Alternative ICC Awards

ICC Emerging Husband of the Year ~ Virat Kohli

ICC Headline Writers' Delight of the Year ~ Lungi Ngidi

ICC Brawler of the Year ~ Ben Stokes

ICC Materazzi of 22 Yards ~ Jonny Bairstow

ICC Fake Kapil Dev of the Year ~ Hardik Pandya

ICC Best Non-Pregnancy Vomiter of the year ~ Suranga Lakmal

ICC Boomerang Captain of the Year ~ Angelo Mathews

ICC Usain Bolt Between Stumps of the Year ~ Cheteshwar Pujara

ICC Detest Player of the Year ~ Rohit Sharma

ICC Best Partnership of the Year ~ Imran Khan & Bushra Maneka

P.S. In case actual ICC awards interest you, read it here:

Australian Open: Vandeweghe goes bananas, Shapovalov proves poor peeler

The so-called tennis experts will tell you it was an American bloodbath at the Australian Open on Monday.

Well, it was much more.

It was also the day when bananas -- an athlete's best friend -- got their due at the year's first grand slam.

First, the American exodus.

Sloane Stephens, Venus Williams, CoCo Vandeweghe and John Isner exited Melbourne Park as if the US had suddenly issued a travel advisory for Australia, deeming it as unsafe as any, well, banana republic.

Then the bananas.

If you are what you eat, Vandeweghe did not hide what her favourite fruit is as she went understandably bananas during her first round loss to Timea Babos.

Vandeweghe simply refused to take to court until she had consumed the potassium-rich fruit which, much to her dismay, was not kept handy.

"I'm waiting for the bananas," she told the chair umpire with the grumpy seriousness of an army chief fretting over the delay in arrival of an important consignment of weapons.

Unfortunately for her, Babos prevailed in the Hungarian v Hungrymerican clash.

Video here:

CoCo Vandeweghe had gotten her first code violation earlier for time violation/civil disobedience: refusing to take court without eating a banana first. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/6Opg7xon2N

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 15, 2018

Shapovalov had a more fruitful day against Greek newcomer Stefanos Tsitsipas. The only trouble he had was peeling them.

Botanically berry, but the Australian bananas proved tough nuts to crack. Shapovalov wrestled with three of them and yet could not. He then picked the one he had dropped on turf and finally
succeeded, celebrating it with am emphatic fist-pump.

Video here:

This win is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!#AusOpen @denis_shapo pic.twitter.com/pW3hPnzkmp

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018

7 Alternative Names

1. Punjab ~ Sikhim

2. Queensland ~ Koala Lumpur

3. Mumbai ~ Bollyvia

4. Dhaka ~ Mosque-o

5. Dharavi ~ Shantyniketan

6. Bermuda ~ Knickeragua

7. India ~ Ma Cow

10 Books Unlikely To Be Written In India

Yama-Yudhisthir Q&A

Yama: Why were sunglasses invented?
Yudhisthir: So that shy men can ogle at women while keeping a clear conscience.

Yama: How to be happy?
Yudhisthir: Fake it. If you can successfully fake happiness, that would sadden your enemies, which in turn would make you genuinely happy.

Yama: Cats apparently have nine lives, but dogs have just one. Why?
Yudhisthir: That's the price you pay for being man's best friend. Nobody likes us you see...

Yama: Why do kids cry first thing after they are born?
Yudhisthir: They know what they are getting into.

Yama: Why do people marry?
Yudhisthir: So that divorce lawyers don't starve.

Yama: Who popularised green tea?
Yudhisthir: Even I'm looking for the idiot.

Yama: Finally...why did Katappa kill Bahubali?
Yudhisthir: (Sighs)...In the long run we are all dead.


* More Yama-Yudhisthir Q&A here and here

Why poor students topping exams is not news

* JEE Mains 2017: Son of Udaipur compounder tops exam
* Farmer's son tops Chhattisgarh Board Class 12 exam
* Autorickshaw driver’s daughter tops CA exams

This has become a mindless ritual in the hopelessly lazy world of news media.

Every time some exam results are out, newspapers and TV channels religiously serve gooey, boilerplate stories about some poor kids who scored heavily in whatever tests they took.

I'm tired of this sentimental tosh. What is novel about it?

With fewer, if at all, distractions to ruin their study, isn't it precisely what they are supposed to do?

