Straight Drive with Santosh-Ghilli Days

There is nothing as exciting as spending the time on a cricket field on a Sunday understanding the finer nuances of the game. There can be nothing better than finding the sweet spot on a cricket bat, no more happiness and sound when the ball hits the center of the bat, the ball ricochets off the bat, whizzes past the bowler with a sweet humming sound. Our blogs are meant to create the same kind of noises, a pleasure to the eyes when you read them, and a feeling of all empowering knowledge at the end of the reading.

A game of cricket is becoming more of a mind game with the advent of technology. Its now being referred to as a game within a game. There is so much happening on a cricket field: Planning, Team Management, Innovation, Gamesmanship, Thought. Game of Cricket all the while. On this lovely Sunday morning it is indeed a pleasure bringing to all you Straight Drives from the bat of Santosh, a coach at Gen-next and a childhood friend of Ashwin. Its a fun chat all the way. Santosh is also an Engineer by profession and a whiz at numbers, you can quiz him on numbers like the number of the two wheeler he owned some ten years back he will be quick at rattling it off. A Talking Walking Computer indeed. Here is Sanch as we fondly call him at Gen-next

The conversation that we had today was a relaxed one, it started that way and ended in a even more relaxed fashion, more of that later. Santosh was quick to point out about the match going on in the center. He said "look at them playing in such a relaxed manner. They are not worried about anything, not the result,not the consequence, runs were flowing, wickets falling, yet the game goes on the only intention being fun and that is how the game needs to be played. Sehwag used to play the game in a similar fashion to such an extent that the first ball four became a trademark prerequisite expectation from the fans off Sehwag."

Santosh and Ashwins relationship go a long way back, to their childhood days. Santosh used to play for St Bedes and Ashwin for PSBB, thats when they stuck to each other in a rather curious way. While playing against each other Santosh got Ashwin out, in a 45 over game, but in the game called life they were to become friends for a lifetime. Santosh does not recollect this incident because he got Ashwin out but because Ashwin remembers this incident and recalls it fondly even today. They both got into the same school in their plus two days and thats where the bond between them grew even stronger-12B days. Santosh and Ashwin would travel to school together by bus-12B and then off to practice and matches. On one instance they did not get to catch the bus so they walked all the way home. 

Santosh was eager to reflect on his childhood days with Ashwin. Flashback time. Goes back to 2004 when the Tamil blockbuster Ghilli featuring popular Tamil star Vijay got released. Those days all the three young budding stars Aravind, Santosh and Ashwin were Vijay fans and an even more eager fan was Santosh. Now some data points here. The Trio would gather around in Santosh's house and watch Ghilli every day. Santosh claims that he must have seen the movie at least fifty times. The movie had become such a craze with these three that they would mute the sound and then enact the entire movie with the exact dialogue.

In a students lifetime the school and college days have to be the most enjoyable and Santosh has quite a few tales to tell us. Once while in their college the Tantalizing Trio-Ashwin, Aravind and Santosh were travelling together after finishing their exams. In a particularly difficult Maths paper, both Ashwin and Santosh could not solve a particular question. Aravind sounded victorious and one sleeve up as he had apprently solved that problem and gave the answer as 128. Result time, Ashwin and Santosh had cleared the paper. Sorry not this time around Aravind, better luck next time. Now Ashwin and Santosh were quite puzzled as Aravind had given an answer to a difficult question. Pat came the reply from Aravind "Oh I heard someone telling the answer."

On another occasion again exam time, this time Santosh transformed himself to a teacher and both Aravind and Ashwin his students, both Ashwin and Aravind came out with flying colors, better luck next time around Santosh. 

Santosh refers to Ashwin as a thinking cricketer. He was always adept at defending small totals. As per Santosh, Ashwin would tie up one end with his economical bowling, and ensure that wickets fall at the other end. Eventually Ashwin has transformed himself into an ace wicket taking match winner. On one of those days when wickets were difficult to come by Ashwin started to imitate different bowlers each ball of the over, and one of those balls where he bowled much before the crease, ahead of the end of his bowling run up he did end up getting a wicket in this over. Its never about how you do different things but how you do things differently. So pertinent with regards to the game of cricket.

At Gen-next its always about playing cricket the fun way. Now reasons for relating all these incidents serves many a purpose. All these youngsters be it Ashwin, Aravind or Santosh have had a very normal childhood. they have been through all that that life has to offer tough time, happier times, challenging times and yet each one of them have never missed out on the fun moments which they will cherish for a lifetime. Today we were a witness to a conversation between Mr. Ravichandran and one of the young cricketers. Sir was advising the cricketer to go with the flow and enjoy the game of cricket. Have fun, be in the moment, love the training and forget about the consequences. That in a way reflects on our philosophy that we flow at Gen-next. We are sure that the if the principles that we seek to impart are followed implicitly, it will make a youngster a successful person in his chosen field of specialization.

We as an institute are never to lag behind when it comes to fun and entertainment. Come join us in all the fun that we have while playing and learning cricket. Have an enjoyable Sunday while Santosh and Aravind took up the Ishanth face challenge at Gen-next