WHEN ROGER FEDERER PLAYS…

Tennis transcends from being a mere sport.

Light-footed artistry scripts the most inspiring ode.

The volley drops in places that no human can decipher.

Age stops being a number, but a signature of genius.

Every stroke in the book genuflects at the altar of his single-handed backhand.

The geometry of angles takes scintillating journeys.

AND WHEN HE WINS…

Grace and humility also lift the winning trophy.

Sportsmanship trumps over everything else.

The legend takes a gentle swipe at the naysayers and critics.

History gets ready to rewrite itself, with a smile and a happy tear.

Even a muscular, manly Rafa is moved to bits.

Tennis transcends from being a mere sport.

Stroke Of Genius!

On January 15th, in the first ODI between India and England in Pune, time stood still when Virat Kohli executed that magical six. That was no ordinary stroke. It was one that was anointed by genius.

Chris Woakes runs in to bowl and digs in a short one at Kohli. His feet, resembling a ballet dancer’s gently splits open as he deftly lands on his backfoot and he prepares to push it to the cover area. In a split second, Kohli has other plans though. The Woakes delivery was a slower one, which gives him enough time to deceive us mortals. He gently swivels around, straightens himself and with a concoction of perfect balance and immaculate timing raises the bat straight and strikes the ball over mid on for a gorgeous six. The ball would have felt proud to leave that sweet spot of Kohli’s bat and land outside the ropes that night. 

That is a stroke you don’t get to see. That is a stroke that inspired the commentators to wax eloquent, but miserably failed. That stroke is a signature of Virat Kohli’s immense talent.