The Planetary Cabinet - Nava Nayaka of Samvatsara

As per the Hindu calendar, a time cycle consists of 60 years (Samvatsara) and each of the Samvatsara's are associated with a specific name and the cycle keeps repeating every 60 years. The Samvatsara's by themselves are again divided into groups of 3 consisting of 20 Samvatsara's each with the trinity of Brahma (1 to 20), Vishnu (21 to 40) and Shiva (41 to 60) ruling a period of 20 years amidst these 60 years. The current time cycle beginning with Prabhava Samvatsara started in 1987-88 and will be completed with Akshaya Samvatsara in 2046-47 after which the cycle will once again reflect with Prabhava. The current operational year of 2023-24 happens to be the 37th and is titled 'Shobakrithu'.

The cycle of 60 is obtained from the relative positions of the two furthest planets in the sky as per Vedic Astrology namely Jupiter and Saturn which signify Dharma and Karma respectively. The orbital time taken by Jupiter to traverse the zodiac is approximately 12 years (1 year in each zodiac sign) and that of Saturn is 30 years (2.5 years in each zodiac sign). The least common multiple of 12 and 30 happens to be 60 and hence a time cycle consists of 60 years. It is also roughly the period in which both these planets will cross each other's part and hence the special significance with the number 60.

As per the Panchang, each year begins with the predictions of Sage 'Idaikadar' who delineates about what to expect in a particular year in the form of a verse. Some years from the Sanskrit names itself can be deduced to be good and certain years connote to be inauspicious for the world in general. For Sobhakritu year it is termed as a 'Mangalam' year that denotes prosperity and auspicious happenings taking place in general.

There is however some dissonance with respect to when exactly a year begins. As per the Lunar calendar which is largely adopted amongst Telugu and Kannada speaking population, it occurs during 'Yugadi' which takes place with the rise of Shukla Paksha Pratipada (Pratamai/Padyami) in Chaitra Masa. This normally takes place somewhere between the middle of March and April. However as per the Solar calendar which is mostly followed by Tamil and Malayalam speaking states, a year begins only with the ingress of Sun into the sign of Aries or Mesha Rasi known as 'Chithirai' ushering in the festival of Puthandu / Vishu which normally happens around 13/14/15th of April.

Speaking about the Panchang, there is an important concept called 'Nava Nayaka' which plays a vital role in determining various constituents and giving a breakdown on what to expect with respect to few important portfolios. Like how in politics we see different portfolios being occupied by ministerial candidates, in a similar vein we see different planets taking control of certain positions at the beginning of every Hindu year. The different portfolios which arise every year at the beginning of a Samvatsara happen to be:

- Raja : King (Overall Control)

- Mantri : Minister (Administration)

- Senadipati : Commander in Chief (Law and Order, Defence)

- Arghyadipati : Water (Water Levels, Prices of products, Finances)

- Meghadipati : Clouds (Rainfall, Kind of Weather)

- Sasyadipati : Agriculture (Agricultural Products, Underground Produce)

- Dhanyadipati : Grains (Food crops, Cereals)

- Rasadipati : Commodities (Essential Spices, Medicinal Drugs)

- Neerasadipati : Non Commodities (Metals, Gemstones) 

The Raja is the top most person in the cabinet and most sought after leading the reigns. The Mantri is the next most important and adviser to the King in matters of general public health and lifestyle. The Senadipati is the leader of the army and able folly to the King with regard to law and weapons. Arghyadipati deals largely with the state of water levels but also controls the finance side of things such as the pricing of Agricultural produce. Meghadipati takes the portfolio of ascertaining the weather and estimating the amount of rainfalls expected to be prevalent. Sasyadipati details the prediction of the growth of crops and Dhanyadipathi is all about the production of grains. Rasadipati tackles the essential commodities sector and Neerasadipati manages metal produce including jewellery and precious stones.

The Nava Nayaka calculation occurs largely based on the position of Sun but the rulers of the respective 9 positions can be any of the 7 planets sans the nodes Rahu & Ketu. It is generally believed that natural malefic planets getting majority of the portfolios indicates administration being tough and strict during that particular year whereas presence of more beneficial planets ruling the reigns can designate more well being. The Nava Nayaka for all the 9 portfolios are calculated as below:

Raja:
Basis - Day of Tithi (Relationship between Sun and Moon based on angular distance)
Specific - Day Lord of Shukla Paksha Pratipada in Chaitra month

Mantri:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Aries (Mesha Rasi)

Senadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Leo (Simha Rasi)

Arghyadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Gemini (Mithuna Rasi)

Meghadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in Nakshatra
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Arudra Nakshatra (Tiruvadirai)

Sasyadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Cancer (Karka Rasi)

Dhanyadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Sagittarius (Dhanus Rasi)

Rasadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Libra (Thula Rasi)

Neerasadipati:
Basis - Day of Sun's entry in zodiac sign
Specific - Day Lord of Sun's entry in Capricorn (Makara Rasi)

Thus in 7 of the 9 cases, Nava Nayaka is determined based on the day of Sun's entry into different zodiacs namely Aries, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Capricorn. For determining the 'Raja' it is based on the first Tithi of the brighter half that takes place when Sun is placed in Pisces Rasi and for obtaining 'Meghadipathi', it is the day when Sun enters Arudra Nakshatra.

