The recently released “Vada Chennai” movie has stirred a long-standing debate with regards to the lifestyle of North Chennai people. The debate has always been between a section which labels North Chennai as a hub of rowdyism and poverty, and the other that clearly disagrees. Coming to Vada Chennai, many local inhabitants have shown a black flag stating that like many other movies, this too has depicted the region in a bad light.
But, to be honest, it didn't. The movie is materialised upon real events that took place centralizing a small community of fishermen, say, like, a few decades back. Which means it has not followed the familiar route of dishing out an illusionary rowdyism story around North Chennai. Perhaps, in retrospect, it's the trend of showcasing only knife-brandishing stories which have irked the people. Why show this face alone is what they are asking. And, the exasperation has a lot to do with the misconception that exists concerning North Madras and its occupants as well.
When the torrential rains hit Chennai in 2015, a majority of places in the northern territory of the city stood tall in terms of relatively less or no damage. The exception can be attributed with the drainage system constructed by the British during the colonial era, as the north was where the first foundation stone towards transforming Madarasapattinam into Madras was laid. But now, the city's inception point is licking the wounds of the paradigm shift that has happened towards South Chennai. While the south is growing leaps and bounds, the north is confronting pollution, congestion, and poor infrastructure, yet serving the city happily with its labour force.
It's not that the south is completely pristine by any means. Taramani, a locale in South Chennai, which houses a plethora of IT parks, succumbs badly even to a night's rain despite all the money that is parked in. The auto drivers’, who motor around the area and form a vital cog in the wheel of the locale's IT workforce commutation, often grumble the negligence of authorities even in putting into place a proper drainage facility. This situation brings to light the hypocrisy of several people, who don't think twice to walk through the dirt and filth of the pampered Taramani, yet whine about the cleanliness of less polished areas like Vyasarpadi, Tondiarpet, Washermenpet, Ennore, Thiruvotriyur, Royapuram, Kasimedu, and many.
Staying with the ambience debate surrounding North Chennai -- it is very pivotal to understand that the region exists devoid of the factors needed to keep up an equilibrium between ambience and growth. Neither the region nor its residents know why heavy industries alone are foraying in here in spite of having a decent connectivity structure. Furthermore, the number of industries licensed or operated at the expense of the environment has furthered its undoing in terms of big-sized commercial investments. Although land starvation is cited as the primary reason for the dearth in commercial developments, no substantial efforts have been made in the direction of topography improvement.
The blood stains that hampered the image of North Chennai have now been wiped away by a cleansing agent called self-awareness. Education has attained the pole position in the list of priorities, and the underworld dons who established their bases here are no more active. In point of fact, it's the south which is more crime-infected now as opposed to the north. Realizing the north is no longer a safe hideout place due to the increased police scrutiny, and the strong demand for kangaroo courts after the real estate boom in the south, the rowdies have locomoted there.
In hindsight, Chennai city itself should have shaped up better by now. A casualty of political exploitation in many ways, the city has taken far more time to reach the juncture it has. And, it is North Chennai which has been the biggest loot place in the exploitation blueprint of politicians’ for years. So, claiming that North Chennai is a thorn in the flesh of the city only underlines the lack of basic understanding of the dynamics of Chennai.
Nothing frustrates a fast bowler more than getting driven straight down the ground. But, from a viewer's perspective, it is one of the most beautiful sights to behold in a cricket field. Sachin Tendulkar played the straight drive so well that when viewed every time on slow motion, our eyes were at a standstill. If there was one sight which possibly had the same effect of Sachin’s straight drive on Indian cricket fans, was, Zaheer Khan's approach to the bowling crease and that ever so famous jump. Coincidentally, he was referred as the Sachin Tendulkar of Indian bowling unit by MS Dhoni.
The heat of Maharashtra is searing enough to evaporate the spirits of a wannabe fast bowler. And the pitches, well, they quickly make one lament their decision to be a fast bowler. In truth, it’s the same everywhere in India. Anyone, who overcomes the “heat and pitch” challenge, performs, and puts himself in the reckoning for India call-up is a winner in his own right. But not every winner would end up as a champion like Zaheer Khan.
Although Zaheer’s show was an aberration, to begin with, it was soon reduced to a familiar debacle. Much like the career of other Indian pacemen, the ebb and flow pattern went flat gradually. That Zaheer Khan’s career got plagued by injuries is well-known, but more than that, it is the ill-natured treatment from Greg Chappell which would remain the worst nightmare of his playing days. “You would never play for India till I am in charge of the team,” said Greg Chappell to Zaheer for reasons only he would know. But, eventually, it was an injury and its repercussions that forced him out of the action for nine months.
Zak, who cut short his county stint in England in 2004 due to national duties, resumed his county services in 2006 in a bid to regain his place in the national side. The time he spent with Worcestershire (one of the county clubs in England) helped him understand the science of fast bowling better. With a shortened run-up and much more balanced bowling action, he found the lost rhythm. These adjustments, coupled with a Dukes ball, catapulted him to the top of County Championship Division Two wickets leaderboard. He had 78 scalps to his name in the 16 matches he played for Worcestershire. It is indeed the county association that acted as a springboard for the heights he scaled starting from the fag end of 2006 to his retirement.
With the county success, he was knocking the doors of Indian selectors hard. The doors did open, and soon he was on the flight to South Africa. Although Sreesanth had the lion’s share of success against the Proteas in whites, Zaheer did decently well across the three formats on the 2006-2007 South Africa tour, to tell the world that he has improved as a bowler. Then came the tour of England in 2007 which saw him increase his fast bowling stocks manifold. The English batsmen, who played most of their cricket against a moving Dukes ball, just couldn't surpass the Zaheer Khan challenge. He was creating brilliant angles with the ball that were new and hard to negotiate. By hiding the shiny side of the ball until the last moment, he showed great astuteness in not letting the batsman predict the ball's direction. Such was the impact Zaheer produced by hiding the ball that even James Anderson took notice and started practising the technique later.
When Zaheer looks back at his career, without thinking too much about the injuries sustained, of course, he can take heart from the numbers achieved between 2007-2011. He was right up there in the list of world's best bowlers then; only Dale Steyn had a better strike rate during the five-year period (Test matches). Above all, it is the joint highest wicket-taker tag in the ICC 2011 World Cup that would be the pinnacle of his memory lane trip.
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| Image courtesy: BCCI |
The way he put the horrors of his nervy and iffy first spell of WC 2003 finals to rest by bowling an outstanding first spell in WC 2011 finals, stands as a perfect testament to what experience does to a player. Throughout the tournament, MS Dhoni would promptly turn to Zaheer when the ball gets 32-34 overs old, to exploit the reverse swing: a template which worked wonders for Team India. Not only did Khan reverse the ball, but also the fortunes of India many times. The Andrew Strauss dismissal and the slide that followed, enabling India to salvage a draw from the jaws of defeat in a league match, says it all. Furthermore, the tournament was the point when Zaheer emerged as the first successful exponent of the knuckle-ball. Having picked it up from Charl Langeveldt in Royal Challengers Bangalore camp, Zak was very clear on unleashing it only during the World Cup.
The term “injury” is monotonous in any talk involving Zaheer Khan, as it is difficult as a fan not to consider how his career might have flourished, had he been bestowed with a strong physique. The fitness stranglehold got tighter after the World Cup, and he tapped out in the end. But Zaheer, nonetheless, can stick his chest out like he did everytime in his follow through beating the edge of the batsman. And hold his head high for the top podium finish in Indian pace bowling history.
