I would get up every morning when the Indian team toured
Australia. Sit up with all earnestness and follow every ball till 7.30 and its
time to go to school. I would sit through the night, to watch a Indo-Pak match
in Canada. I have watched Steve Waugh battle a test match against India, and
get out for handling the ball and my mom would handle me from behind
The beautiful game of cricket has always inspired many
around the world and me too.
Good Evening fellow toastmasters, guests and the President.
The game that I love the most and has always inspired me - is
cricket. The mention of this game, arguably will not go without the mention of
his name. A man loved by millions around the world, Sachin. We used to write
his name on our bats and never moved away from the TV’s when he batted. The
fondest memory is his innings against the Aussies, in the sand storm match. The
match stopped and he sat in the pavilion with his helmet on; waiting for the
match to start. What happened when the match started was just one of the
miracle innings. Sachin single handedly guided India to the finals. The grit
and determination of this man was just awesome. He taught the world, what focus could do.
Sachin was lucky for
another great cricketer. He passed his cap to the umpire after each of his ten
wickets, in the match against Pakistan.
Yes, its Anil Kumble. Anil got hit on his jaw and was
injured while he batted. This was the time, when India relied heavily on Anil
and Srinath. The injury on the jaw, was very bad and he was strapped with a
bandage around his head. Doctors advised him not to move his jaw. He comes out
to bowl and even traps Lara. Later that evening, doctors strictly had to stop
bowling; or face serious health implications, when he decided to fly back to
India. This was the kind of commitment, which Anil displayed.
Anil Kumble late after his retirement, went to see another
healing cricketer in Boston, USA. He was
the hero of the World Cup in the sub- continent. He was Yuvraj Singh.
This was a tale of inspiration, beyond proportions. We
realized the significance and sacrifice of the victory, a little after the
World Cup 2011. It was with the book by Yuvraj Singh,”The test of my life”.
Another fighter, who has fallen and
came back stronger every time. Before the World Cup, he was not in form. Many
felt why he was selected. But, Yuvi was already battling Cancer by now. He was
coughing up blood in the early stages of the tournament. He played with pain
and won important matches in critical stages with bowling and batting. Along with him was a team that gelled well
under and exemplified leader. He did not
have a single major score till the final and came out in the final ahead of
Yuvraj, Dhoni. The whole team played with a grit and determination never seen
before. Showed what can happen, when we means more than I.
Yuvraj played with a photo in his kit through the World Cup.
Again suggested by the man himself to search for motivation. Yuvi found it in
Sachin himself.
As all good things have to come to an end. So did an era. An
era in which Indian team grew from strength to strength. He faced back aches,
heart breaks and even has a broken toe that cannot be healed. He finally bowed
out on 14th November 2013. He touched down upon the pitch, as a mark
of respect and recited a speech that left many Indians in tears. A day that
showed the humility of this great man.
These cricketers, who have excelled in their professions,
have taught us: focus, commitment, team
comes first attitude, a quality to never give up and to stay grounded. These
moments have always inspired me and stayed with me ever since. The game of cricket has inspired many.
Conclusion: My evaluator felt this speech was too broad and could have been better with a more narrow topics. Thanks to him, I got my first "Best Speaker" badge with it. :)
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