There is also a concept of Pashunayaka which arises based on the planet that takes the reigns of the Raja position. Pashunayaka is decoded based on the following:
If Raja is Sun or Mars - Pashunayaka will be Yama
If Raja is Moon, Jupiter or Venus - Pashunayaka will be Sri Krishna
If Raja is Mercury or Saturn - Pashunayaka will be Balarama

Let's go about computing the Nava Nakaya planets of all the 9 portfolios for the current Samvatsara in operation which happens to be Shobakritu.

Raja:
Calculation: Day Lord of Shukla Paksha Pratipada Tithi during Sunrise in Chaitra month
Outcome: The Sun and Moon conjunct in Meena Rasi (Pisces) forming Shukla Paksha Pratipada Tithi which takes place on 21st March 2023 at 22:54 hours. This happens to be on a Tuesday. However since sunrise is not prevalent, we need to consider the day this Tithi occurs when sunrise is present which happens to be Wednesday, 22nd March 2023. Hence the Raja for the year is 'Mercury'
Result: Raja = Mercury

Mantri:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Aries (Mesha Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Mesha Rasi on 14th April 2023 at 14:27 hours. This happens to be a Friday. Day Lord for Friday is Venus. Hence Mantri for the year is Venus
Result: Mantri = Venus

Senadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Leo (Simha Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Simha Rasi on 17th August 2023 at 13:01 hours. This happens to be a Thursday. Day Lord for Thursday is Jupiter. Hence Senadipati for the year is Jupiter
Result: Senadipati = Jupiter

Arghyadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Gemini (Mithuna Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Mithuna Rasi on 15th June 2023 at 17:44 hours. This happens to be a Thursday. Day Lord for Thursday is Jupiter. Hence Arghyadipati for the year is Jupiter
Result: Arghyadipati = Jupiter

Meghadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Arudra Nakshatra (Tiruvadirai)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Arudra Nakshatra on 22nd June 2023 at 17:17 hours. This happens to be a Thursday. Day Lord for Thursday is Jupiter. Hence Meghadipati for the year is Jupiter
Result: Meghadipati = Jupiter

Sasyadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Cancer (Kataka Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Kataka Rasi on 17th July 2023 at 04:35 hours. This happens to be a Monday as per English Day but Sunday as per the Vedic Calendar since a Hindu Day begins from sunrise and ends during the next day Sunrise. However since the day is almost over, only Monday is considered for this portfolio with sunrise being prevalent. Day Lord for Monday is Moon. Hence Sasyadipati for the year is Moon
Result: Sasyadipati = Moon

Dhanyadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Sagittarius (Dhanus Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Dhanus Rasi on 16th December 2023 at 15:28 hours. This happens to be a Saturday. Day Lord for Saturday is Saturn. Hence Dhanyadipati for the year is Saturn
Result: Dhanyadipati = Saturn

Rasadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Libra (Thula Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Thula Rasi on 18th October 2023 at 00:59 hours. This happens to be a Tuesday as per English Day but Wednesday as per the Vedic Calendar since a Hindu Day begins from sunrise and ends during the next day Sunrise. However since the day is almost over, only Wednesday is considered for this portfolio with sunrise being prevalent. Day Lord for Wednesday is Mercury. Hence Rasadipati for the year is Mercury
Result: Rasadipati = Mercury

Neerasadipati:
Calculation: Day Lord of Sun's entry in Capricorn (Makara Rasi)
Outcome: The Sun transits into Makara Rasi on Saturday, 15th January 2024 at 02:13 hours. This happens to be a Monday as per English Day but Sunday as per the Vedic Calendar since a Hindu Day begins from sunrise and ends during the next day Sunrise. However since the day is almost over, only Monday is considered for this portfolio with sunrise being prevalent. Day Lord for Monday is Moon. Hence Neerasadipati for the year is Moon
Result: Neerasadipati = Moon

Note:
It is important to note that a Vedic Day begins only from Sunrise as opposed to a standard English Calendar day which starts at 12AM. Generally the mean sunrise adopted is 6AM as that is considered to be the approximate standard time in which Sun rises within most places in India. Thus, it can be roughly assimilated that 6AM is Sunrise time and 6PM is Sunset time. While calculating Navanayaka, if any of the planetary transits takes place after 6PM, as per Surya Siddhantha only the next day is considered into the equation though as per Drik Siddhantha which deals with observable placement in the skies, it could have taken place in the previous day. This needs to be carefully looked at while determining Navanayaka portfolio.

