A Friend in Enemy or an Enemy in Friend
I am not here to speak about the possessive nature of any induvidual or the traditional Saas-Bahu Tu tu-main main. I am referring to a rivalry that exists for a reason and reincarnate every season. A relation that makes a person to prove his aptitude beyond everything.
Rivalries have always fascinated me, be it in sport, music, or racing to see who gets to the moon first. With out this enemity, the role of those foes are that of candles in daylight. But rivalry as said exists between two equally potential men who are always better than the other in their own way. Their speciality lies in their belief in themselves, that they are capable of marching to any heights and can overcome any tornados and hurricanes. And if by any chance they undervalue their ability then any task for them would be like climbing Everest without O2. It is never about achievements, but its all about success against each other and never to prove who is better or best, but to prove that they deserve to be compared against one another.
In desi music this enemity is know as JUGAL BANDI. Though its not enemity in real sense, but its all about showing their skills. Jugalbandi (literally "tied together"), is an ancient Indian art form where two musicians with different instruments or styles perform together. The duet could be either vocal or instrumental. Lately, it has been popularized to mean different forms of music, dance and other art forms coming together in a impromptu fusion, catering to all the senses simultaneously - a perfect example where art has no boundaries! In jugalbandhi, both musicians act as lead players, and a playful competition often ensues between the two performers. What defines jugalbandhi is that the two soloists be on an equal footing.
In cricket it's a little different. There are traditional rivalries between teams like Bombay and Delhi for the Ranji Trophy, Australia and England for the Ashes (although this hardly qualifies as a rivalry, given that in the last 20 years England has had only one victory), and the hallowed India-Pakistan rivalry, which has had such a chequered and volatile history that whenever these two nations are represented on the cricket pitch, the economies of both countries are guaranteed to come to a grinding halt.
Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar have had a long-standing competitive relationship since the early 90s. Last year Warne released a list of his hundred greatest players of his time and Tendulkar topped the list. Warne has admitted to having nightmares about Sachin stepping out and hitting him straight back over the head. Tendulkar in return has said that Warne's greatness lies in the fact that even if he's not taking wickets he's coming at you all the time, and for this reason he always prefers to be on his toes when facing him.
Their rivalry is extraordinary not just because of its longevity, but because, they are so radically different and almost representative of their national stereotypes. Tendulkar is quiet, short and modest. Warne is loud, hulking and flash. The fact that they can still play like they play, and egg each other on to higher levels of individual greatness, lies at the core of their rivalry.
Warne may have had his way recently(in the IPL) but both he and Tendulkar know that on another day everything can change. And in a sense that's what great rivalries are all about. It's not about proving one's superiority over the other or having the last laugh. It's about going out there and seeing to whom the day will belong.
The same in case with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and it's possible that whenever Federer decides to retire, Nadal will feel some vacuum in his life. Hope this rivalry in the form of sportsmanship, skill, talent, intelligence, and never-say-die attitude keep us entertaining and inspiring on every mode of life in the ages to come.
Even Yesterday’s IPL final had such a scenario. Me and my Mysore cousins Pradeep & Prashanth had a similar cat fight. Before the 2nd Semifinal they told that Bangalore would at any cost defeat Chennai Super Kings and would also win the electrifying Final. But as we all know that cricket is an unscripted game and the person who does better that day will have the last laugh. I messaged them after the Victory and did the same to most of the dearest ones. So, this was an other example of enemy in a friend and as said earlier rivalries in Sports always fascinated me and this episode was no different.