I'd consider it news if a kid from an affluent family tops an exam. For a moment, shed your prejudices and consider the predicament of being a rich boy.

The poor kid has so many things screaming for his time and attention -- gadgets, girls, booze, automobiles, recreational drugs, splitting parents, dysfunctional families, Messi's injury, Ronaldo's mistresses -- the list just goes on.

Now where do you slot study in this crazy schedule?

Topping exams is the easiest thing when you have none of these distractions, which is why I don't get teary-eyed when I read about a rickshaw-puller's son cracking IIM or a daily labourer's daughter acing IIT.

The truth is, these poor kids have an unfair advantage over their rich cousins in terms of motivation.

They have the greatest motivation to succeed, for the result can potentially alter the standard of their life beyond their wildest imagination.

In contrast, a billionaire' s son enters the exam hall knowing fully well that education can't really lift his lifestyle. There is simply no incentive for him, just no motivation at all.

That they still take the pain to reach the hall and write paper is, you'd agree, utterly commendable.

So dear poor kids who just topped an exam, I'm not impressed.

The unpleasant truth is - the game of exam is blatantly rigged in your favour and your success, sorry to say, is pre-ordained.

In fact I'd go to the extent of saying that poor kids have no excuse for failure, as simple as that.

As for me, my heart bleeds for the rich kid who is mourning his low grade by smoking weed in a friend's place, befittingly rolling the stuff in his mark sheet and watching it burn.

If state transport buses had something like in-flight announcement

Dear passengers, we welcome you on board, on rooftop and on footboard of this State Transport Corporation bus.

Today your driver is Mahadev Singh, who spat gutkha juice out of the window and is currently exchanging expletives with the person he smeared with the jet.

I'm your conductor Bhola Singh, with a rolled hanky under the collar. Please tender exact fare.

We will complete this 20 KM journey in about one hour and 45 minutes, provided we survive detours, demonstrations, breakdowns, road rages, accidents and arson by agitators.

We may also reach the final destination in flat 15 minutes, provided we have a bus of the same route number hot on our heels.

In that case, you may have to get down at a destination of our choice, kindly cooperate. Also, chances are we might have to offload you bang in the middle of the road. Make sure you don't get run over by traffic from behind, just to give us a bad name.

This vehicle, which was serviced last in the 15th century, has one front door and there's another at the back. In case of emergency, the resulting stampede is likely to take you near the door. Again, try not to fall and get trampled on by fellow passengers just to give us a bad name.

In case the air inside gets fetid, kindly look at everyone suspiciously and accusingly even if you're the culprit.

Those standing, kindly hold on to the strap overhead. If you're vertically challenged, you can also grab someone's bag straps, and anything for that matter, to maintain balance. Everything is fair in love, war and state transport buses.

Remember inside the bus, you can get away with anything by just saying 'sorry'. So, if you have just crushed someone under your feet, be nice and say 'sorry'.

Also remember, getting toes squashed is commonplace, so kindly don't blow it out of proportion.

For those lucky enough to get seat, remember there will never be a consensus on how much the window should be kept open. Views will differ, so wait until the other guy has dozed off before you can quietly adjust the window to your liking.

Remember, buying ticket is not optional, though your conductor Bhola Singh, with a rolled hanky under my collar, is open to negotiations.

Currently we're moving at a break-neck speed of 500 cm/hour, which is roughly the speed of an arthritic snail which has just undergone a knee cap replacement. This is due to a marriage procession ahead of us. You'd probably be tempted to slap the groom on horse once he's under your window but we advise utmost caution.

For those sitting on the right, the view may not rival the grandeur of pyramids in Egypt but you can look out of your window and marvel at the splendid pile of municipal garbage. If you feel like puking, kindly stick your head out but make sure you don’t get your head smashed by an overtaking bus. It would give us a bad name.

Those on the left need not despair. Thanks to the jam, you’re strategically positioned to appreciate the overflowing public convenience just outside your window. If you feel like fainting, do intimate the fellow passengers.

Meanwhile, our checkers will soon begin ticket inspection. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you may end up paying double the money as bribe to get away from their clutches. I can give you a better deal, so contact your conductor Bhola Singh, with a rolled hanky under the collar.