Ayanamsa used for the calculation of Navanayaka is Lahiri Chitra Paksha and the place considered is Chennai, India. There could be a change in planetary portfolio based on the Ayanamsa adopted. Also for all cases of Navanayaka, since only the day lord is considered into the equation and since the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu do not rule any of the days, they do not hold ground to become the Navanayaka's for any of the 9 portfolios in operation.

Listed below is the current operational Samvatsara cycle that runs from 1987-88 to 2046-47.

Swirl - Indulging the Buffet Bite!

It was our third consecutive long drive road trip in as many weeks and this time we headed over to Welcome Hotel Kences which is a part of the ITC group. We sat in the lawn for a couple of drinks and were welcomed by the blow of the breeze coming right from the sea side located just across the side. It was a sight to behold and the sea breeze made it a soothing experience.

After our tryst near by the sea with drinks for company, we decided it was time to eat and headed over to their restaurant called Swirl. The last two weeks were greeted with Ala carte options which were not so resounding. This time we preferred to go the Buffet way hoping that they'll be laying out quite a lavish spread.
                                          
The setup of the ambiance was pretty nice from the outset. The outside environment greeted with a nice rich look of a small water area surrounded with plants aplenty. On the inside it appeared cozy and comfortable with plenty of seating space and the items of the buffet placed at a central space.

Normally Sunday buffets in places such as this tend to usually have a massive spread with a magnanimous serving of broadened cuisines. That however was sorely missing. The spread seemed pretty pedestrian. Things you normally associate such as a Live counter wasn't witnessed. Options of Italian, Mexican or Mediterranean were hardly available. Neither were there South Indian tiffin fare such as Dosa, Idli etc or the Indian chaat variety of pani puri, pav bhaji etc. We thought there would be something special served to the table but that wasn't the case. The kitchen area was used only for the Indian bread variety to order for and nothing else.

Though the spread was limited which was quite unexpected but however whatever that was available and tried had nothing really much to complain about. There were couple of starters in the form of a panneer 65 and corn fritters. The panneer chunks were flavorful with a dash of spices added in and the corn was crunchy. There was one pasta item with mushrooms along with a moussaka which was decent and so were the noodles. On the main course, the panneer gravy was signature and so were their Black Dal which added as able folly to the Roti and Naan consumed.

They had a drinks counter placed right at the entrance serving butter milk, mint nannari and rose litchi. Had a small shot at them all and each of them had brownie points going for them. The salad counter however was pretty plain. They had 4 varieties of ice cream in the form of vanilla, chocolate, butter scotch and mango. Filled my dessert plate with one of each and ended up finishing the meal on a high.

The service side was helpful and greeting. However they seemed a little lacked out on manpower as many a time the used plates were taken away only after we had reloaded the new ones and had to ask them many a time to clear it. The pricing at roughly about 2k bucks inclusive of taxes per person seemed on par with other buffets of similar properties.

On the whole, it was a reasonable experience. They should definitely stack up their buffet with plenty more options available. Well one could always argue as what's the point by loading up dishes all of which would be hard to be consumed by the customer. But the point is not just that as having an extensive spread gives way to more variety. The one's visiting such places are spread across all age groups and hence more options can make it more enticing and appeasing. Also gives way for a more laidback and sombre time where one could at his peril be spoonfed with options to pick and choose.

Surf Turf - Ambiance Plus Food Minus

This was our second back to back venture at a sea side restaurant across the side of ECR. After having experienced Bay6 just about a fortnight ago, we decided to try Surf Turf located at Kovalam. This is a restaurant elevated to a nice degree and beautifully overlooking the sea. It seems like an apt place to visit especially in this summer heat.

The ambiance is definitely a plus point going for this place. It gives a laidback feel and the breeze blowing across certainly adds a positive touch. The place is spacious with the center portion dealing with smirking up drinks and giving a buzzing atmosphere on the whole.

Beach side ambiance apart, the experience was pretty pedestrian on the food side. The vegetarian options were almost devoid and had absolutely nothing really noteworthy to order. There were just a couple of starters and every item took it's own sweet time to arrive at our table.

The Nachos were very plain and just run of the mill stuff. It was neither appetizing to look at nor really had anything interesting to hit the taste buds. The center portion was drizzled with melted cheese and chopped tomatoes. That was all there was to it and lacked the bite. Thankfully at least the nachos were crispy and not soggy avoiding it from being a complete whimper.

The cheesy fries also left a lot to be desired. It was again just plain fries with a tomato puree and layer of cheese sprayed over it. It didn't really go along well and it also made the fries appear drenched and not giving it the punch that it required. Certainly it could have been decorated much better and some spices and seasoning could have definitely helped.

The Cheese Garlic bread again was garden variety.  It seemed like a home made substitute of bread coated with cheese. It wasn't bad by any stretch but you surely expect better quality in a restaurant.

On the main course, tried the Malabar Parotta with the Paneer Butter Masala for company. There were just 2 side dishes available on the veg side and had no other option but to choose this. It was pretty decent overall in taste with just the only blip being the Panneer could have been a tad softer. 

