Rana Naved-ul-Hasan

In between the successive days of test I suffer from a kind of ennui, a mixture of listlessness and willful melancholy, even on days like today, when one’s favored team hasn’t disappointed contrary to reputation. The best way to alleviate this sort of boredom, which results due to over-anticipation of the next day’s play, is first by gloating over the opposition’s inability to play spin or fast bowling, depending upon which part of the world they are from.

And when you’ve got tired of that (which is quite improbable usually but in dire straits) the next step is to indulge in lofty glorification and totally out-of-context exaltation of your favorite players. Sadly for those who are reading this, today is one of those days when I’m in dire straits. Until I penned this down, I was under the influence of the blogger’s version of a writer’s block. Hence I must undertake the second option, and my choice for player who will be on the receiving end of such grandeur praise as mentioned above, is Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

Rana, as frequently pointed out, is an accidental cricketer, but that can hardly be said of his endeavors on the field. If there are determined cricketers out there, Rana is probably as determined as they come. There is more about his persona to admire though then his obvious never-say-die attitude. There is his cheerful, Duchenne smile, which at times seems ever present on this radiant face. Then there are his dazzling, big eyes which spread the gusto that is core to his whole philosophy on life it seems.

To complement that are two reasonable sized ears, a perfectly straight nose and a full, un-cleft perfect chin. If in fact there is any feature on his face that does not do justice to the aplomb and fortitude he has made his hallmark as a cricketer it is his receding hairline. May be what is needed is quick and quite call to Advanced Hair Studios, who helped out Shane Warne in his “pursuit of hirsute happiness”.

What’s more it could be an easy way of joining quite an esteemed club of former cricket greats, names like Graham Gooch and Martin Crowe. There is no reason obviously to be as overambitious as Warnie and aim for hair extensions and ponytails but no harm in hoping for an honorable all round temple covering. TAFHCA members shall live in hope.