** Indian Cricket team class in progress:
All the kids were making lot of noise. Of course it
would be wrong to say that
everyone was making noise. Sachin, who was sitting on
the first bench,was very
quiet as usual. Only 2 minutes were left for the
teacher to arrive. At sharp 9,
John Sir enters the class. Everyone take their place.
“Good morning everybody”, Sir said. “Good morning
Sir”, everyone said.
Every one except Harbhajan. He was still learning
English.
“Sat Sri Akaal Sirji”.
“Ok, today we are going to learn about team spirit”,
Sir said.
“What is timspi rit”?
Well, it was Harbhajan again! Sir, many times felt
that he should have
completed his English classes before joining this
course.
“Beta, it is not timspi rit. It is Team Spirit” he
said, trying to control his
frustration. “Ok boys, so let’s learn something about
team spirit. Hey,
Parthiv, how many times I have told you not to put
your thumb in your mouth.
Now you are in big boys. So act like a big kid. And
how will you keep wickets
if you put your thumb in mouth”
Parthiv doesn’t pay any attention.
“PARTHIV”, Sir shouts.
“Parthiv, take the thumb out.” Sachin says in his too
gentle voice.
Parthiv immediately takes the thumb out and says - “I
will always listen to
you. Sachin Dada, You are my role model”
Sachin gives a TVS Victor smile.
“Grrrrrr… I am the only DADA in this team! DO YOU
UNDERSTAND?” Sourav dada
shouts from the last bench!
“Boys, don’t fight. Today we are going to learn about
team spirit. Harbhajan!
Why are you slapping Rahul?”
“Sir, he calls me ‘Sardar’”
“But you are a Sardar, right?”
“Sir, but he says - I can bowl well only at 12
o’clock. And since 12o’clock is
lunch time, I will never bowl well” - Bhaji said very
angrily.
“Rahul, I always thought you were a quiet guy like
Sachin.”
“But Sir, he calls me ‘Tortoise’ because I score
slowly.”
“But, they all call u Wall for your perfect defence,
right? And you should be
proud of it”
"I was sir. But now I am not, because they sing a song
- ‘Rahul Dravid the
Wall, Can’t hit a single ball’"
“Sourav, you are the captain of the side, you should
make sure that boys don’t
fight with each other.”
“I tried, but they don’t listen to me. Some of them
still listen to Sachin
only.” Sourav said dejectedly.
“Guys, no more fights. So we are going to learn about
team spirit. Team spirit
is - playing for the team and not for yourself. Can
anyone give me one example
of team spirit?”
Everybody remained silent and as usual started looking
down.
“Ok, Nehra, give me a good example of team spirit”
“Sir.. I don’t know any. But I know a good example of
lack of team spirit”
“Ok, ok, tell me that.”
“When Sourav comes near his hundred, he forgets the
team’s requirement and
plays slowly. That is a good example of lack of team
spirit”
“Grrrr… In the next match Ajit will play in your
place. And you will be the
water boy” Roars Sourav.
“This type of fighting is not good for our team. Anil,
you are a senior member
of the side. You should take care of the boys. ANIL!!!
Why are you looking at
the board, look at me.”
Some children say “soda buddi, soda buddi”. Everyone
laughs.
“Sir, I forgot my lenses today.”
“So you should always keep your specs with you.”
“But sir, then these people call me ‘soda buddi’. Now
I wear lenses, so I am
not a soda buddi right?”
Now Ajit joins the fight. " And you call me ‘Diwali
Dasara’ because I give too
many runs"
Kumble defends himself, “I said that because you
called me ‘Navajyot Singh
Sidhu’ when I said something without thinking.”
Enough of this!!" Said frustrated John Right. “Guys,
one thing we have learned
today and that is - there is no team spirit in our
side. By the way, no matter
what happens, you should not call anyone ‘Navajyot
Singh Sidhu’. That hurts.
Now we have learned what is not team spirit. Let us
now see what team spirit
is?”
Sir I have a shooting for TVS Victor" Sachin said.
“And I have to go for Coca
Cola” - Said Sehwag. “Hero Honda for me” Sourav. "Jam
jam Jammy " Rahul said.
One by one every one left the classroom.
Only sir and Parthiv Patel were left. Parthiv was
waiting for his mom to pick
him up. He still has his thumb in his mouth. Sir has
anyway given up on this
side. “Parthiv, I am going to teacher’s room. Don’t go
anywhere. Your mom will
come in few minutes. And don’t forget to take your
water bag home.”
Dejected sir went to the teachers’ room, called the
peon and told him to bring
a VRS form!!!.. **