Ladies and gentlemen, we’re finally about to reach the destination. We appreciate you had many choices but you still decided to suffer at our hands.

On behalf of driver Mahadev Singh and conductor Bhola Singh with a rolled hanky under collar, we hope to serve you again.

(Pix)

Doosra Annual Awards 2016 (UNESCO certified)

1. Human Lacrymal Gland of the Year ~ Aamir Khan. For crying here, here and here. He receives the teardrop-shaped Nirupa Roy Memorial trophy. He'd cry khushi-ke-ansu now.


2. Lord of the Larynx ~ Arnab Goswami. For breaching permissible decibel levels at prime time;

3. Indian With The Cleanest Mind ~ RBI governor Urjit Patel. Post-demonetisation, he changes mind every night;

4. Mr National Eyesore of The Year ~ Ranveer Singh. Some of the outfits he wore would have got him behind the bars in several countries. He gets a jar full of Delhi air;


5. Ms National Eyesore Of the Year ~ Airtel 4G girl;

6. Political Trishanku Of The Year ~ Navjot Singh Sidhu. Paaji left BJP but yet to join Congress or AAP, at the time of going to Press.

7. 'Atithi Devour Bhava' Samman ~ To Ravichandran Ashwin. For feasting on visiting batsmen;

8. Mard Tongue-e Wala ~ Kapil Sharma: For his breathless, mindless and frequently meaningless male chauvinistic jokes;


9. Worst Namer of the Year ~ Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor. For naming their son 'Taimur', thus exposing the kid to a lifetime of ridicule and ensuring he won't be able to visit a Starbucks for the rest of his life;

10. Yami Gautam Banking Award ~ Axis Bank. For its role to help convert black into white;

11. Wailing Cupid of The Year ~ Arijit Singh. For singing sweet love songs after sweet love songs that left the country's love-struck with emotional diabetes. He gets what he needs most, a shaving set;


12. Frugal Indian Father of the year ~ G Janardhan Reddy. For managing his daughter's marriage with a shoestring budget of Rs 550 crores;

13. Boyfriend Of The Year ~ Virat Kohli. For his stout defending of Anushka Sharma with this SHAME tweet;

14. Pariah Of The Year ~ Cyrus Mistry. From leading Tata Sons to being ousted from the group. He gets an year's supply of Tata salt, to rub on his wound;

15. Enemy Of The Inbox ~ Kangana Ranaut. For sending one mail every six minutes to Hrithik Roshan during their bizarre affair. She will receive medal from the Nigerian Price who spams our mailboxes.

16. Worst Fashion Statement Of the Year ~ Priyanka Chopra. For wearing this t-shirt.


17. Footloose of the year ~ Azam Khan's buffaloes. For their tendencies to go missing;

18. Worst Network Of the Year ~ Whichever Bob Dylan uses;

19. Indian Athelete of the Year: TMC MLA Sudip Roy Barman, who seized the Speaker's mace and ran off in Tripura assembly;

20. Bollywood's Jack-Of-All-Trades of the Year ~ Farhan Akhtar, who seems clueless whether to be an actor, director or musician. He receives Irfan Pathan Failed Allrounder Trophy;

21. National Bank ~ Paytm.

22. Gravity-defier of the Year ~ Dipa Karmakar. She also proved you don't need to jump to conclusions always, you can Produnova to it as well;


23. The Indian Houdini Of the Year ~ Vijay Mallya, for his overnight escape to safety in London;

24. The Indian Christ of the Year ~ Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, for turning wine into water until Patna High Court lifted the liquor ban;

25. 'Invisible Friend of India' Medal ~ The anonymous NASA photographer, who floats in space capturing how India celebrates her festivals and shares it unfailingly;

26. National Appu Ghar ~ Big Boss;

27. Unfaithful Indian Of the Year ~ Sonam Gupta.


28. Guide of the Year ~ Bhagwant Mann, for his guided FacebookLive tour of Parliament;

29. Misquoted Person of the Year ~ Rumi, for the umpteenth time;

30. Disgraced Institution of the Year ~ UNESCO. After countless hoaxes about it declaring random things as the 'best'. Including this post.

Why 'Baby-on-Board' stickers make no sense

You can learn a lot about a person by just noticing the sticker on his car. In fact, I judge people by the sticker on the car they are depopulating the cities with.

