The Second Innings

All the cricket fans would relate the title to the second innings of a Cricket Test Match which happens to be the most exciting and decisive phase of the entire five day affair. And when it comes to second innings being decisive, the Great Eden Gardens deserve a mention.

It was the Border – Gavaskar Trophy 2000/01 series, Second Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Australia had a convincing victory in the first test, thrashing India by 10 wickets, thanks to great bowling by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne and scintillating centuries by Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist. As Australia advanced into the Second Test with a 1 – 0 lead, India were sorting out ways to improve their performance. The Second Test began with Australia winning the toss and electing to bat first. As expected Australia delivered their potential and scored 291 for 8 on close of first day. Matthew Hayden was the top scorer of the day with Harbhajan Singh claiming a hat-trick. The second day saw Steve Waugh score a brilliant hundred and Australia were all-out for 445. Harbhajan Singh was the leading wicket taker for the first innings. India’s first innings was a perfect example of their poor form carried forward from the first test. At the close of second day, India was 128 for 8. On the third day India were bowled out for a mere 171 with VVS Laxman (59) the top scorer of the Indian first innings. India were forced to follow-on and here was the turning point, The Second Innings, as I say. India started their second Innings just an hour before the lunch. But this time, it was a much better show of batting abilities. By the close of third day, India were 254 for 4 with VVS Laxman scoring a much required hundred. For many it seemed like the end of the series for India. The fourth day booked its place in history when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, by executing their technical abilities to the fullest, batted the whole day to put India in a commanding position. At the close of fourth day, India were 589 for 4 with VVS Laxman on 275 and Rahul Dravid on 155. Finally, the fifth day play started and India set a target of 384 runs, almost impossible to achieve. VVS Laxman scored his career best of 281. The Australians started their innings and were 161 for 3 at Tea. With only one session of play left and none of the teams in a position to win, a draw was on the cards. But destiny had more to offer. Just after Tea, Australia lost five quick wickets within a span of eight runs. Finally Australia were bowled out for 212 with Harbhajan Singh claiming 6 for 73 and India snatched a 171 run victory from nowhere.

Indeed, the second innings plays a crucial part in deciding the fate of a cricket test match. But when we play the game of life, do we care for the second innings; the Innings played by a Man after his retirement. The Great Vedas of Indian Culture re-iterate the fact that man goes through four different phases throughout his lifetime. They being Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. For me these can be broadly classified into three: First Childhood, Grihastha, and Second Childhood. As a child, during his first childhood, needs extreme care and affection so does a man in his Second childhood. Parents sacrifice all their wishes to bring up their child, so that he can face the challenging world. Won’t we want our children to get the topmost care, affection, comfort and education? The answer comes out to be a big Yes. And so do our parents want. And shouldn’t the child take care of his Parents the same way he was brought up?

Indian culture speaks volumes about parents being our ultimate God and advisers. And this is very much true, not only in India but everywhere, that whenever a child is facing a difficult situation, he always goes to his parents for the solution. And the parents, out of sheer affection, guide their child towards his betterment. The only crucial aspect here is ‘Time’ , which is not constant. A day will come when the child will be left alone on this planet. Then where will he find the same affection, care and comfort? So aren’t we blessed to have the beautiful creation of God; our Parents?

One of my friends once narrated me the story of a how a man lost his identity. It goes as follows:

“Ravi was six years old when his father died. The family then comprised of his mother, two elder brothers- one an engineer, married and well established and the other studying in 11^th standard. The brother who was well established parted away from the family and started his own life without even thinking of how would his mother and brothers survive. The condition of the family started deteriorating as there was no source of any financial help. This forced the brother, who was in 11^th standard, to quit his studies and earn a living to support himself and his family. Day and night he worked and established himself in the society, so that Ravi could complete his studies and re-live the life they used to when their father was alive. The two brothers worked together to uplift the condition of their family. But destiny had more to offer. Just when things were going right, the guiding support of their family, the mother left. Ravi, who used to live like a prince under the showers of care and affection of his mother and elder brother, was made to believe that his brother would stop caring for him not give a penny to him. These false allegations forced Ravi to leave his home and he set off on his own to make his identity. And with no guiding force behind he joined hands with all the negative influences in the world. Years passed and there was nothing which the elder brother could do as even he was facing a downturn and there was no sign of Ravi returning back. Soon after Ravi realized his mistake, he wanted to join his family but the feeling of guilt kept him away. He went to each and every relative of his for help but no one offered him shelter. Even the well-established elder brother rebuked him out of his greed and pride. A dejected and demoralized Ravi took the extreme step to end it once and for all. The news reached the elder brother, but by then it was very late and he could only mourn the loss. The brother who was well established didn’t even know what had happened.”

