The Cricket World Cup in 'New India'

I will remember the latest edition of the Cricket World Cup tournament for some non-cricketing stuff, mainly because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Naya Bharat' (New India) and Jay Shah's leadership of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Firstly, no match was arranged at excellent venues like the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, and the final was at Ahmedabad, where the cricket was not very entertaining as not many big shots were hit because of the 'slow' pitch. Allegedly, it was all because of political considerations. For the uninitiated, Mohali is in Punjab, a state ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party, an arch-rival of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Second, 'Naya Bharat' appeared again when Indian spectators at the stadium named after the current prime minister tried to bully Pakistani players walking back to the pavilion by shouting "Jai Shree Ram" slogans. During another match at a different venue, such spectators tore up a stuffed toy (in the form of a tiger) carried by Bangladeshi fans and tried to verbally intimidate them. 'Naya Bharat' was also in evidence when a policeman at a match in Bangalore tried to prevent Pakistani fans from cheering their team with "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans. Also, in 'Naya Bharat', the Ahmedabad crowd did not cheer when the Aussies played good shots or even when an Australian batsman scored a century during the final match, and it seemed as if the game was being played in an empty stadium.

Third, there were the allegations, though unsubstantiated, of the BCCI trying to give the Indian team an unfair advantage by giving them balls that swung more and changing pitches literally at the last moment to favour the team.

Last but not least, Kapil Dev, who led the Indian team to victory in the World Cup for the first time in 1983, was not invited to watch the final game apparently because he had spoken in favour of the women wrestlers protesting recently against sexual harassment by the BJP's member of parliament leading the wrestling federation.

A Baby Monkey and I

I almost made friends with a baby monkey a couple of days ago.

I alighted from a train at a Metro station in Delhi and was on my way out. As I descended a staircase, I saw a female monkey and her little one seated on the railing a little distance apart.

As I passed them, I looked at the little one, smiled and said, "Hello, how are you doing?" He hopped down from his perch and started following me downstairs without me realising it. 

When I happened to glance over my shoulder after a while, I saw him right behind me. When I stopped, he did, too, and sat up attentively. So, without moving a finger, I told him, "I have nothing for you to eat."

He seemed to understand perfectly what I had said, turned around, and returned to where his mother was.

I spoke to him in Punjabi, my mother tongue, both times, but he seemed to grasp my intent, and language was never a barrier between us.

Later, I wished I had sat on my haunches without making any sudden movements, and perhaps he would have shaken hands with me before he left.