A Love Letter to Team India 💙

Exhilaration; restlessness; thrill; fear- and more such emotions will be sprinting at their fastest through our veins today. We've waited. For 12 long years, we have waited like Kunti waited for The Pandavas to finish their exile and end up victorious on the throne. 12 years of anticipation, pain, and hope. Undying hope. After all this time, finally, it feels like we've got it this time [not to jinx it 🤞🏼].

I wasn't expecting a lot before Asia Cup, to be honest. Maybe I didn't want to expect anything, and I know a lot of us were in the same boat. It's not like I didn't believe in the team, I've always been the one to be on the supporting side regardless of the highs or lows. But it's just that I did not want to get my hopes high only to get my heart shattered like it did in 2019. It's rewarding but painful sometimes to be an unwavering supporter of India.
Now though, after the Asia Cup, and 10 freaking wins in the World Cup, I've fallen in love with this team. 💙

'Oh we don't have a concrete team for the World Cup yet, what are they even thinking trying new players in every match?', 'Someone keeps getting injured every now & then, we don't even know if we'll be at our 100%', everyone was firing from all sides, questioning the capabilities of individuals earlier this year. But since the past few months, each and every player on the team has fought back and literally lived the phrase "actions speak louder than words". They've collectively silenced every troll, with their perseverance and performances all across the board, especially in the bowling unit. The way we've dominated with the ball throughout the World Cup is just a love story in itself. We have made matches entirely one-sided, no matter the conditions, and the team we're playing against. Even the atmosphere in the team is so adorable with the best fielder medal thing going on, everyone relishing the moments on & off the field with each other. Every game feels like a festival from a distance; just being a fly on the wall of the dressing room would be dreamy. 🪰

I believe what's been working best for us is that all the players are persistently sticking to their assigned roles, and performing brilliantly as a team. If one fails, there's always someone else to take up the baton and get us to the finish line. The openers are starting up impeccably to set an aggressive tone, especially the way Rohit has played, just fearless throughout. There's no doubt that Rohit in a World Cup is some serious beast of a guy. Boy, what do we even say about the artist that Kohli is at No. 3! There's no debate about the fact that he is the GOAT in the game. There's no better player than him who can run between the wickets as he does 🏃🏻‍♂️, fulfill the role of an anchor of the batting lineup ⚓️, take the innings deep, and win matches for the team. To add to that, Shreyas & Rahul have also been astonishingly good, coming and playing around Virat with an excellent strike rate; and Jaddu's impactful cameos are like the cherry on top.
Where do I start with the bowlers! We've never had such a strong bowling line-up in the longest of times. It's not just about the skillset and technique, we've always had that, but the mindset and confidence right now are conveyed very evidently in their performances. One question every Indian has vigorously asked is: "Why didn't we play Shami from the first game?" 🫤. It doesn't matter though, because he didn't need all those matches to end up on top of the stats. It would've been unfair to other bowlers had he played since the beginning. 😉

We've all waited for this team. There was a constant craving in all the fans to see India dominate the way they've been doing in the latter half of the year. The satisfaction after every match has been so vivid lately. I wholeheartedly blame the team for making us believe that we indeed are unbeatable right now. We might see some faces come back for the next one, and some may leave, but this team right here has and will have all my heart, always. 💖

Now that we've got the perfect team that we ever dreamed of. Now that we've witnessed them destroy the opponents mercilessly with consistency; it doesn't matter what happens today. It doesn't matter if we win or lose. It doesn't matter if the cup comes home today or not. I am proud of this Indian side and lucky to have been born in this era to experience all that we did in this World Cup. Of course, I want us to win and will be unbelievably heartbroken if we don't lift the cup after fighting so courageously. But my unconditional love and support for the team would stand unshaken, regardless of the results today. I promise that I will be waving the flag with utmost pride for everyone involved in the tournament. That's the least that we can do. We owe it to the players. 🇮🇳

This is my love letter to the Indian Cricket Team. Thank you for making millions of us smile, rejoice, and cheer with you. Thank you for putting your bodies on the line and fighting bravely for the pride of our country.
Whatever may come today, you have already made a special place in our hearts. 🫶🏼

P.S. Please win! 🥲