An apology and a thank you, from the heart!!

 In the 7 glorious, dust-filled, sunburnt years of playing maidaan cricket, I have missed maybe 10 games.

Six were because of surgery, and four because I committed the unforgivable crime of being out of town.

Now this time?
This miss was 100% organic, free-range foolishness, grown entirely by me.

Let me be clear about my credentials first.

I wake up at 6 AM on game day like it’s an army drill. Earthquake? Flood? Wedding? Funeral? Doesn’t matter — I’m up.
I plan my holidays around weekends like a psychopath.
I have even— and I am not proud of this — looked for fake parents to attend my kids’ PTMs so I don’t miss cricket.

So yes, if dedication were runs, I’d already have a triple century with a broken bat.

But this post is not to defend myself.
This is a public service announcement against being stupid. More on that shortly.

Game day again.
6 AM. Alarm rings.
My soul woke up.
My body sent a “Seen” message and went back to sleep.

I tried. I really did.
But I was in a state best described as medically alive, spiritually dead.

At 8:15, I sent Ahaan as my ambassador with the message:
“I’m sick. I can’t play.”

Within five minutes, every phone in the house started ringing like I’d declared bankruptcy.
Ahaan was summoned back home immediately to politely but firmly suggest that I “just come and see how it goes.”

How it was going: very bad.

Then Vicky started calling. Relentlessly.
The guilt began working overtime.
Then came the update: Raptors need 50 off 5 overs.

This was my moment.
I was supposed to rise…
Except instead of Last Action Hero, I was more like a seal stuck on its ass, clapping but going nowhere.

And yet…
I cannot deny the love.

So many calls.
So many messages.
Some checking on me.
Some admonishing me.
Some roasting me so hard I almost felt cured.

This is why cricket is my lifeline.
You idiots are my brothers in arms, and I wouldn’t trade this madness for anything.

This piece is a note to myself.

Don’t be stupid again.
At least not when there’s a big game on.
Small games — maybe.
Big games — absolutely not.

Here were some of the pearls I read....

- Surprisingly Vicky hasn’t said a word to Arjun on his behavior from yesterday. If I get late by 5 min he starts yelling at me and here this guy went AWOL and no reaction at all. Why such discrimination @Vivek  ?

- Never happened before, he missing a game without prior communication. And Code red , as Satya making noise to start the game and we didn’t know where our all rounder was 😂. Bowling plan went for a toss. Vicky scrambling and made phenomenal efforts to get him on ground. In fact sent Ahaan home as well.

- Vicky and Samir activated code red - Call Arjun (somehow it became he is in gym), call Ahaan, call Radhika, send Ahaan home to check, wake up Ved. Thankfully, Satya made a huge hue and cry to start, otherwise they were discussing calling his brother, mother and his cohesity boss as well 

- I asked Ahaan, how is his dad. Very embarassed response - "He is sick from drinking" 😂

- @Samir dont tolerate this kind of behavior.. suspend him for 2 matches

- Can we please lock Arjun’s house on Friday evening? Vicky will only open the door on Saturday morning 7:45 am to ensure he turns up for cricket..