Job´ber`nowl`-ism

We are going to celebrate our 66th Independence day. A day before, on 14th August, Pakistan, our twin sister got her's. I believe (If my GK is right) the need for a different Muslim state smelled like a silent demand almost from the 1930s or so,when many Muslims started to quit from the Congress party. And in the Lahore Conference, Jinnah made it Official. The British did try to make the Congress and the Muslim League be friends ( Which is now seen only in Kerala :P), but they failed. As a result, Mr. Radcliff was made to draw a line that divided India and Pakistan. But I still believe that Pakistan could be a sovereign Muslim state, but a part of confederated Indian Union.

Ah! That set aside. What  #IfThereWasNoPartition (A topic that's trending on twitter)? How would have been our cricket team? Imagine the Javed Miandads and Kapil Devs playing together. Saeed Anwars and Sachin Tendulkars running between the wickets together. This made me think of an "All time United India-Pakistan Cricket (Test)IX".

Believe me, this was really really tough. I made a list of 18 a short-listed from it. But my team is

1. Sunil Gavaskar
2. Saeed Anwar
3. Javed Miandad  (c)
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Rahul Dravid
6. Imran Khan
7. Kapil Dev
8. Syed Kirmani (w/k)
9. Wasim Akram
10. Erappalli Prasanna
11. Anil Kumble

Sunny Gavaskar was my father's generation's "little master"; he'd be opening the batting. You know who's his partner? The elegant and perseverant Saeed Anwar. Anwar's wristwork and Gavaskar's footwork are are just something unique for them. One down, comes Miandad, one of the most aggressive and positive batsmen. He would be the captain of this Eleven, over Kapil, just due to his sheer aggression. Then comes in the GOD- no explanation needed. Now, if in case, IN CASE, Anwar, Gavaskar, Mindad, Tendulkar- all of them fail, this man would fight rest of the battle- Dravid "The Wall". 4 down comes, Imran Khan- again needs no explanation - The greatest all-rounder in the world after Gary Sobers. Then comes the man who brought us the world cup for the first time - Kapil Dev. Now, Syed Kirmani was quite a tight call over Rashid Latif.  Akram, Prasanna, Kumble - none needs explanation. Wasim Akram and Imran Khan opens the attack and Kapil Dev comes in 1st change followed by Prasanna and Kumble.

If the team is set to play in Perth or Sabina Park, then I'd probably drop someone and play Waqar Younis. I really don't know who that someone would be.

Now, #IfThereWasNoPartition then, probably this would have been one among all-time great Indian IX. Since it cannot be, lets at least dream of this team playing the great West Indian team of the sixties. Happy Independence day!!