A Summer Well Spent at Gen-next Cricket Institute

By the time this blog hits the online space, the Champions Trophy is well and truly underway. Bangladesh flattered only to deceive, the mother of all battles is just another 48 hours away, India Vs Pakistan. However for me personally it was a summer well spent most of it on a Cricket Ground. I am glad I found Gen-next Cricket Institute as it gave me an official blogger status.

As a parent the Summer Slam presented itself to me in a most beautiful manner. I still remember the day when I first approached Sudarshan for my sons coaching requirements. I cannot forget the day when I first met Ashwin in flesh and blood. It all seemed surreal. Passing away like a beautiful dream. There were a few coaches around him when those first few famous words were uttered by ashwin. "Neenga dhaanay tallboykarthik ". My fascination for Gennextcricket Institute and Ashwin took an accelerated flight of steps.

I started getting close to the coaches. Ashwin would prod me to run along with him. It had been a few years since I ran. I could feel the heart take a pounding which I guess the legend realised. Ashwin would break the entire circumference into smaller targets and encourage a middle aged giant to take small baby steps.

I dreamt about featuring him in my blog and he was game to it. So one fine day sitting under the confines of a shady tree we charted his childhood days once again. Each time I would approach him he would only oblige even more endearingly. I would begin to think that it was to end when there would be a new beginning.  Sometimes under the garb of Fantasy Cricket and sometimes talking to a colleague of his.

A month ticked away and slowly I was clocking three rounds a day. Some words of worldly counsel from Ravichandran Sir. Hours spent in understanding what sacrifices a parent had to make while bringing up his child and I was still living a dream. ICC Cricketer of the year and we played footvolley together, sometimes sweating the extra few metres with a hard sprint. It had come to a stage when the eyes would remain transfixed on the gates opening and the fortuner sliding in.

Then the call came to become the official blogger for Gennextcricket Institute and it was an icing on the cake, a dream come true for me and a throwback to my own childhood days.

The summer camp has come to a close but there was this lovely cricket match thrown in. The child in us surfacing as we ran on the field passionately to compete and to win. Lest we forget it was not a victory for a team, a victory for the game of Cricket.  The game as always is a great reveller and throws up new lessons of life and most importantly new friends for a lifetime . I am glad that this summer came and for me personally it is a moment to Cherish. It's like that popular adage . You know the Prime Minister but does he know you. Perhaps I can proudly say that I know Ashwin and He knows me too.

One more blog is up and away from the diaries of TBK. One day perhaps there will be a book from TBK on his experiences with the legend but till such time, keep loving these small bit of notes that keeps me chirpy and engaged.