Car stickers fascinate me. I read them like a suicide bomber reads detonation manual: as if his whole being depends on it. His whole not being, if you insist.

I don’t know what to make of a “Baby-on-Board” sticker. To begin with, it’s only half-truth. You probably mean “Baby Also On Board”. Or do you consider yourself an infant? In which case you should not be driving in the first place, endangering lives of the pedestrians - a job already outsourced to the Salman Khans of the world.

My main issue with the “Baby-on-Board” sticker is I’m not even sure of the tone.

Is it yet another vain, male chauvinistic show-off? “I maybe a regular wife-beater and a prominent history-sheeter but hey, at least I’m not impotent!” Well, don’t be so sure. Raise the issue with missus tonight and see if she avoids eye contact.

Or is it some hopeless seeking of that previously-prevalent-but-presently-out-of-supply human feeling called sympathy? Something like “Baby on board, please be nice to us”?

In that case, put a “Naïve-On-Board” sign instead and you’d be giving yourself a better chance of returning home unscathed. Like statutory warning on cigarette packs, these inscriptions are as effective as a glass of warm milk in the battle against terminal cancer. Well-meaning but inadequate, if you know what I mean.

If you think putting a “Baby-on-Board” sticker would draw less hostility from the merchants of death who have been let loose on the streets with full backing from the state, you are raising the bar for stupidity. I’ve seen a hearse being rammed into in a frantic attempt to kill the same person twice.

If you still have faith in humanity, it may not be too late yet to get your head examined.

If you ask me, a “Baby-on-Board” sticker makes you more vulnerable to collisions. How? Some drivers, in good intention, may actually decide to give the baby a taste of the world he is going to inherit: a world of road rages and traffic rule decimation. Can you really fault someone for thinking: "If the kid is going to live in a world like that, why not help him get used to it NOW and get a headstart?" BANG!

Or is it some sort of confession? “Baby on Board and Hence I’m Being An Ass In Two Minds Not Knowing Whether To Drive Fast Or Allow Overtaking.” Even in that case, your obduracy would only infuriate others with one of them eventually taking the onus on himself to knock you off the road.

Also doesn’t a sticker like that make you more vulnerable to the kidnappers? They might overtake and stop you on a dark stretch and make off with you kid leaving a note: “Thanks for the sticker. We had lost you in the sea of traffic until the sticker flashed. Wait for the ransom call. For your gesture, we’d offer a 5% discount. Even hijackers have some ethics. We are fighting against all kind of stereotypes associated with our profession. Hope this alters at least one view. Cheers.”

What Ails Olympics Opening Ceremony (2/2)

Qatar: Ladies and gentlemen, let me present next the Qatari team. They are so rich that the security guard they tipped outside the stadium has just made it to the Forbes' list. The same people who are planning a central AC for the entire country for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Russia: Russia follows next, though without the swagger that you associate with them and instead sucking some liquids. Don't get me wrong, they are clearly the cleanest bunch of athletes, having undergone so many tests. They have dehydrated themselves giving urine samples and sipping innocuous drinks to rehydrate themselves.
Sierra Leone: Here's a tiny contingent from Sierra Leone. And some of you thought Sierra Leone is Sunny Leone’s sister. The country grapples with Ebola when it's not caught in a bloody civil war. More than medals, they need medicines.

Syria: Special welcome to the Syrian contingent, comprising of people who successfully escaped the bloody civil war. They have already requested IOC to consider giving them ammunition instead of medal to help fight ISIS.

Somalia: Somalia has sent a tiny contingent. They won't be allowed to participate in water-sports though, lest they hijack boats and take rowers hostage.

Thailand: Here comes Thailand and no, they are not fighting but massaging each other.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia, ladies and gentlemen, one of the richest countries in the world. There have an unprecedented four women athletes in the contingent and they are very excited. After all the is the moment they all have been waiting -- to drive a car, something they aren't allowed back home, on the roads of Rio. They plan to buy a car and abandon them, money is not the issue you see. Also, to they plan to drive incognito, by revealing their faces, so no one can identify them.

United States: The superpower in every sense, here comes the United States. If meddling in others' affairs is made an Olympic sport, they will win gold hands down and celebrate it by bombing an oil-rich state. Apparently, everything that's wrong with this world has got something to do with this country. In addition to their strong events, US is likely to win all shooting medals, provided the competition takes place in a college campus. Apparently, White House is trying to bully Rio into shifting it to Federal University premises.

