Kabaddi manager inspired by IPL extravaganza

For his chosen profession as an analyst, I received blank looks. Soon he put me at ease. For a layman, it’s all about a scorer, whose job is on the sight screen (scoreboard) placed behind the bowler. Meanwhile, I stood by for a moment and wondered about such a career. On a lighter note, I shared one instance from our time where we usually put a scorer, who was rather inept at gully cricket. No doubt, it sounds like a brilliant job for a cricket-loving stats geek. Also, the scorer took care of the task as the 12th man, carrying drinks for us. The team called him manager. Missing those days of swallowing raw, juicy nemutenga (lemon) during intervals is a nostalgic feeling.

Behind the scenes of today’s sports world, the dressing room is packed with backroom staff. The presence of high-profile coaches and mentors makes a difference. Besides there are directors, physiotherapists, trainers, video analysts, nutritionists, and what’s more, the IPL brings some of the biggest superstars of past greats of world cricket together and has emerged as the most valuable sports league in line with the EPL and NBA.

No one can deny the role of the manager in developing the team’s tactics, strategy, and overall game plan in today’s sports. However, the sky flaunted his ability to hit an iconic sky shot of 360 degrees that enthrals the Wankhede in disbelief. Even MI mentor Tendulkar, the demigod to fans watching from the dressing room, was stunned by Suryakumar’s brilliant shot. On another day, Shubman Gill was spotted having a chat with Sachin’s masterclass, which went viral.

Like cricket in India, Europeans have the most passionate supporters for football. Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Hungarian, and English fans travel overseas to support their team anywhere in Europe. However, great footballers like Wayne Rooney, Xavi, Steven Gerrard, and Frank Lampard have made their mark at their respective clubs, Derby County, Barcelona, Aston Villa, and Everton, respectively.

The IPL is not just for those who care which franchise wins it. It’s cricket, so the cricket lover was glued to the live score on the sleepless night of the IPL final. Viewers witnessed GT coach Nehra wandering restlessly on that day. My companion hasn’t noted such hidden IPL activities so far, despite her assigned task as manager of the girls’ Kabaddi team for the CBSE cluster athletic meet last winter. With no coach, the team was led by a sports teacher.

CBSE conducts interschool sports and games competitions not unlike the cash-rich IPL. The participants were in tracksuits sporting the iconic 3-stripes and Adidas trefoil, in a wide range of colours, whereas I came as a stranger to the station in the midnight hours to cheer them up. The first-time manager found it all fun and exciting. The wishes poured on while the train left amid the surrounding whistle blowing twice a sound over rails. They woke up in the morning after the high noise caused annoyance for passengers boarding in the vicinity of a squealing railway station in Silchar.

There were no cosy arrangements for those budding players, but a classroom accommodated a dozen makeshift beds, one after another. The team had to negotiate pitiable accommodations on the floor. The off-field IPL extravaganza made her head spin in disbelief, while the school teams had to face all the hurdles. Surprisingly, non-vegetables are totally prohibited. The vegetables were watery and tasteless after a hard-fought victory. But it helped girls under 17 starve at dinner to keep below the 55 kg weight limit.

The sports teacher-coach made it possible to follow the timely instructions given by the host school, while the manager was to take in house care of the girls’ belongings. After all, she had to gather support from other teams to boost their morale. As the game fever took over match after match, the manager felt more inclined to experience it live at Kutcha Ground (soft-surface). The atmosphere ran surreal when supporters kept roaring continuously with the raider running into the opposing team’s half of the court, touching out as many players as possible, and returning to their own half of the court all without being tackled by the defenders in 30 seconds. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience.

At home, news was in the air. Amid much fanfare and dancing, her team reached the final after seeing off the local school. The crowd cheered as they got on stage to receive the trophy. The first-time manager felt overwhelmed by her new assignment and like she was part of a winning team. The girls were wiggling and shaking with gold medals inside the sleeper coach and raised the trophy high with pride for their school, SSA Guwahati. She thanked her principal for the inspired task bestowed on her as Kabaddi Manager.

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