India created history on Gabba cricket ground on Tuesday by snatching the match from Australia who adopted everything crooked to steal the thunder but failed in their endeavour to do the same!
The team had to bite the dust in their own land, courtesy the fighting spirit of Team India who remained silent to all verbal assault, racist attacks and what not. Let’s discuss the amazing turnaround stories of five players who emerged real life heroes in this match.
1. Natarajan: Being the son of a loom worker, he had no money for luxuries like cricket gear and shoes. For many years, Natarajan thought hundred times before investing in new shoes. His mother was in tears seeing him representing India on television set. His wife delivered their daughter when Natarajan was in UAE for playing IPL. The man hasn’t seen her daughter yet as he went straight to Australia in a bio bubble.
2. Shardul Thakur: He is another wonder boy whobattled obesity to play for Mumbai as well as for IPL. In fact, Sachin Tendulkar advised him to lose weight to have a great cricketing career ahead.
3. Siraj: Despite being born to a poor rickshaw driver, Siraj rose to become India’s new bowler who could not perform last rites of his father as he was in Australia representing Team India when his father died. Four years back when he was selected for the IPL, he chased only one dream – to never let his father drive an auto again. Last month, while he was still waiting to play is first test in Australia, his father died and he could not go back for the funeral.
4. Washington Sundar: His father – Sundar, was a talented cricketer who was sponsored by his rich neighbour throughout his local cricketing life. His name was Washington. The man passed away just before Sundar’s second son was born. Sundar named his son Washington as a tribute to his benefactor.
5. Navdeep Saini: This boy’sfather was a government driver who could not afford expensive cricket coaching for him. Eventually, Saini played exhibition matches on tennis ball at Rs.300 a match to fund his dreams.
On Tuesday, all these guys were together as debutants who turned this match over its head. All through their lives, they were waiting for this moment in their cricketing career and they settled all their failures, struggles, doubts and insecurities once and for all in this Test match.
Let’s salute these heroes!