Doosra interviews Shastri after spat with Ganguly

As if losing India head coach's job was not bad enough, Ravi Shastri picked a fight with, of all people, Sourav Ganguly.

As it happens in any scrap with Ganguly, and a significant chunk of Australian population will vouch for it, the experience has been rather unpleasant for Shastri.

Shastri was naturally downbeat when Doosra met him but still agreed to bare his heart in this interview.

Excerpts from an interview which ended abruptly due to circumstances.

Doosra: Did the interview took place in a cordial atmosphere?
Shastri: No complaint about the atmosphere. I was sitting in a Thai beach, beer in hand and shaking a leg with the hip, young crowd. The atmosphere was electrifying and as the day progressed, it was only going to get hotter.

Doosra: Well, when you applied for the job, what was your expectation?
Shastri: Look boss. I'm a cool customer. I approached it with lot of positivity. I knew if I want to win it, I need to play well. I have the experience, I knew the guys on the panel and naturally I thought that all three results were possible.

Doosra: Err, all three?
Shastri: Yes. Me getting the job, they giving me the job and the job coming to me -- all three results looked fairly possible.

Doosra: That's probably taking it for granted. But why from Thailand and via Skype? Why didn't you, like Anil Kumble, appear in person?
Shastri: Just what the doctor ordered.

Doosra: Sorry?
Shastri: I mean that's what the doctor told me. Coaching and commentary put me under lot of stress. My family physician suggested I take a break and go to a beach somewhere. So I took the aerial route!

Doosra: But Kumble made a proper two-hour presentation and your spoke barely for 45 minutes.
Shastri: To hell with five-day tests and two-hour presentations. What's wrong with 45-minute presentations? I began with "KOLKATA, ARE YOU READY!" That should have been enough.

Doosra: Evidently that was not enough. Anyway, 57 people applied for the job. Do you think eventually it boiled down to you and Kumble?
Shastri: Look boss, it was a pressure cooker scenario. Anil was firing on all cylinders, so I upped the ante. It was going down to the wire. In the end, cricket, I mean Anil, was the real winner. All because of that @#$%^&* Ganguly.

Doosra: You think Sourav has a problem with you?
Shastri: How would I know? He left even before my interview began. But all three results are possible?

Doosra: Like?
Shastri: Like - he hates me, he loathes or he detests me.

Doosra: One must say that you started it by accusing him of showing "disrespect". How hurt were you by the way he hit back?
Shastri: When he hits, it stays hit. He went for the jugular.

Doosra: In the end, what do you think clinch it for Kumble?
Shastri: He got good 'purchase' from the wicket (winks).

Doosra: You think it could have been different had you been physically present at the interview?
Shastri: Maybe they didn't like me doing it from abroad. Remember, we are dealing in boundaries here!

Doosra: When did you realise the finger has gone up?
Shastri: When I saw Ganguly was absent. By the way, I got a feeling here - that you are making fun of me. Are you?

Doosra: All three results are possible.
Shastri: Like?

Doosra: Like -- mocking you, ridiculing you or taking the mickey out of you.
Shastri: No half-measures here, will come after you like a tracer bullet...

Celebs mouth Shakespeare lines on the Bard's 400th death anniversary

1. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears ~ Evander Holyfield

2. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? ~ Sunny Leone's co-stars

3. What's in a name? ~ North West/Deshabandu Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas

4. A man can die but once ~ Gabbar Singh

5. I am one who loved not wisely but too well ~ Kangana Ranaut

6. The course of true love never did run smooth ~ Indrani Mukherjee

7. To be, or not to be, that is the question ~ Adnan Sami, before accepting Indian citizenship.

8. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse ~ BJP Uttarakhand

9. I have no Spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition ~ Mauricio Pochettino

10. I have not slept one wink ~ HD Deve Gowda

11. I must be cruel, only to be kind ~ Finance Minister

12. It is a wise father that knows his own child ~ ND Tiwari

Math Celebs

Sachin ππππππππ...

Laxmikant ||

∑nd Freud

Bridgitte III.

