Ridicule.
Scoffs. Smirks. Frowns. Free career advise.
These,
along with many other things, are what you come across in an Indian
neighborhood, and the extended family in general, when you tell them that you
are going to leave behind a Chemical Engineering degree from a prestigious
university and a Post-graduation from IIM-A for what could have been a risky
career in cricket commentary.
Leaping
over these mental hurdles, usually turn out to be the most difficult steps for
an average Indian in choosing a hatke job. But then, this was the son of a professor of French and a professor of Psychology, which in
themselves are lackluster jobs in India. Though I don't know him personally, I
might as well say, he wouldn't have faced much problem in choosing his own
path.
He
must have thought that he was choosing a path.
He
carved a niche.
Why
do we need guides when we visit historical places? Can't we just read all about
it on our phones? or on the tiles there?
Why
do we still get goosebumps when we hear Nehru's 'Tryst with destiny', even when
we know it was on 15th August 1947 that we attained our independence?
Words,
have some incredible power. I don't have the verbal prowess to explain it
better than the following quotes.
“There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated
deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider
silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin,
enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic.”
“Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say
infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want
to talk about something really infinite.”
― C.S. Lewis
― C.S. Lewis
The
above quotes perfectly epitomise what Harsha Bhogle brings to the cricket
broadcast.
Now,
what I assume must have been difficult for Harsha Bhogle is the fact that he
had to sit with a bunch of cricket experts at a very young age and talk about
cricket alongside them. Well, everyone is a cricket expert in India. What is so
special? Try talking alongside a former test player at that age. To the likes
of Ian Chappell, who is visibly very forthright and direct, to put it mildly.
You can't gain the respect of such a man easily. If he thinks you are beneath
him, he can beat you black and blue. And I see a certain level of respect
towards Harsha whenever they are together in the commentary box or on
Cricinfo's "Timeout" section.
To
gain the kind of respect from former and current players alike, especially
considering the fact that the highest level of cricket he played was University
level cricket (for my own university :P), is Harsha's biggest achievement in my
view.
Everybody
starts as a layman in their life. When you first start off watching cricket as
a kid, you listen to what the commentators are saying to understand the game's
basics. Whether the commentator is your father who is watching the game along
with you or whether they are the one's on the television does not really matter
at that stage. Then you start to know the players. You become a fan of a few.
Then you start following those players' careers.
How
do you start knowing the players? It is not through your father's commentary
this time. The credit definitely goes to the TV commentary team. They talk
about the intricacy of the man's game. They analyse it beautifully for us, so
that we can understand their game. Seldom do we give them enough credit for
that.
What
do you remember a man for? His work? Or how he goes about his work? I think it
is the second.
Ricky
Ponting will always be remembered as a great player, but not fondly by many. He
will always be that rude Aussie 'captain', whose demeanor was beneath the
respect that the title deserves.
It
is here where Harsha scores over the other commentators. I have never listened
to him talking like a professor, comes across more like a student, a student
who is a fan of the subject rather than a student who is in search of grades.
He presents himself like a voice of the fan. He is the fan.
The
IPL 2013 final was a case in point. Everyone heard how Sachin, from the dug-out
perfectly read that Bhajji's ball that bowled someone out in the recently
concluded IPL final. everyone must have been intent on Sachin's words. I
still remember wondering who was the more excited kid. Sachin? for obvious
reasons, or Harsha? for picking up a gem of a moment during commentary, that he
knew would be really remembered for ages. No one else would have ended it the
way Harsha ended it "Replays are for simple people like us". Both
were 10 year old kids for me at that moment.
I
have never seen a commentator or a presenter better than him who can involve
two giants of the game in a very interesting debate. He never lets a dull
moment creep in. For crying out loud, he was talking about Sunil Narine's
Mohawk during a game and it still was entertaining.
I
don't think I can hear anyone describe Sachin's 'on-the-up' drive through the covers better
than Harsha. If Harsha didn't exist, I would never have known that Sachin feels
well when that drive feels well. And I can never thank him enough for that.
That is why, he is "THE ARTIST BEHIND THE ARTIST"
I have read quite a few articles on Harsha Bhogle written by ordinary people like you and me, this one is the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteI don't understand how you can speak for everyone by saying Ricky Ponting will "not be remembered fondly by many and he will always be that rude Aussie 'captain', whose demeanor was beneath the respect that the title deserves". I am very sure most of the Australians will remember him very fondly. You can say that it is your opinion, bit do not speak for others.
ReplyDelete-Vikram
Dude.. Relax... I also said that he is a great player. And I still don't hav any qualms about that line. I still stand by it... There are "many" who don't like his on-field behaviour. There is a difference between saying that many don't like it and saying that no one likes his behaviour. I was just speaking for people who concur with me. And I hav many friends who do. If u don't, I respect ur opinion. You like wat u like and I like wat I like. Simple
DeleteChandu bhai.... I love the way you spoke about lot of things ... As a cricket lover i can understand the love and enthusiasm you have .... feels good to see that... But i love Ponting for his aggressiveness on the field. You know how the sledging goes at college level .. then just imagine at the international level how it would be.. sometimes you need to be rude ... All the spices in an appropriate amount makes a good dish ... :) thats wat i feel... anywaz bro good tat you started writing blogs.. love to see more from you.. Are you also planning to take some hatke decision ?... just felt like tat while reading tis blog..:)
DeleteWell. I have already taken a lot of hatke decisions. Most of them went bad. That aside. I don't mind sledging. It is good for the game in a way in my view. Makes for a interesting viewing.
DeleteI start having problems with Ponting's behaviour when he starts arguing with the umpire. I don't like that. And he did that a lot of times. I was talking about that specifically. Not about sledging and stuff.
Agree, as long as it is not about commenting on someone else's wife or family. McGrath v Lara.
DeleteLot of debate on other issues. I will stick to the article and one line that is my pic from Harsha's repository "World seems a better place when you look at a straight drive like that". Good work mate.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of gems. I spoke about the ones which talk about his persona. Thank you for the comments.
DeleteNice blog about nice personality. Good one dude.
ReplyDeleteGOOD WORK RA CHANDU KEEP IT UP THIS IS UR BACHPAN FRND PREETHAM
ReplyDelete