Surf Turf is clearly a case of ambiance going all right but lacking on the foremost front which is food. One ultimately comes to a restaurant for having flavourful food and experiencing variety. This was sorely missing and they certainly need to up the ante by first enhancing the menu with surely a bit more vegetarian options and secondly working on the taste factor which goes without saying. As of it's current state, it purely looks like it's only the ambience which is keeping this place stay afloat.

Bay 6 - Decked up at the beach side!

It was an extremely hot summer afternoon when we decided to venture out towards the ECR side and eat some food at Bay 6. The ambiance instantly wins you over as you can witness the waves of the sea right at the onset as you're gorging across your food. It's very simple by design but they have captured the view of the sea in all it's glory. Though the weather outside was shining bright as ever, the zephyr blowing over kept us really soothed making it a calming influence. 

It is located in one of the many tiny streets that leads you up towards the ECR beach. This one is right at the end and it appears that it's a house which has been constructed into a restaurant and what they've crafted out comes across as just the most cozy place to welcome an insouciant lunch or dinner. A lot of brown adorns the place with a touch up of white to give it an appealing texture. 

The cuisine is a melange of continental, Italian and a skosh of North Indian. The major page filling up the menu happens to be small plates and that's what we mainly dug at during our encounter with this place. The Kabuli Panneer was a certain win. The minced mix of chole interspersed inside fresh rolled out chunks of panneer gave it a delectable taste. The Malai Brocolli & Pineapple was a decent fair. Brocolli florets and cut pieces of pineapple were dunked into cream cheese but somehow the cheesy bits weren't that evident. The button based stuffed mushrooms however had an enticing taste with the char grill taste flashing out. The best of the starters were however the Hara Bara Kabab which was nailed to perfection. The mix of carrot, peas and spinach came out jocularly well and were lip smacking for the taste buds. 

On the main course, we tried a pesto based penne pasta. This was kind of nice with the flavour of the green pesto ruling supreme but however it didn't feel like a spectacular dish overall. Just quite a little nice pasta but nothing really to rave about. Their signature Bay 6 pizza was quite a win. It looked amazingly alluring with a bunch of toppings that felt perfect for a summer afternoon. On the North Indian side just had a shot at the Paneer Butter Masala which was quite creamy and pleasing. Didn't have the stomach for a dessert and just settled in for a pineapple juice which was purely plain jane. The sugar element was somehow missing and this was a pass. 

The service was neat and quick. They were honest with their suggestions and open for feedback. The rates appear a tad bit on the higher side but on expected lines. 

Overall it was quite a delightful experience. On the food side some hit the bulls eye but a few were quite off the mark. The scenic spot makes it an attractive juncture for tourists with the location and atmosphere perhaps their biggest take away. Some minor work around on the food side can help elevating the experience a further notch.

Test match turnarounds and results by the barest of margins

The Long form version of Test Match cricket has been by far the most exciting and historically best edition of the game. Just shy of it's 146th year anniversary since the existence of International Test Cricket that began on 15th March 1877, the sport was witness to a gasping thriller for the ages with New Zealand pipping a red hot England side by a solitary margin of one run after being asked to follow on. The win sparked off unquestionable celebrations as it was just the second time a victory of one run had been recorded in this format and just the 4th time ever a test been won by a side following on. When you sum up the two, it's the first time ever a side had won after being asked to follow on and record the thinnest margin of victory ever by a run. Centuries may pass and we may still be privy to more low margin victories in future but undoubtedly it's almost certainly not going to be by a side after being asked to follow on. This makes New Zealand's feat in this test match incredible and all the more remarkably special.

The ebbs and flows that proceeded throughout the 5 days of play at Basin Reserve Stadium in Wellington was a gripping spectacle of the highest order and enough proof to testify that the oldest version of the game has everything within it's purview to keep both the players and spectators hooked on. The denouement that played out eventually could never be envisaged or scripted more perfectly than the way it all actually ended. Shorter versions of the sport such as One Day Internationals and Twenty 20 format have a charm of their own being more box office friendly and bringing in the crowds but the intensity and passion which test cricket generates is surreal and hard to surpass. This was the 2494th recorded International Test Match played and to witness a team win after being asked to follow on and end up being only the second occasion to win a test match by a solitary run shows how special Test cricket is as it keeps churning out astonishing results and unheard of moments & memories time after time. 

Victory after Following On:
Let's take a cursory list of the 4 occasions a team after being asked to follow on still ended up on the winning side.

