It's in the stars

Whether India is cricket crazy, or Indian-cricket crazy, or Indian-cricketer crazy has become a gentle rumbling debate over the last few days as stands have been gapingly empty for most matches in the Champions Trophy, while India matches have drawn large and boisterous crowds. But if you'd like a sample of a certain kind of craziness, you need look no further than one story that appeared in a newspaper in Ahmedabad on the eve of India's match against West Indies.

After a detailed tale about how the betting for each match has crossed Rs. 250 crore - and it is well known that there's plenty of illegal gambling in Gujarat, on everything from politics to sport - the report claims that bookies have pegged, surprise surprise, Australia as favourites to win the Champions Trophy. But, as if to counter the many unnamed punters who have kindly provided these inputs, the newspaper runs a story alongside saying what a "leading astrologer based in city" had to say.

Before the India-West Indies match began, this astrologer boldly predicted, "The position of stars now suits India. Scorpio, Jupiter and Saturn from tomorrow will transform the Indian team into a winning combination." Greg Chappell, Rahul Dravid, and now Dilip Vengsarkar have been searching rather feverishly for this elusive winning combination, and they'd be quite happy if celestial forces can lend a hand.

But this astrologer, the poor man never got named in all of this, also said, "All matches from Thursday onwards will be high-scoring because of the Ketu-Buddha combination." And we thought it took a Sachin Tendulkar-Virender Sehwag combination to make the high scores happen.

"India will score between 278 and 291 if it bats first," he said, and might be losing a few clients now as India managed only 223. "The star performers will be Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Virender Sehwag," he said, having obviously studied the form guide carefully and then burned it in a ceremonial pooja. As if that was not good enough, as a parting shot he said, "Ajit Agarkar will be the matchwinner against West Indies," while that prediction looked like it might come true for the briefest of moments, a short wide ball that was slapped away for four, the winning runs, means that few will suggest that Agarkar, with 2-52 was the matchwinner. And what's more, if the bowler isn't unhappy enough regretting that ball that came out of the hand wrong and took him from being potential hero to villain in the fickle minds of Indian cricket fans, Agarkar's ended with a fractured hand for his effort.

Predicting match results is a dangerous thing at the best of times. But after this splendid performance from this "leading astrologer based in the city," it might be a good idea for the gent to either flee the city, or swiftly change professions.