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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

‘Tiger’ backs ‘Cockroach’

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) became the first political party to openly support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched by a Maharashtra youth Abhijeet Dipke who launched a huge protest in New Delhi on Saturday. In a strong statement, SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray threw his weight behind the CJP as thousands of youngsters hit the streets of New Delhi in the scorching sun, not for politics but for their future. “Those whom we call the architects of the nation's future have come...

‘Tiger’ backs ‘Cockroach’

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) became the first political party to openly support the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched by a Maharashtra youth Abhijeet Dipke who launched a huge protest in New Delhi on Saturday. In a strong statement, SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray threw his weight behind the CJP as thousands of youngsters hit the streets of New Delhi in the scorching sun, not for politics but for their future. “Those whom we call the architects of the nation's future have come out carrying their pain, frustration and anxiety about their future. It is wrong to ridicule them as ‘cockroaches’ and deny them justice,” said the SS (UBT) Tiger. Thackeray said the recent NEET paper leak scandal had shattered the dreams of lakhs of students and their families, raising questions in the minds of youngsters whether merit still matters – as the movement which started on social media has spilled onto the streets across the country. “All these aggrieved young men and women are now raising their voices by becoming ‘cockroaches’. The government must listen to their demands. Do not underestimate the ‘cockroaches’ – this is the warning given by the agitation (today) at Jantar Mantar,” said Thackeray sharply. The SS (UBT)’s supportive stance came against the backdrop of mounting anger among students over the alleged irregularities in major public examinations like NEET, CBSE, CUET, and recruitment processes, which has shaken confidence in the country's education system. The Protest Around dawn, Dipke, 30 – who launched the online movement three weeks ago from the USA – reached India as thousands of supporters waited patiently and peacefully near the Parliament Street Police Station. Many waved the National Tricolour, copies of the Constitution or books of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, others carried flowers which they offered to the 1000-plus alert security personnel deployed there, and several sported symbolic cockroach masks. In a brief address, Dipke accused the government of focusing more on the CJP’s online presence than on the serious issues raised by the students. “You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” he roared, amid loud cheers and thundering applause from the crowd. He said there must be accountability in the form of the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, failing which the CJP will continue its protests in New Delhi and also other parts of India. Anticipating detention after his homecoming, Dipke: “I was fully prepared to sacrifice my freedom for this cause.” In a warm gesture, environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk arrived from Ladakh to join the protest, declared himself as an ‘Honorary cockroach’ and expressed solidarity with Dipke. “People ask what is achieved through protests, sit-ins and marches. It proves that we are alive. The government may treat us like insects, but we are alive and capable of fighting for our rights,” mocked the CJP in a social media statement The CJP volunteers repeatedly urged the protestors to maintain decorum and make their impact in a democratic manner, which the crowds adhered to, but raised full-throated slogans intermittently, even as the protest ended without any untoward incidents. Incidentally, the Delhi Police granted permission for the demonstrations by allowing the crowds to gather directly at Jantar Mantar grounds as a ‘one-time exemption’. Demonstrations expressing solidarity to the cause were held in different parts of the country while tight security was deployed outside Dipke’s home in Chhatrapati Sambhajinar. Why are students forced to agitate?: Aaditya Thackeray Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said why the students are being compelled to agitate when they should be planning out academic future and career options. “The young students exposed the NEET leak scam, or the CBSE marks scandal. The minister should have resigned or should have been sacked, some officials have been transferred but not suspended. The government should be ashamed of the situation,” said Aditya.

Can Mumbai Cricket's Golden Legacy Produce Another Sachin Tendulkar?

As the cradle of Indian cricket, Mumbai has churned out legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Sachin Tendulkar, the Little Master himself. Tendulkar, born in 1973, debuted at 16 and redefined batting with his 24-year odyssey of 100 international centuries. But in an era of T20 dominance, IPL glamour, and global distractions, will Mumbai's fabled maidans—Wankhede, Shivaji Park, Cross Maidan—birth another such phenomenon? My view: it's unlikely in the near future, though the talent pool remains deep. Mumbai's system excels at nurturing skills, but the Tendulkar alchemy of timing, temperament, and opportunity feels increasingly rare.