1894 Sydney, Australia: Eng def Aus by 10 runs. Deficit in first innings 261 runs
1981 Leeds, England: Eng def Aus by 18 runs. Deficit in first innings 227 runs
2001 Kolkata, India: Ind def Aus by 171 runs. Deficit in first innings 274 runs
2023 Wellington, New Zealand: NZ def Eng by 1 run. Deficit in first innings 226 runs

By looking at the above list, we can observe some interesting patterns. The second occasion of a win by following on happened almost 87 years from the first. 20 years later the third instance took place and almost exactly 22 years to the day, the 4th one has been recorded. India's victory over Australia at Kolkata in a way seems mighty special as India had conceded the highest deficit of 274 runs and also ended up winning by the highest margin of 171 runs having followed on. All the other three victories viz the 2 by England and 1 by New Zealand was by bare mere margins which could have tilted the balance either way. One other similarity worth noting from the last 2 occasions is that the losing team were coming off a major winning streak only to end in despair and agony. Australia had won 16 on the trot looking to win their 17th when they came undone and likewise England were victorious in 6 straight games and on the back of winning 10 of their last 11 test matches only to end up losing it finally in excruciating fashion.

Victory by One Run:
Also let's jot down the only 2 attempts in which a team has recorded victories by a single run.

1993 Adelaide, Australia: WI def Aus by 1 run
2023 Wellington, New Zealand: NZ def Eng by 1 run

The second occasion of winning by a run has occurred in 2023 exactly 3 decades since the first one took place in 1993. New Zealand can have the bragging rights of being the only home team to have registered a famous victory by 1 run on home soil. Australia's record in general seems to be quite agonizing having lost 3 matches after asking the opposition to follow on in addition to losing a heartbreaking home defeat by a run to the Windies. They have also suffered tragic defeats losing in single digit encounters most notably being the 2 run defeat to England in the monumental Edgbaston Ashes test at Birmingham in 2005 not to forget a nerve wracking 3 run loss to their arch rivals England at MCG in the Boxing Day Test of 1982. South Africa's re-entry into Test Cricket saw them scalping home an unforgettable 5 run victory over the Aussies in 1994 at Sydney and in recent times their most traumatic defeat would be losing by a mere 7 runs at home to the Kiwis at Hobart in 2011. New Zealand however have been a side in recent times handling their nerves in pressure situations really well and been successful in flushing out 3 gut wrenching close call victories. Apart from the Hobart triumph in 2011 and Wellington victory in 2023, they also managed to eke out a thrilling 4 run win away from home at Abu Dhabi in 2019 paving way towards a famous overseas series victory over Pakistan. 

Scores Level with No Win No Loss (Tie/Draw): 
Coming to some Ifs and Buts, had England managed to score one more run, this match against New Zealand would have been classified as a Tied test. The delivery before the final dismissal can still be debated if it should have been allowed as a wide or not. This could be argued on endlessly for eternity but official verdict has been made with the result firmly going in New Zealand's favour.

There have however been 4 tests played where scores ended up being levelled at the end of the test match but only two of them make it to the list of test matches ending in a 'Tie'. The other two however gets classified as a 'Draw'. The reason for the discrimination depends on whether a batting side is bowled out or not. If a match ends scores level with the batting side being dismissed of all their wickets then it's granted as a 'Tie' whereas if a match ends with scores level on account of overs being bowled up at end of Day 5 with the batting side still having a wicket or more in hand, then it gets vetoed in as a Draw.

Lets look at the 4 occasion of scores being level but match ending in a Tie or Draw:

1960 Brisbane, Australia: Aus vs WI. Result 'Tie'
1986 Chennai, India: Ind vs Aus. Result 'Tie'
1996 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: Zim vs Eng. Result 'Draw'
2011 Mumbai, India: Ind vs WI. Result 'Draw'

Both the tied test matches were iconic in their era with the first one occurring between Australia and West Indies at the Gabba in 1960 and the second one 26 years later between India and Australia at the erstwhile Madras test of 1986. This particular NZ vs Eng test could have been the third occasion to have taken place after 37 years but alas it was not to be. Australia are however the only side to have been involved in both the Tied test encounters.

Incidentally the other tests where scores were levelled but earned the tag of a 'Draw' took place 15 years apart with the first one happening in Zimbabwe in 1996 followed by India in 2011. The Zim vs Eng game had no chance of being a Tie as England had lost only 6 wickets chasing a target of 205 and ended up falling one run short. The game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai however was a humdinger and at the start of the last over, there were all possibilities of either of a Win, Loss, Tie or Draw. India finally ended up levelling scores with the Windies with one wicket still remaining in their kitty. Going into the final over, India needed to obtain 3 runs with 2 wickets in hand. If the Windies had scalped both the wickets before India could get two runs they would have won the match. If India had scored the three runs they would have been victors. If India had got 2 runs but lost both their final two wickets, then it would have been a tie. But ultimately it was a Draw because India got the 2 runs to level the scores but only lost one of their wickets in the process. Both the two Drawn test matches with scores level however never get the same recognition as the Tied test matches within the parlance of cricketing folklore.

Victory off the Last Delivery:
Coming to jaw dropping last ball finishes, it's worth noting that there have been two test matches which have been won off the last delivery bowled in the test match.

