Arrogance - Your biggest enemy!

Cricket taught me a lesson of life and would like to share it through this article.

It was month of November, 1993. I was in 2nd year of my engineering. One day I was at college and got a message from my home that MPCA (The state cricket association) has called me to local cricket stadium to give practice to India cricket team! I was thrilled obviously. India team was led by Azhar that time and was playing Zimbabwe in Hero cup ODI at Indore the next day. MPCA had called few local players to give them practice on nets that day. I had played Ranji Trophy previous year and was part of Indore team that year so as local player got this invite.

I literally left everything and ran to my home, wore my whites and drove as fast as I could to the stadium. Needless to say I was all excited to see and more importantly to play with Indian players!

Reached to the ground. The practice was about to start. The practice wicket (pitch) was just beside the main wicket where the ODI would get played tomorrow. The main wicket was still under preparation. The practice wicket was divided into two halves by putting a net separation in between so that both the sides batsmen can bat. On one side all Indian bowlers were ready to bowl to Navjot Singh Sidhu who had padded up. On the other side some of local players (including me) were given balls and we were waiting for an Indian batsman to come to this side. Anil Kumble had joined us to bowl from this side. Then I saw this famous all rounder of that time (Let's name him Mr. Delhi so I don't reveal his identity) was getting ready to come to bat on our side of the nets. Mr. Delhi used to open batting for India that time and was on peak of his cricketing career. Kapil Dev was almost towards the fag end of his career and Mr. Delhi had claimed to fill that place so obviously was a big star.

Mr. Delhi got ready and started walking towards the practice wicket. I was curiously watching him approaching to our side of the wicket. But in between he stopped to examine the main pitch. Suddenly he did something which no one had expected. He was standing close to popping crease and just hammered his bat into the main pitch to check the hardness! Apparently pitch was still soft and he hammered so hard that, it left an inch deep hole in the pitch! The curator (Mr. Samundar Singh) came running and obviously was furious by this action of Mr. Delhi. He was the custodian of the pitch and was supposed to handover the pitch to authorities for an international match tomorrow!

In worried voice, Curator asked Mr. Delhi that "sir what did you do to the pitch. You are not supposed to touch this pitch and you have created a hole in it!" He was worried but still polite. In response what Mr. Delhi said was totally unexpected and taught me a lesson of my life. One would expect Mr. Delhi to feel apologetic (after all it was just a mistake that even he did not realize that pitch still had lot of moisture and was very soft). But Mr. Delhi raised his voice and responded - "Now you will teach me what to do and what not to do? You expect us to play cricket on this pitch tomorrow? You don't know how to curate a pitch and trying to teach me?" etc. etc. And he just walked away from main pitch showing his disapproval of that pitch.

It was sheer arrogance and nothing else. Mr. Delhi had absolutely no right to touch the main pitch when it was getting prepared. Even if he did and caused damage to it by mistake, he could have simply apologized and matter would have been closed. But he was a successful cricket player and that success came out as sheer arrogance in his behavior.

As a 19 year young player, I learned one lesson that day that I will never behave like this person ever. Mr. Delhi lost my respect that day.

Destiny will have it, few years later he was thrown out of India cricket team and till date he has not gained his reputation back!

No matter who you are, what you have become, humility is your best friend and arrogance is your biggest enemy!