" In the air...

...and teyken "....exclaims Ravi Shastri in his trademark style, from the commentary box...miles away.

Somewhere on the road side : A small crowd gathers near a kiosk.Glued to an ol' idiot box. Any ad at a gripping moment will be booed. Unperturbed attention and tense expressions address the situation. Every ball watched in anticipation, every stroke whistled in appreciation and an all too crucial wicket cheered. Pumping their adrenalin and making them delirious. More so, if we have beaten our arch rivals - Pakis. A win eventually makes people go berserk. Fire works follow. One-off or a tournament's crunch encounter, the reaction is same and deafening. Mood no less than festive !

Celebrations kick start. Welcome to India ! Home of Cricket.

Jump drive, (the next day).

Early morning walks witness grandpas and co. involved in animated analysis. Today's jog at the colony park will be longer. Their better halves will chip in too ! with a word or two.

Scenario at home: a father- son duo compete for the sports column. One wins, the other shrugs. All this, to get equipped on what is to follow. After all, they will be part of various forums, if not the nucleus of them, at some point in their offices/colleges/hangouts, today.

Conversations in public transports are the best of all. Who knows ? even a rickshaw wallah may be well-equipped today, to break ice and grab a distant oppurtunity of striking convo with his passenger. Post match analysis and all that. Such is the love and passion for the game here.

Loaded buses offer mind blowing GDs on favourite star's histrionics, team spirit, turning points, nail biting moments and edge-of-the seat stuff. Another typical setting: - our Uncleji is busy reading the daily. Caught in a bottle-neck, trapped, despo co-passengers attempt glancing at head lines. Falter. But don't give up. Neighbours restlessly await their turn. (They are the same under privileged, who lost the morning battle at the sports column and shrugged it off ). Ofcourse, the property is returned scrupulously after use. Forums here are a treat to be part of. Everyone puts forward their point, sounding like seasoned players who missed the bus to ' Final 11 '.

Cut.

Class rooms abuzz with student groups. Retreats no different either. Lunch sessions are spicier, with intense debates. Expect the journey back home to be of equal vigor. A visit to our pani puri bandi late in the evening and our Raju Bhayya is busy presenting his take on The Event. Till next dawn, the highlights are rewinded and replayed monotonously, a zillion times.

Believe me, its tough not being part of such engaging affairs. Especially after winning T20-WC. Anyways, I will sign off humming the Govinda number - "It happens only in India..."

Adios !