Let's take an inventory of the matches won off the Final Delivery:

1948 Durban, South Africa: Eng def SA by 2 wickets
2023 Christchurch, New Zealand: NZ def SL by 2 wickets

The most recent encounter between New Zealand and Sri Lanka which incidentally took place less than a fortnight after the epic New Zealand vs England game falls in to this esteemed and elusive category. This incidentally was the 2498th recorded test match and New Zealand thus have the rare honour of being a part of two celebrated back to back test victories etched for the ages through their two quench thirsting last gasp thrillers in 2023. 

Had Kane Williamson been found short of his ground while attempting to cross over for that bye, the match would have been termed a draw with scores being level from both sides. It would have become only the third instance of scores level with match ending in a draw but instead became the second occasion ever where a team had won off the last legitimate delivery bowled in a test match. New Zealand have now won their last two tests by a margin of one run and off the last delivery of the test match respectively with Kane Williamson having the distinction of scoring a century in both these tests.

The only other instance of a last ball finish happened almost three fourth of a century ago in the test match between South Africa and England in 1948. England emerged victorious having been set a final day target of 128 runs off 28 overs and managed to scamper across the line in the very last ball of the 28th over. The coincidence across both these games is that both these sides won the match off the last ball with exactly 2 wickets to spare. Phew! - the romance of test cricket history has certainly been bewitching to say the least.

Victory by One Wicket:
This is also as close as it gets and come to think of it from an alternative point of view, the team chasing would have suffered an agonizing defeat having come so close but not being able to cross the line. However in comparison to teams having won by solitary minor run margins, the victories by teams chasing and winning by a wicket in hand have happened quite a number of times in the history of International Test Cricket with 15 being the exact number.

Let's take a brief look at those encounters as well:

1902 Oval, England: Eng def Aus by 1 wicket
1906 Johannesburg, South Africa: SA def Eng by 1 wicket
1908 Melbourne, Australia: Eng def Aus by 1 wicket
1923 Cape Town, South Africa: Eng def SA by 1 wicket
1951 Melbourne, Australia: Aus def WI by 1 wicket
1980 Dunedin, New Zealand: NZ def WI by 1 wicket
1994 Karachi, Pakistan: Pak def Aus by 1 wicket
1999 Barbados, West Indies: WI def Aus by 1 wicket
2000 Antigua, West Indies: WI def Pak by 1 wicket
2003 Multan, Pakistan: Pak def Ban by 1 wicket
2006 Colombo, Sri Lanka: SL def SA by 1 wicket
2010 Mohali, India: Ind def Aus by 1 wicket
2019 Durban, South Africa: SL def SA by 1 wicket
2019 Leeds, England: Eng def Aus by 1 wicket
2021 Jamaica, West Indies: WI def Pak by 1 wicket

Looking at this list, Australia have again had the rough end of the stick suffering the ignominy of losing 6 encounters by a one wicket margin. They have managed to win only once by a wicket margin. Australia may be the most successful nation ever in cricket history but in terms of close shave defeats, the Aussies seem to be right at the top of the pile. 2019 was the only year which was witness to 2 occasions of a one wicket victory. Some of the greatest hall of fame innings have also apparently come in one wicket victories. Innings which immediately come to mind are Brian Lara's blitzkrieg 153 vs Aus, Inzamam Ul Haq's masterpiece 138 vs Ban, Kusal Perera's heroic 153 vs SA and Ben Stokes counter attacking sterling 135 vs the Aussies.

Thus as at the end of March 2023, International test cricket would have completed 146 years since it's inception comprising of exactly 2500 recorded encounters. Within this mammoth oeuvre, there have been only 4 instances of a team winning after following on, 2 cases of victories by a solitary run, 2 times a match ending in a tie, 2 occasions of match ending in a draw with scores level, 2 attempts of victory off the final legitimate delivery and 15 events of a victory by a side with just a wicket remaining. Test cricket results and pandemonium definitely seem to have a match made in history. 

The Drama that the original form of Cricket viz Test Cricket has provided over it's rich and vast history is simply unparalleled and when it comes to close encounters it's theatrics is unmistakably insurmountable. May the 'Legend of Test Cricket' continue to grow and enchant for generations and lifetimes to come.

Pictures and Source of Statistics: Espncricinfo.com

Important Terminologies pertaining to Tamil Astrology

There are certain terminologies used in Tamil Astrology which are bit peculiar and considered to be of slight variation when compared with the traditional usage. A few of these do find favor in general horoscopic analysis but in the Tamil equivalent, they are used a bit more widely than usual. Let us look at some of the concepts that add an extra flavour while interpreting a horoscope.

