Flight 619 cleared for takeoff

The abiding image of Anil Kumble, for me, is the big man standing at the start of his famous run up, giving the old ball in his hand a hard twirl or two on the fourth day of any test match. Intense eyes scanning the field placements, exchanging a word or two with the captain, trousers turning red at the groins and close in fielders preparing to lap up the edge that was always imminent. The venue could be Kanpur or Capetown. India could be winning or gasping to save the test. The pitch could be favoring somebody and the weather somebody else. But you just knew the match would be cracked open no matter what and India would be given at least an outside chance. With his determination and grit as much as with his spin and flight.

As Anil Kumble transitioned from player to administrator after his retirement – a less lucrative path, not often taken – I felt a satisfaction that his services to the game would continue. And as he takes up the reins of the Indian team now, I feel that he will bring his A game to the table just as he had done every time he wore the India cap.

A great player need not necessarily be a great captain or a good coach. And Anil certainly lacks coaching pedigree that Tom Moody has in plenty that could come in handy at this level. But Anil has worn new hats with success before and more importantly, his dedication and sincerity together with his knowledge of the game should stand him in good stead. A belief that is certainly not misplaced in his case.  And given our legacy of weak pace assets, a world class spinner as the head coach can certainly help nourish and develop our spin attack.

Matches will be won and lost; trophies lifted or gifted. But one can rest assured that this team, to borrow his famous words after that ugly Sydney test, will “play the game in the right spirit”, as it should be. The sagely Kumble could be the perfect foil for the aggressive Virat.

As a fan, I’m hooked. Time to sit back and fasten the seat belts as The Jumbo prepares for takeoff. 

P.S: For a India fan from the eighties, this is like a reunion of sorts happening now. Between the cricket advisory committee, the India U-19 coach and now team India head coach, the old boys are back together again! 

Nothing to see here

Some time back, Progressive Insurance, if memory serves, ran a television ad where they claimed to provide their customers with quotes from their competitors right on their own website. Their claim? "We want you to save money even if it's not with us." I never went with Progressive as I have always been saving 15 percent or more elsewhere (and also that lady on their ads is a bit creepy) but their tag line has stuck in memory for all these years.

In that spirit, today I'm providing you with links to better prose elsewhere with nothing more than the noble intention that at M/s. Slowelectron Inc., we want you to get some value for your time. Even if it's not with us. Although, anyone that has visited this site would know that the chances of getting anything of quality here are rather slim.

Without further blather, here are the promised links.

Exhibit 1: If you have wondered whether you are wasting spending too much time on social media, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that, yes you have been wasting your time. But the good news is that you are but a pawn in this intricate game of luring you in and making you lose any sense of time on their app/website. Tristan Harris - a magician and ex-Google Design Ethicist - shines light on a high stakes game where human weaknesses are leveraged to the advantage of the businesses, where every pixel seduces you and every click draws you deeper into the abyss. Time to snap out of the stupor and take control. (P.S: No, I don't have this affliction. FB had to flash the the pictures of a few of my friends for me to identify as the account had been inactive for too long. And that was a few months back. And I still believe that Whatsapp is a mobile messaging app.)

Exhibit 2: Hariharan Iyer calls the bluff on the double standards of the secular brigade, this time it is Trupti Desai and her two distinct set of antics for two different religions.

Exhibit 3: From being denied a visa to getting a state welcome and addressing Congress, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come a long way, in few giant strides. But meanwhile at NY times... I stopped reading at the paragraph that says "The Gujarat riots began on a February morning, when a train carrying Hindu pilgrims was surrounded by a mob of Muslims and caught fire at a train platform in Godhra."

Hope to be back soon with something original.