In my dreams- ‘When Arjun asks tough question to God of Cricket?’-

Dreams are dreams. Sometimes sensible, sometimes non sense. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad. Sometimes funny sometimes serious.

Now that Australia tour is on, I get dreams on cricket.

Sometimes Aussie fearsome pacers are bowling bouncers at me at 150 plus.Sometimes I hit them for top edge six. Sometimes I am hit on head. Then I remember  GOD. I mean God of Cricket. And then God enters my dream. Sachin Paji . Paji  came and I saw him talking to his young son Arjun (who is just making debut for Mumbai).

Conversation went something like this…

Arjun:- Not seen for long now a days Dad?

Sachin- What my son?

Arjun- Guess dad!

Sachin-What my car ? which I was gifted in England.

Arjun-No dad ! Your Ferrari is there in our parking lot .

Sachin- Then what are you talking about?

Arjun- Dad you must guess as you always guess what ball bowler is going to bowl next.

Sachin- I can’t guess Arjun. I am not at all able to guess what you have in mind ! You might be talking about my school friends perhaps. Any way ! Give me easy catch, I mean easy clue.

Arjun- Why shall I give clue. Great Cricketers like you don’t need easy clues or easy balls to play shots!

Sachin- I may be great cricketer but not so master  psychologist. Please give me a simple clue.

Arjun- Dad my first clue is cricket.

Sachin- That is as bad as clue as a Yorker by Bumrah on  last ball of last over. I am not Dhoni to hit it for six. Give me better clue.

Arjun- Ok dad. My second clue is short ball.

Sachin- What is this clue? We are seeing lot of them in current cricket series . But what has it to do with your question? Give me better clue . I need a good length clue.

Arjun- Dad my third clue is first two letters of what people call you as.

Sachin- What people call me? Little Master ?

Arjun- Dad people give you so many adjectives of praise.

Sachin- How can remember thousands of the praise adjectives people call  me by.

Arjun- Very common adjective for you is Great no dad?

Sachin- May be…but what is clue in that?

Arjun- I said First two letters of  …..

Sachin- Ok…Gr….Is it?

Arjun- Yessss…Now don’t ask me further clue.

Sachin- What is Gr? I can’t guess. Groin injury?

Arjun- Dad…Everyone is thinking of injuries on this tour and nobody is missing them, but you should be last person to think of that. Just think of these two letters GR in name of another little master of India.

Sachin- You mean Gavaskar?  Gavaskar is answer ? Gavaskar not to be seen? He is there is Australia not on Sony but some other channel. He won’t sit at home and as such series is known as Border Gavaskar Trophy. So your answer is may not be Sunny.

Arjun – No .Dad. I gave you two clues GR and  short ball . What has Sunil uncle to do with short ball. He would safely leave it like most of our current top batsmen are doing.

Sachin- Yes for scoring runs in Australia we need variety of strokes not just straight bat shots. Any way! I can’t guess your answer. I have to go.

Arjun- Where dad?

Sachin- My hair has grown too much in lockdown. I urgently  need  CUT!

Arjun- Dad you answered it.

Sachin- What?

Arjun- Just think of these two clues. GR and CUT.

Sachin- Arjuuuuuuuun !!!!you are smarter cricketer than I thought. We are really missing the GR Vishwanath Square cut on this tour. No body plays it. It has become extinct my son.

Arjun- Dad such a great shot for scoring quick runs on Australian soil against pacers. Why don’t you call up Ajinkya and tell him.

Sachin- Now it’s too late Arjun my son and as such call drops are so frequent nowadays, even more than catch drops.

Arjun- Yes dad…time over in the current series …even for LATE CUT

Sachin- Yessssss my  son…that too  Vishy’s hallmark shot. Did you know?

-Aju Deshpande

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