I don’t know where to start. I have seen them grow up in the outfields of Kolkata Maidan and Shivaji Park. They met for the first time in a training camp at Indore. The prince got a taste of aamchi Mumbai on a Sunday afternoon. He got up to find his kits floating in water. It was the deed of a cherubic curly haired teenager. Before the turn of the year both of them were in Kailash Ghatani’s team for England tour. Spending nights together in the dark rooms of West Minster Abbey they became close friends. But, the little one made it to the Indian team earlier. He was thrusted into the side for the Pakistan tour of 89. He overcame blood and bounce in the tour. The book never closed after that. The flamboyance of the other guy was seen in a brief 22 in the 89/90 Ranji Final. He also made the cut in 92 Australia tour. But, he was not as lucky as his friend. The prince was sent to the wild for 4 more years. He always had that venom in him, it finally oozed out in the masterclass at Lords’96.
Both of them were very much part of the Nucleus of the team throughout late 90’s and the last decade. One taught us how to win and the other how to play. They formed the best opening pair in ODI’s for almost a decade. They gave us great triumphs at Dhaka, Lords, Brisbane almost everywhere throughout the world. There were rifts between them when Prince became the captain. He wanted his best batsman to play in the middle order as that will give more solidity. But there was something about his friend, he always had that ego massage for his talent. He was reluctant to move down the order for World Cup 2003. Finally, the prince agreed and the rest is history. The master had a prolific World Cup scoring 673 runs and took India to the final. It was two great years for Indian team before that Mad man arrived from down under. He spoilt two precious years of my ‘prince’ and then targeted the master. Fortunately, after a disastrous world cup campaign in 2007, he had to quit. Their last two years together was probably one of their most prolific phases. Both batting beautifully but my prince fell prey to ugly politics again. He got his century at Eden and decided to get rid of all these at the age of 36. It was an exit you could envy. Battering the aussies at home turf. The master carried on for 5 more years without his soul mate. But, today he is on the brink of a final bye. I hope to freeze here and prevent him.
With a melancholic heart,
Time.