The Conversation with Manoj Menon - Kaun Bola!!

1. You love giving it back with interest when you play cricket. Which player do you think gets the most impacted by what you or others have to say?

Surprisingly, the person whose head you can get into is Hari just as he begins batting. I don't think most of the sledging really affects people negatively.  There are moments in a game where the batsman can be sledged to think about his earlier dismissal, or remind him of the daunting task to force a mis-step but mostly the sledging is to rally my own team and get them into the game. 

"Giving back with interest" is the Bombay school of gully cricket. "Never back down, you are always right" (in gully cricket the odds are stacked so much against you that you fight for the smallest bit) 

2. You play a lot of different sports and exercise a lot. Which one gives you a high and which one brings you down the most ?

I prefer outdoor sports. I don't bowl so cricket is not much of a workout for me but I play for my soul. The Dopamine on a team win scores much higher than finishing a half marathon. Also, It is always the sport that brings the high that gives you the low especially when the team doesn't give it everything.

3. Given a choice between having Satya, CP or Kishore run for you. Will you choose any of them or just run yourself? What would be the reason for your choice? 

I would rather run myself in the maidaan irrespective of anyone on the list. But given the choice, Kishore as he would just not run and I would not be runout. CP and Satya names speak for themselves. CP wont ground the bat and Satya wont reach the wicket to ground the bat. 

4. What has been your favorite scrap at the maidaan? One in which you have been involved. 

There were a few for sure over the past 3 years,  but recently there was one when I called out the umpire for unfair umpiring and he did not like hearing the truth :) and went belligerent. 

5. What would an ideal day at the cricket ground be like for you?

Match starts at 7:30 am (utopic). Bangalore sunny morning, team batting first (my team and I bat well) , scores 100+ and strong chase. but victory is ours in the end. Victory walk back home telling the other team how they could do better and trying to protect your own team from another member swap just coz the other team lost.

6. Who gives the best pep talk at the maidaan in the group and why? 

I think the best pep talks are given by people who lead the way. Sundar, Karthik, Arjun, Samir come into the game with intensity backed by their own performances.