λ Pehelwan

Catherine ζ Jones

Vikram { }h

Anaconda bites Warne: 5 Conspiracy Theories

One hears that Shane Warne, bored with retirement, has gone ahead and got his head bitten by an anaconda on a reality show.

While people behind "I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!" are laughing all the way to the bank, here are the 5 Conspiracy Theories currently doing the rounds:

1. Steve Waugh strategically placed the rogue anaconda in that box;

2. An aspiring leggie itself, the anaconda was trying to pick Warne's brain, literally;

3. John Buchanan called Cricket Australia after the incident, to inquire if the snake was out of danger;

4. Warne was celebrating Nag Panchami when things went wrong;

5. Warne heard anaconda's venom is an excellent hair growth agent.

7 Frank Bank Names

1. Pajama Canara Bank
2. State Bank of Eysore
3. SubStandard Chartered Bank
4. AudaCity Bank
5. Icy Icy Eye Bank
6. Douche Bank
7. Central Bonkers of India

Exclusive Interview of Rohit Sharma's Talent (RST)

Doosra: Hi, you there?
RST: What do you mean you there?

Doosra: Odd. I can hear you but I can't see. The chair is empty. Are you real? I mean, do you really exist?
RST: what do you mean? You don't really suggest Rohit Sharma's talent is non-existent, do you?

Doosra: Well, it's very disconcerting. I feel like Annu Kapoor entertaining an invisible Anil Kapoor in "Mr India". If you exist, why can't I see you?
RST: You don't see Bappi Lahiri's eyes either, but that doesn't mean he doesn't possess any. Look through the prism of devotion, and you'd see me, you obnoxious non-believer.

Doosra: Are you a myth or reality? Does Rohit really have any talent?
RST: Loads of it, more than he knows what to do with it. Trust me, the guy is stuffed to the gills with talent. Look how obese I am!

Doosra: I still can't see you...
RST: That's because you are a cynic moron. Yesterday he cut his finger and you know what he bled? Talent. He is full of it, he's oozing it all the time through his pores. In fact, he has surplus talent. At times he has to spit it, vomit it and even defecate it. Or he'd explode.

Doosra: What rubbish.
RST: On the contrary, if ICC is really serious about improving cricket's standard in associate nations, they should sprinkle Rohit's bathwater on the cricketers from those countries.

Doosra: Outrageous. I find it difficult to accept. Talent was Wasim Akram, who could bowl six different deliveries in an over.
RST: Wasim was a kid and must be thanking his stars that his career didn't coincide with Rohit's. Rohit can squeeze in a boundary even in a three-run knock. He can edge even when shadow-practising. And he can outsmart any bowler by offering multiple dismissal options in each delivery.

Doosra: If he is indeed so talented, why can't he score consistently?
RST: I'll pardon you for being such a chump. All talents, by nature, are like that. If Leonardo da Vince had to churn out a masterpiece every day, he'd have probably come up with Mona Singh and not Mona Lisa. Same with Rohit - masterclass or mastercrap. Nothing in between.

Doosra: Records don't really back that. Apart from the two 200-plus ODI scores, both at home, there's pretty much no real masterclass to justify his billing as the best thing to come out of Mumbai since Sachin Tendulkar.
RST: That's a wrong way to put it.

Doosra: I'm glad you agree.
RST: No, I meant the truth is Tendulkar is the best thing to come out of Mumbai before Rohit happened. I'm afraid, world cricket will always be divided into pre-Rohit and post-Rohit eras.

Doosra: Whatever. I think the trick is to combine talent with hard work. Lara was gifted, but Sachin worked harder and see where they ended up.
RST: Utter rubbish. See, Rohit can't work hard, it would be suicidal for him.

Doosra: And how?
RST: Let me explain. See, every player is like a container, and Rohit is full to the brim with talent. Now to accommodate hard work, you have to tilt the container and drain some of the talent. Now who in his right mind would waste talent like that? Where is the sense in it?

Doosra: It's ridiculous.
Talent: I agree, he's outrageously talented.

Doosra: You mean he won't improve ever?
RST: Don't be silly, where is the room?
Doosra: Guess, we have to live with it. Anyway, nice talking to you. See you...ok, forget it.