⇒ Badhaka Sthana - The Obstacle Houses
These are the houses that can cause hurdles and be a barrier in a horoscope. It differs for each sign based on whether it is a Movable, Fixed or Dual rasi. This concept has found much footing in recent times and used a lot when interpreting horoscopes. Based on the Kala Purusha, the 11th house is the default Badhaka sign but it differs for each sign based on the type. The planets situated in Badhak can create impediments and the lord of the sign also needs to be analyzed. Contrary to popular opinion that Badhak Lord placed in a negative bhava like 6,8,12 yields good result, the actuality is that as stated in Pulipani Jothidam, Badhak Lord being placed in a Trikona especially 5,9 houses only ends up being favorable. To explain this theory, the Sage specifically explains that for a Fixed Sign Ascendant, the 9th house Badhak lord being seated in own 9th house itself ends up actually being favorable to negate the ill effects of Badhak Bhava.

The Badhaka Sthana for different signs are as follows:
Movable Sign - 11th House
Fixed Sign - 9th House
Dual Sign - 7th House

⇒ Maraka Sthana - The Killer Houses
Maragathipathi or Maraka refers to those houses that can cause a killing effect to the native. In general parlance and as advocated by most texts, the 2nd and 7th houses always end up being the Maraka houses. This is based on the Bhavat Bhavam principle of 8th house being the house of longevity. The 3rd being the 8th from the 8th extends this logic. The 12th house from any house is said to be a negater and hence the 12th from the 3rd and 8th house yields the 2nd and 7th house thus forming the concept of Maraka houses. However in Tamil Astrology, similar to Badhak the concept operates differently based on the type of sign depending on whether it is movable, fixed or dual.

The Maraka Sthana for different signs are as follows:
Movable Sign - 2nd & 7th House
Fixed Sign - 3rd & 8th House
Dual Sign - 7th & 11th House

⇒ Maraivu Sthana - The Hidden Houses
Maraivu Sthana are known as the hidden houses where planets are said to generally lose their power and become ineffective. The 3rd, 6th, 8th and 12th houses form the crux of the Maraivu houses. In this it's said that the 3rd is only about 1/4th hidden and the 12th about 1/2 hidden and only 6th and 8th being the combative hidden houses with 8th being the most malicious. However though the general hidden houses happen to be 3rd, 6th, 8th and 12th it happens to differ for the planets in question. Since the natural malefics are said to be effective in Upachaya Sthana which are the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses and two of these houses namely the 3rd and 6th also come under list of Maraivu Bhava these places get eliminated. For Venus the 6th and 12th houses are eliminated on account of it forming Lakshmi Yoga.

Hence the Maraivu Sthana for different planets are as follows:
Sun - 8th House, 12th House
Moon - 3rd House, 6th House, 8th House, 12th House
Mars - 8th House, 12th House
Mercury - 3rd House, 6th House, 8th House, 12th House
Jupiter - 3rd House, 6th House, 8th House, 12th House
Venus - 3rd House, 8th House
Saturn - 8th House, 12th House
Rahu - 8th House, 12th House
Ketu - 8th House, 12th House

⇒ Poojya Pada - Zero Point
There are selective Nakshatra Padas in each of the 12 rasis where planets are said to lose their potency and become ineffective when seated in that designated spot of 3°20'. This is said to be called as zero point and hence if any of the planets falls in this area, it can attract negative vibrations. Out of the 12 rasis, 4 of them happen to be on the 1st pada, another 4 happen on the 5th pada and other 4 happen on the last 9th pada of the rasi.

The Poojya Pada for each rasi is as follows:
Mesha - Ashwini 1 - 0°0' - 3°20' - 1st Pada of 9 Padas
Rishaba - Krithika 2 - 0°0' - 3°20' - 1st Pada of 9 Padas
Mithuna - Arudra 3 - 13°20' - 16°40' - 5th Pada of 9 Padas 
Karka - Ashlesha 4 - 26°40' - 30°0' - 9th Pada of 9 Padas
Simha - Poorva Phalguni 1 - 13°20' - 16°40' - 5th Pada of 9 Padas
Kanya - Uttara Phalguni 2 - 0°0' - 3°20' - 1st Pada of 9 Padas
Thula - Swati 3 - 13°20' - 16°40' - 5th Pada of 9 Padas
Vrischika - Jyeshta 4 - 26°40' - 30°0' - 9th Pada of 9 Padas
Dhanu - Moola 1 -  0°0' - 3°20' - 1st Pada of 9 Padas
Makara - Dhanishta 2 - 26°40' - 30°0' - 9th Pada of 9 Padas
Kumbha - Satabisha 3 - 13°20' - 16°40' - 5th Pada of 9 Padas
Meena - 26°40' - 30°0' - 9th Pada of 9 Padas

⇒ Graha Natpu, Pagai and Samam - Planetary Friendship, Enmity and Neutrality
This concept works largely on the traditional Parashara methodology of finding out if a planet is friendly or not to another taking the Moola Trikona sign into question and evaluating the same. However additionally in most of the Panchangas, Rahu and Ketu are also assigned friendship levels with other planets. In Tamil astrological parlance, Rahu & Ketu do not own any sign of their own but they have their own treatment with respect to other planets,