Had Ravi been with his elder brother, they could have risen above the tough situation and Ravi would not have been forced to take the extreme step.

Who was responsible for Ravi’s condition? The well established brother who always kept distance, the caring brother, the anti social elements in the society or was it the absence of his parents?

After serving the Grihastha period, man enters Second Childhood where he starts behaving like a child, and hence needs the same care and affection, now not from his parents, but from his children. Blessed are those children who get a chance to take care of their parents. Every single bit of service to the elder generation boomerangs in the form of huge blessings and good-wishes. But the world is not full of saints. There are the so called demons, who simply ignore their parents and hurt them in all the possible ways. Few years back there was a revolution in the world which saw an increase in the population of “The Old Age Homes”. And as a result there was a need to revive the society and make them understand the importance of the elder generation; a classic example being the movie “Baghban”. The movie portrays how a man takes care of his four children, teaching them to walk, eat, talk, etc; how he sacrifices his needs to satisfy his child’s wishes. The irony is that he brings up his children only to find that when he requires a child like caring and affection from his children, the children one-by-one leave him alone only to live like a half-dead man. Another example is “Lage Raho Munnabhai” where a son sends his father to “The Second Innings House” (an old age home) just because his wife wants!

This new generation is an example of the demons. But the classification of demons does not stop here. There are demons who are very straight-forward and directly ask their parents to leave their home. There are demons who don’t want to stay with their parents but do so because they have a fear of what the society will think of them if they send their parents to “The Second Innings House”. And these are the ones who in front of the society, show that they care for their parents but within the four walls of their house, they ignore them, hurt them and torture them. Shouldn’t these be placed on top of the demons list?

I remember a story of a girl, aged 12 years, who met with an accident. The impact was directly on her head. For days she was at the topmost hospital being treated by top doctors across the globe. Finally the doctors gave it up and said to her parents “We have tried our best and the only solutions possible are that either you let her sleep forever or save her but the upper part of her body would not function here after”. If the girl is made to sleep, the parents would lose their child. If the girl is made to live, she would live like a living dead body, with her parents always required to help her in all her daily activities. The parents without even thinking wanted their child to be saved. The doctors operated and the girl was saved. Years passed and everyday the parents used to help their child in all the daily activities. The sheer love and affection paid back when after sixteen years, the girl showed signs of improvement and was finally made alive. Such is the power of faith and affection.

In contrast there’s another story where an old age man was suffering from a kidney failure. He was supposed to be urgently treated for kidney replacement, but the devil entered the scene and kept postponing the treatment of his father saying that the father had lived his life and not much life is left in him. As a result the man died. A father who could have been easily saved was left to vanish. When a father can save his child’s life then why can’t a child stand up and save his father’s life?

Even a thought of, what if our children follow the footsteps of the demons, is very frightening. And that’s one of the reasons why man now-a-days thinks about planning his retirement and various other insurance policies so that even if tomorrow, the demons rule over him and send him to exile, he can survive on his own.

Thank God, we are still students, living in the shade of our parents, being nurtured with care and affection. Can’t we live like this forever? Can we stop the time at this very moment so that our parents are always there to help and guide us?

But we are still students and for most of my friends, the T20 version of the Game called “Second Innings” is the second attempt at their respective competitive exams.

Cheers to all who are playing this very second innings so that their ultimate Second Innings get secured. Cheers to all who supersede the demon inside them and emerge as an angel so that the Second innings of their parents get secured.

“It’s all about loving your parents…”