Day 44 : Indian World Cup V/s Indian Internet

Yesterday was devastating. It was actual quantifiable physical torture, watching us getting thwarted around like that.

(If you didn't already figure out what I meant by that you aren't from India, or you don't follow cricket. In either case, this post has nothing to offer you. Goodbye and a good day to you, kind ser.)

For others still reading this, man, did we ever feel more close to each other than this day? They say people who revel together are brothers till the night lasts, but those who weep together are bonded for life. And did we weep, and by word, did we bond.

The whole freaking country was having a fit of the nerves during those last few overs. When our MVP Captain Dhoni was in the pits fighting the Yellow Beasts single-handedly. He was like that last guy in every pulp war movie ever made, the guy who is so beaten and tired and torn bur still keeps standing up for another punch till the end with inspirational score playing in the background. He still kept on coming back to strike for more. And those last two sixes he beat into the stadium! I’d bet, all the womenfolk of in the country  went weak on their knees watching those shots and all the men proceeded to excitedly throw things on the walls in their TV room.

Wickets were falling around him up until that point. Rahane’d succumbed. Raina gone. Jadeja gone. Ashwin stuck around a while, but we all knew he will also surrender to the might of Johnson and Hazelwood soon enough. Our specialist batsmen couldn't face them, how could our bowlers?

But all that didn't actually worry us yet. We still had hope. We still had Dhoni. He was still standing, and until he was there all was well.

Then he got run out. The whole country's hearts skipped a couple of beats. The whole population was shell shocked and was praying to all the Gods they knew of, that one of the umpires show up and change the verdict. No one did. Dhoni has to go back to the stands.

He bowed down his head and walked briskly back to the dressing room never looking up. No one would. Emotions were too high as it is. I am surprised the audience did not storm into the stadium rioting.

What came next was more or less expected. The wickets fell fast in a blur. The match was done in just a few minutes. India had lost its World Championship.

People for obvious reasons were upset. The camera crew showed people hugging each other weeping. Old and young folks with tears flowing down their faces. People were sad and in shock. Heartbroken.

But then something else happened. Every mobile with internet connection was flooded with messages and memes and jokes and insults about the Team and the playing eleven. Not one was spared. Not even Dhoni for getting run out, for not running fast enough. Really guys?

By the day's end. My mobile gallery had nearly twice the pictures and audios it did when the day started. Not one of them good. Most of them poked fun at Kohli and his supposedly-girlfriend actress Anoushka, blaming them for the defeat. Sure Kohli not scoring enough contributed a lot to our failure that might be called logical. But why bring his personal life into it? Some of these audios even a bit too vulgar at that.

There were jokes being sent across by the hundreds. The frequency by which new once were being transferred is actually quite amazing. Is there actually some sad frustrated dork sitting in a basement somewhere churning out all of these? I mean how does somebody actually find the time to create all of these jokes? They really must feel they're not getting enough credit for this. Let me congratulate all the trolls creating this memes, good job. Losers.

We are all a generation of cattle brains. When we are even the least bit distraught or bothered with anything. Without thinking over it or mulling over a possible solution. We mob up and populate the Internet with lousy japes and snarly comments. We've become cheap and trashy with our thoughts and mentality. Everyone wants to be that smart ass that always has a one liner to break down the biggies to shame. Inferiority complex much, trolls?

I am distraught too. I am sad too. But then I also do realize this is a game. I do realize there has to be one winner and one loser. This time we lost, so what? We've been on a winning streak so far. Our players, all of them, had had a role to play in each of these past games that we've won. I only hope they prepare better for the next time, and perform to qualify for further glory.

And I also hope they and the people around them turn off their mobile data for the next few weeks.

For others.

Today, we will surely be spending a big part of my day deleting jokes and meme's from our devices. Bloody buggers.