A Factory of Icons

Mumbai's cricket ecosystem is unmatched. Shivaji Park, where Tendulkar honed his craft under coach Ramakant Achrekar, symbolizes this. The city hosts the Harris Shield and Giles Shield, breeding grounds for prodigies. Tendulkar emerged from here, smashing a half-century on Ranji debut at 15. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) dominates domestic cricket, winning 41 Ranji Trophies - the most by any team. This infrastructure, combined with a street-smart, pressure-cooked culture, forges resilient players.


Yet, replication is tough. Tendulkar benefited from a Test-heavy era. In the 1980s-90s, local leagues like Kanga and Talim sharpened technique against spin and seam on uncovered pitches. Parents like Tendulkar's allowed single-minded focus; his school prioritized cricket. Today, that purity dilutes amid coaching academies charging fees and parental ambitions pushing multi-sport diversification.


Irreplaceable Magic

What made Tendulkar singular? Technique fused with genius: the straight drive, wristy flicks, and 360-degree adaptability. Off the field, humility and hunger shone—no scandals, just 15,921 Test runs and 18,426 in ODIs. Mumbai provided the stage, but his DNA and era aligned perfectly. He faced Wasim Akram and Shane Warne at their peak, building an iron will.


Post-Tendulkar, Mumbai produced stars like Rohit Sharma (42 Tests, IPL captaincy mastery) and Ajinkya Rahane (solid but not transcendent). Prithvi Shaw dazzled with a 546 in school cricket but faltered under IPL hype and inconsistency—six Tests, average 10. Current prospects like Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai-born, IPL-starred) show promise: 2,716 Ranji runs, India Test debut centurion. Sarfaraz Khan aggregates massively in domestics (4,379 Ranji runs). But neither matches Tendulkar's longevity or impact. Jaiswal's flair evokes echoes, yet T20's slap-pull obsession risks diluting his red-ball purity.


Modern Challenges

T20 has reshaped Mumbai cricket. The IPL, with Mumbai Indians' five titles, spotlights white-ball hitters over accumulators. Youngsters chase sixes for contracts, sidelining defensive drills. Tendulkar played 664 internationals; today's kids eye IPL auctions first. Data backs this: since 2010, Mumbai's Ranji batting average dropped 5-7 points, per Cricbuzz stats, reflecting aggressive shifts.


Urban pressures compound issues. Mumbai's space crunch means fewer maidans; Cross Maidan floods with nets, but quality bowlers dwindle as they migrate to IPL franchises. Coaching commercializes—Achrekar's free, instinctive methods yield to video analysis and biomechanics. Nutrition and fitness improved, but mental fortitude lags. Tendulkar endured without sports psychologists; now, overload breeds fragility, as seen in Shaw's slump.


Globalisation fragments loyalty. Talents like Jaiswal train in Rajasthan academies for exposure. Parental coaching via YouTube supplants gully wisdom. Women's cricket thrives (e.g., Smriti Mandhana), but men's talent thins at the top.


Glimmers of Hope

Still, Mumbai pulses with potential. The MCA's refurbished facilities and National Cricket Academy tie-ups nurture raw talent. Initiatives like MCA's age-group programs scout slums to suburbs. Jaiswal, at 23, could evolve into a 10,000-run Test batter. Emerging names — Angkrish Raghuvanshi (U19 World Cup star), Musheer Khan (Ranji centurions) — hint at revival.


Yet, Tendulkar 2.0 demands confluence: a once-in-generation talent, stable India selection, and Test cricket's primacy. With The Hundred, Big Bash, and SA20, formats splinter focus. India's batting depth (Yashasvi, Shubman Gill) crowds pathways, unlike Tendulkar's monopoly.


Mumbai will produce fine cricketers—captains, IPL heroes, maybe a Kohli-esque chaser. But another Tendulkar? improbable soon. His era's alchemy—grit-forged maidans, Test worship, singular devotion—clashes with T20's frenzy. The city must reclaim its soul: prioritize red-ball leagues, mentor intuitively, resist commercialization. Until then, Tendulkar remains the unmatchable jewel in Mumbai's crown.


(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

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