Dhoni once told his wife that she is only the third most important thing in his life after his country and his parents. When asked if he has his newborn on his mind (whom he hasn't even met), Dhoni denied, and said that he is focused only on the job at hand. Playing for his country. Cool, calm, an excellent wicket keeper, an outstanding batsman and one of the best captains India has ever seen. 7 wins, 70 wickets, and a well played semi final.
He had tears in his eyes at the end of the match, especially when asked if he will play in the 2019 World Cup. And the things people are saying about him! About Kohli! About Anushka! The cruel jokes, the insults. When did the mindset of Indians change so drastically? When did it become so disgusting and shameful? And to think we were so proud of our culture, the sense of respect we have in our language, thoughts, actions.
It's not just about cricket. The issue is so much deeper than that. It's about the mentality. Mentality about sports, religion, politics, people, women, the poor, power, equality, rights and a million other things. When did it change so much? Or maybe it's been changing all these years and I started noticing this only with the regular use of social media. I thought some morons I met after moving away from home were exceptional. But I see the larger picture now!
Before that, maybe I was in my own world, living by the advice and rules my parents brought me up with. It's so simple. Respect. Don't judge. Be kind. Don't lie. Love unconditionally. Take extra care of children and senior citizens. Avoid harsh words or fights. Keep your integrity. Don't compromise with your principles.
I know sometimes it's not as simple as it sounds. That it's not just black and white, but numerous gray areas. But the basics? Why can't just the basics be followed? If you peel off the layers of teams, religions, nationalities, languages, genders, age groups, qualifications, orientations, actions, mistakes, and the nature of people, the basic is just to be a good human being. And once you are a good human being, you can be a good everything! All the layers will be as good as the root, then! Why is it so hard to understand?
Once again I couldn't finish the national anthem yesterday without choking up. It's sad that the love for my nation runs in my veins but everything else going on has started to disgust me.
Well, nowadays, every single thing like this results in a rant from me. I immediately start feeling angry, sad, disappointed, helpless, disgusted.. And to think ours is one of the most respectful, noble and rich cultures in the world. What a waste!
Anyway, if I was MS Dhoni, I would retire and decide not to play the 2019 World Cup. No point in playing for morons. But, you see, he wants to serve the army in some way after he retires from cricket. Oh, just patriotism and the satisfaction of being a righteous man. Silly thing to be bothered with, isn't it?
Aah, at least after he retires from the army, he would have his cricket money to fall back on instead of joining the others at traffic signals, hungry and disrespected.
Way to go, India!
This article is written by Krishna Raval Maithel. Follow her on Twitter here.
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