7 Nightmares Of A Bengali Bhadralok

1. November 1. Deserted place. Man at dimly-lit lone woollen garment shop whispers: “We don’t sell monkey cap.”

2. Reaching Antarctica and finding there is no Dada-Boudi/Annapurna Hotel serving Bhapa Ilish. Or at least fresh Parshe fish;

3. Pharmacies selling no Gelusil;

4. Braving bullets, dodging landmines and surviving nuclear explosion only to find himself in a situation, for which there is no suitable Rabindrasangeet capturing the complex state of his mind;

5. FSSAI banning Marie biscuit, declaring only rusk can be dunked in morning tea;

6. A worker in a Havana suburb committing suicide and only 2,613 people turning up at Brigade Parade Ground to mourn it;

7. Fearing there are too many of them and they might join hands one day to demand separate nationhood, Government of India decides Bong parents can’t nickname their kids “Bappa” and “Maamon” anymore.

Job Advertisement by Indian Left Leaning Right Wing Aam Congress Trinamuletra Kazhagam

Indian Left Leaning Right Wing Aam Congress Trinamuletra Kazhagam (ILLRWACTK) advertises the following posts to reinforce our mid-rung leadership and boost our media presence.

1. Senior On-camera Crier:
We are looking for someone with robust lacrimal glands (attach medical reports). The candidate should be able to summon tears at a short notice. Essentially, we are looking for a Nirupa Roy in khadi, who should be able to cry over anything, including spilt milk.

Salary: In keeping with the job profile, salary will leave you in tears.

2. Senior Studio-hopper:
We are looking for a candidate with a gift for diplomatic circumlocution. You should be able to blabber on without telling anything.

You would be hopping from one TV studio to another, defending even the most indefensible party move. You should be compulsorily non-committal, supremely vague and appear funereal.

We are basically looking for someone who can outcliche Ravi Shastri, outidiom Navjot Sidhu and outbias Sunny Gavaskar.

You must be a thick-skinned, cliche-pouting, footage-gobbling motormouth, who is not averse to be humiliated on national TV by Arnab Goswami. You should absorb some of the public outrage so that top leaders have it easy.

Candidate should be open to defending party at odd hours for it's not always possible for top leadership to bungle strictly between 9-6.

We will offer a competitive salary but no residence as the candidate will be camping in TV studios anyway.

3. Compulsive condemner-cum-resignation seeker:
We are looking for someone who would condemn rival leaders and demand their resignation even when asleep.

Candidate should look perennially grumpy. Those with chronic dyspepsia and/or migraine would be preferred (attach medical certificate). He/she should be able to link opposition leaders to any scandal/debacle happening anywhere in the world and demand resignation on moral ground.

We offer a salary that would help you remain grumpy but you are not supposed to demand HR manager's resignation.

4. Junior Social media wisher-cum-mourner:
We want an internet-savvy candidate who'd keep us at the top of the social media game.

The job is essentially to wish party leaders and ideologues on their birthdays/anniversaries and mourn their death on Facebook and Twitter.

Social media is a potential minefield and it's a deceptively easy job. This vacancy was created after we fired the chap who prematurely tweeted "Party president died, R.I.P." when the venerable leader had merely dyed.

Salary will be linked to number of Likes you get on Facebook and the RTs you generate on Twitter.

Exclusive: Sourav Ganguly interview

Doosra interviewed Sourav Ganguly at Eden Gardens soon after he became the CAB president.

As his wont, dada was two hours late for the interview but he sort of made up with his frank views on Bengal and Indian cricket.

He chewed his nails throughout the interview until he was sufficiently manicured.

The tangled mass of assorted chains and lockets also made an appearance as he undid the first two buttons of his shirt which he, despite occasional provocations, did not take off or swirl.

We produce the interview verbatim below:

Doosra: Ah, here you are. We thought you won’t turn up at all.
Sourav Ganguly: Sorry, I’m late but don’t you think you should have got used to it by now? Bhagwan ke ghar der hain andher nahi. And you forgot they called me God of the off-side?

Doosra: Well, you have a point there, and a gully as well. Anyway, how does it feel to be the boss of Bengal cricket?
SG: Long ago, I asked “aapne dada ko bhule to nahin?” They proved they have not. I thank them for making me CAB boss though, honestly, I expected to lead ICC if not the UN. Anyway, CAB is a good launchpad I guess.

Doosra: So what are your plans for Bengal cricket?
SG: I promise a swift turnaround in Bengal cricket. They won’t have to wait for it like Steve Waugh had to wait for me at toss (bursts into laughter).

