“You will always be my captain”, his tweet concluded and something inside me really adored the thoughtful heart behind those words. Being such an accomplished invincible player himself and still be able to reminisce that about a co-player speaks volumes about a personality. I have been following this CWC 2019 on and off, mostly the Indian games and needless to say, I am amazed by the game, plan, records, fitness and laurels of this current fireball of cricket – Virat Kohli!

His dynamism on the field (Naah, I wouldn’t like to call it aggressiveness!), his strategic captaincy, his technicality in choosing the shots, his quick footwork, his ability to pace the innings and bat under pressure, his confidence, grit and perseverance are all too obvious in his game. But, what’s really worth pondering upon is what conceals behind those admirable traits. Has it ever intrigued you that what we watch on the field is actually a result of a lot of ‘processing’ behind the screen?

The basic and foremost prerequisite for any player is fitness and that requires a lot of commitment to stick to the diet, exercise and workout regimen. That commitment requires a lot of will power and self-control to defeat the trivial pleasures of the mind. To be able to play even a single shot perfectly needs a lot of practice, technical acumen and total focus on the ball at hand. Imagine having to back it up consistently with more of them. Simply demands great physical stamina and absolute awareness every fraction of the moment. To be able to strategize the game differently according to the pitch, players, opponents and situations on field asks for a tremendous knowledge of the sport, SWOT analysis of the players and more such insights. That would call for a sharp intelligence and immense memory. The mettle to perform in the most anxious and uncertain of the phases and still excel at them requires an enormously resilient yet composed space of mind. The right choice of crucial actions and decisions while the game is on and pick the right one at the right time with needle precision needs perfect skills and timely intuition. To be able to move forward with same enthusiasm and confidence in spite of results turning out the other way requires a nerve of steel. To be able to take the team together on the same lines towards a combined effort demands deep connection and flawless communication with them.

All these and many other factors make a sportsman, and no one is born with them all. But what is that one thing that arouses one to take up such challenges in spite of crazy demands, that compels one to bear the hardships and keep moving beyond pain and pleasure irrespective of the bouquets and brickbats on the way?

That thing which is innate to every human on the planet, yet only a few walk that extra mile to follow their heart is called ‘Passion’!

As it happens in sports, in each of our lives too, we are posed with demands and challenges if we need to excel on the ‘field’. Each one of us is also equipped with the whole of necessary ‘process’ behind the screen to be able to hit a perfect win in our own playground. We could be the Virat Kohli’s of our own life. Yes, each one of us have it within us! So then, what’s lacking or stopping us from taking our life head on? It is the quintessential trait of Passion! Passion is what will get you going through the painful process with an unshakable commitment and enthusiasm. Passion is what makes the whole journey joyful irrespective of the outcome. Passion is what makes every moment celebratory rather than just the final triumph. Passion is what makes the whole difference between a mediocre life and an extraordinary one! The resultant qualities of energy, zeal, spirit and strength eventually blossom inside when we follow the passion.

So today, as we, the ardent fans of cricket fervently look forward to the decider World Cup semi-final between the current titans, let’s remember to carry this same passion off the green field onto our field of life and learn to live every moment passionately… for passion is a sign of our liveliness!