What has Economics got to do with it ?

Cricket crazy India doesn't get to see days like yesterday very often. While India defeated Australia in the first final of the tri-nation cup. Indian juniors stole their thunder by winning the prestigious U-19 world cup. As remarkable as the wins were, they are also a tad surprising to me. Not that India hasn't been playing good cricket of late. In fact, they have been doing very good in recent times barring one debaclous world cup last year.

Its when I compare the team to the cricket team we have grown up with, the pre-2000 team if you would, that I tend to be pleasantly surprised by the resurrection. Even their harshest critic would give in the fact that India has been playing much better cricket the present decade then, well, ever before.

And you don't just see the change in the statistics. You can 'feel' the change. You can see a more confident team. The youngsters today are far more confident and self-assured than the flukes we saw in the 90s. So what has changed exactly ? The ECONOMY, I say. But what has economy got to do with it ? You may ask. Well, just everything.

We have all heard the story of young India. How economical growth has made Indian youth find their place in the world. How they have come to believe that they matter. Indian youth today not only sees itself as someone who is an important part in this country but also knows of its place in the world. They carry themselves off to the swankiest malls. Buy out the world's best brands who have custom made their products to their needs. They shell out big bucks eating world cuisines at world's fanciest restaurants who have opened up their branches across Indian metropolitan. There is no self-pity, no angst, no looking towards the west with jealousy. They are self-assured. An assurance that they are capable of the competing and beating the best in the world. And it shows, everywhere. Even on the cricket field.

So when a Rohit Sharma or Robin Uthappa is sitting in the dressing room, he is not thinking about the facilities their Australian counterparts. When he walks to the field, he doesn't get intimidated with the attitude their white (or aboriginals) show him. He doesn't walks in as a third world citizen impressed with all the brightness and charm of the first world. He walks in as an equal, as someone who is capable of paying his counterparts in their own money (pun intended). He doesn't need their approval, nor he asks for it. So, when some show-off superiority complex laden opposition gives a 19 year old Ishant Sharma a word of malice-laced appreciation, he politely asks him to go fuck himself. He knows his place and asserts that he be treated equal. No matter the age, experience, nationality or race. If someone tries to belittle him, he fights back and fights hard.

I really hope the Indian team wins the next match but even if they lose, my point about the Indian youth and their self-confidence still stands. Indian youth is hungry and they know where to find their prey. If I were the rest of the world. I would be really, really scared right now.

The predictions: Indian will keep growing better in cricket and in sports in general. We increase our medal tally in the Olympics. The money also has a direct effect/ More money means better sporting facilities and in-turn better sportsmen. Who knows, India might well end up as a major sporting power in next 20-25 years. May be its just a figment or my dreams, but as they say he who never dreams never achieves. And as I am fond of saying, I AM HOPEFUL. Amen to that.