poor souls who decided to watch the match with them. Did we mention the mute button?!
The Super-duper-stitious
“Hey! Don’t sit there! Actually, dont sit, keep standing. Nobody move! Wheres my lucky t-shirt?? Getting strong Sheldon vibes? But this big bang happens whenever the team is in a sticky spot and our dear friend wants to conjure up all the luck in the world to help out! The ones, who would remember what they wore, what they ate, where they sat when one miracle happened, and then would try and replicate every single thing to the last detail, hoping to achieve the same result, everytime! Heartbroken when they lose even after all the hard work they put in, but back with the same vigour for the next match!
The Baazi-gar
Haar ke jeetne wala, is not only called a baazigar! These are the ones who look and sound as if they are way more invested in a teams fortunes than any average fan. It would seem that for them winning and losing isnt just happening on the field. Of course, if you probe directly, they would feign complete ignorance about anything, but weve all seen them celebrate when things go their way!
The Jabra Fan
The Viking fanboy (or girl)! The one who wears the team jersey, has the team anthem as the callertune, and the ringtone, who ordered team appropriate dishes for lunch, who has a miniature bat, a miniature trophy, and a ball at the desk, and is doing only this much, cause after all, as they are still in the office! The one who would have rendered the cheerleaders jobless if only the team owners had seen their “enthusiasm”. With every boundary, the boss looks at them, and then slowly turns to you in disappointment, while you are just loving how theyre making everyone else look “not-interested” in their jobs.
These passionate characters pop up all around us, cometh the cricket season. They are our friends, families, and colleagues. And in a controlled, reasonable amount, they are all of us too! They make the game, and our lives more interesting! They unite us, and bring out that passion we all have deep down with every boundary and every wicket. Heres to every one of them!