Doosra: Many expect you to identify youngsters who would form the nucleus of the future Bengal team, just as you did as Team India captain.
SG: I’m glad you asked this question. Well, I have decided Sehwag, Yuvraj, Kaif, Bhajji and Zaheer will form the core of the future Bengal team.

Doosra: What! But they are nearly done with competitive cricket and they play for other states!
SG: Sorry, I meant Sehwag junior, Yuvraj junior, Bhajji junior...See, it’s an ambitious, unprecedented project. Sehwag is so pissed off with Delhi that he won’t mind even if his son plays for Andaman Nicobar in Ranji Trophy. We have convinced Bhajji to get married soon and talks are on with Yuvraj as well to graduate from pie-chucker to bachelorhood-chucker. These are the baby steps for revival of Bengal cricket, if you know what I mean (winks).

Doosra: Quite radical, one must say.
SG: Yes, and if the plan materialises, it would rob other states of their own talents and enrich Bengal. So you can say I’m killing two Dickie Birds with one Sharon Stone -- I picked it from Sidhu, by the way.

Doosra: Hope you realise that cricket administration is not going to be a bed of roses. There will be people resisting every step. How do you plan to tackle them?
SG: Chappal se nahi, Chappell se maarunga. I will treat them like I used to treat left-arm spinners. You don’t worry about that.

Doosra: And what about Shah Rukh Khan?
SG: What about him?

Doosra: I mean he treated you badly at KKR, stripping you of captaincy then kicking you out of the team. Are we going to see him being banned at Eden Gardens just like he was at Wankhede?
SG: Don’t be silly. We are grown up men. I have put the entire KKR episode behind me. However, other members decided Shah Rukh will have to walk on his hands every time he wants to enter Eden Gardens, balancing an egg on a spoon in his mouth and two lighted candles on his soles. Well, I can’t always ignore majority view, you see. (winks)

Doosra: What are the reforms you have in mind for Bengal cricket?
SG: To improve our running between-the-wicket, we plan to abolish it altogether. We want our future generation batsmen to score only with 4s and 6s. We commissioned a study that suggests taking singles and twos significantly impedes a batsman’s ability to hit 4s and 6s in the same over, apart from greatly enhancing run-out risks. I agree, it’s not worth the risk.

Doosra: There is a rumour that your wife would be roped in as the team’s batting consultant. That’s not true for sure?
SG: What’s wrong with that? Dona will help our batsmen get their footwork right. Against the spinners, they need to come dancing down the track and who better than a professional dancer to teach them how to do it? Also she gets bored at home knitting sweater for me and the kids.

Doosra: And why did CAB choose Salman Khan, of all people, as the brand ambassador?
SG: I suspect you’re not aware of it but taking off shirt is universally recognized as a cathartic exercise, and my experience is no different. Modern cricket is much more stressful and the players need an outlet for their pent-up angst. Look at Salman, he has got into all sorts of troubles and still remains sane because he frequently goes topless. Besides, we wanted to tap into his hit-and-run experience. (winks)

Doosra: What is your immediate target as CAB chief?
SG: To get Ashok Dinda back down to earth. Poor lad, has leapt so high since his last delivery that got awkwardly stuck in one of the trees in maidan. Fire Brigade guys have reached there with ladder etc. Maybe we need to fill his boots with stones to keep him grounded or tether him to the stumps.

Doosra: And what’s your long-term target as the boss of Bengal cricket?
SG: To lead Bengal to a position where BCCI and eventually ICC will beg for CAB membership.

7 Reasons Why Doosra Did Not Win

As you can make out from the conspicuous silence, Doosra did not win at #WIN15.

We did a post-mortem of the debacle and below are the seven reasons why we did not win.

1. We did not win largely because we lost;

2. We lost because we got the vastu of our blog totally wrong;

3. We did not win as our efforts to manipulate the voting system did not work;

4. We lost as we were 'outbribed' by the eventual winner;

5. We did not win because Blue Dart delayed in delivering the ransom letter to jury chairman whose son we had kidnapped;

6. We lost because the chap who won the prize was in possession of an explosive MMS with the jury chairman featuring prominently in it;

finally

7. Doosra doesn't run after awards. We merely walk briskly.