O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN









Though I haven’t watched any of the on-going World-Cup (cricket) matches, I have kept myself reasonably informed about them. Like, we have won two matches – one against South Africa and the other against Australia.

I have, also, kept myself informed about one more victory – a special one, I suppose, for millions of sports lovers, including me. This victory belongs to our dynamic Captain, Virat Kohli.

Now, look at this scene: Australian player Steve Smith, who had pleaded guilty for his ‘sin’ of ball tampering (in a test match against SA in March 2018), had already served his one-year ban from playing first-class cricket. Yes, he deserved that punishment; and, he, also, deserved our admiration for the courage he had displayed by owning up to his mistake. He was the Captain; and, though he was found not directly involved in this incident, Smith took it upon him and apologized to his country and the world.  He had publicly cried; and, I don’t think, they were any crocodile tears… I don’t think he deserved to be reminded of his ‘cheating act’ the way the Indian supporters did the other day while he was fielding from the boundary area. Yes, our own supporters were chanting ‘Cheater’, ‘Cheater’, ‘Cheater’…




Imagine the plight of Steve Smith!

It was against this backdrop, Virat Kohli rose to the occasion and displayed to his own supporters what sportsmanship was all about. He stood there, right in the field, facing the Indian supporters in the stands, who were jeering Smith… He inspired them to stop jeering and start cheering…

Luckily, they did!

So, in the end, who won – Indian cricket team or its Captain?

What sports field teaches us, nothing else can? Sportsmanship is a fine education in itself… an education of heart and mind, both. On the other hand, the behaviour displayed by Indian fans against Smith, the other day, is nothing beyond a mob mentality… It’s cheap!  Therefore, when our Captain apologized to Smith, on behalf of our supporters, I felt very inspired by the sportsmanship and the Statesmanship, both, of Kohli.

Winning is not everything in sports. There is much, much more than that!

Let’s shift the focus from the cricket fields and cricket stands. Let’s look around us, as we go about our daily affairs… How do we conduct ourselves when we ‘win’ and when we ‘lose’...? When our opponents ‘win’ and when they ‘lose’? Do we genuinely apologize when we make mistakes? Do we genuinely forgive others when they apologize?

In Life, I think, these are the victories that truly count. They truly reveal our character!

There are scores of videos on YouTube where we get to witness these rare moments of true sportsmanship. I, regularly, watch them just to get a few goose-bumps…








Yes, they inspire me to be like these two Captains… who displayed two different kinds of courage…

O Captain, my Captain!


GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: The Hindu

Videos: The SoundProject/Trend Wave/YouTube

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