The planetary relationship for the 9 planets work in the following manner:

Sun:
Friends - Moon, Mars, Jupiter
Enemies - Venus, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu
Neutral - Mercury

Moon:
Friends - Sun, Mercury
Enemies - Rahu, Ketu
Neutral - Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn

Mars:
Friends - Sun, Moon, Jupiter
Enemies - Mercury, Rahu, Ketu,
Neutral - Venus, Saturn

Mercury:
Friends - Sun, Venus
Enemies - Moon
Neutral -  Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu

Jupiter:
Friends - Sun, Moon, Mars
Enemies - Mercury, Venus
Neutral - Saturn, Rahu, Ketu 

Venus:
Friends - Mercury, Saturn, Rahu, Ketu
Enemies - Sun, Moon,
Neutral - Mars, Jupiter

Saturn:
Friends - Mercury, Venus, Rahu, Ketu
Enemies - Sun, Moon, Mars
Neutral - Jupiter 

Rahu:
Friends - Venus, Saturn, Ketu
Enemies - Sun, Moon, Mars
Neutral - Mercury, Jupiter 

Ketu:
Friends - Venus, Saturn, Rahu
Enemies - Sun, Moon, Mars
Neutral - Mercury, Jupiter 

⇒ Graha Rasi Thanmai - Planetary Relationship in Different Rasis
This is with respect to according the different relationship assigned to planets when they are placed in different signs. With respect to Rahu & Ketu, here again there are plenty of confusions at play. There is no clear cut basis as to which of the signs they happen to be exalted. One of the most popular views is that Rahu gets exalted in Taurus and Ketu in Scorpio. However there are certain Tamil Panchangams which advocate that both Rahu & Ketu being one and the same get exalted in the sign in which Moon gets debilitated which is Scorpio and get debilitated in the exalted sign of Moon which happens to be Taurus. This has a validity as in effect the nodes are derived based on the Moons orbital path and is also said to maintain an inimical relationship with it. Rahu & Ketu are said to be friends with Venus & Saturn whereas maintain a neutral relationship with Mercury & Jupiter but strangely they are said to be friendly in both the signs of Mercury & Jupiter respectively. There is also a generic contrarian view which says that Rahu is favorable when placed in the signs of Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Virgo and Capricorn whereas Ketu is beneficial in the signs of Virgo, Scorpio and Aquarius. There is no real consensus at all whenever it comes to the nodes but however listed below is the most well known relationships that planets exhibit when placed in various rasis. 

The relationship exhibited by the 9 planets when placed in different rasis work in the following way:
                         

⇒ Pasagan, Bodhakan, Karakan, Vedhagan - Digestor, Informer, Doer, Obstructor
This concept is largely used when analyzing Dasha result. It is believed that the Antar Dasa Lord gives its result to the Dasha Lord based on any of the 4 portfolio that it obtains. The results of these are given in the Tamil texts "Jathaka Alankaram" and "Chandra Kaviyam". Explained below briefly is about the meaning of the 4 different terms.

Pasagan - The Pasagan is the one that instructs to give results in abundance and in a complete manner

Bodhakan - The Bodhakan is the one that intends to give results in a quick fashion and in proper way 

Karakan - The Karakan is the one that acts as helper and providing assistance in completing a task

Vedhagan - The Vedhagan is the one that acts as a hurdle and obstructs the path in giving the fulfilled results

Listed below are the Pasagan, Bodhakan, Karakan and Vedhagan for all the 9 planets
Sun : Pasagan - Saturn, Bodhakan - Mars, Karakan - Jupiter, Vedhagan - Venus
Moon : Pasagan - Venus, Bodhakan - Mars, Karakan - Saturn, Vedhagan - Sun
Mars : Pasagan - Sun, Bodhakan - Moon, Karakan - Saturn, Vedhagan - Mercury
Mercury : Pasagan - Moon, Bodhakan - Jupiter, Karakan - Venus, Vedhagan - Mars
Jupiter : Pasagan - Saturn, Bodhakan - Mars, Karakan - Moon, Vedhagan - Sun
Venus : Pasagan - Mercury, Bodhakan - Jupiter, Karakan - Sun, Vedhagan - Saturn
Saturn : Pasagan - Venus, Bodhakan - Moon, Karakan - Jupiter, Vedhagan - Mars
Rahu : Pasagan - Mercury, Bodhakan - Jupiter, Karakan - Mars, Vedhagan - Sun
Ketu : Pasagan - Venus, Bodhakan - Mercury, Karakan - Saturn, Vedhagan - Moon
                  
Notes: The classics largely advocate the results only for the 7 planets and not the nodes Rahu / Ketu. However in a few rare places they have been mentioned indirectly and hence been added in the list. Apart from Dasa results, these are sometimes also used as general placement results within a horoscope. For instance taking Sun, it's Pasagan is said to be Saturn which is said to be it's enemy but Sun sitting in the rasi of Saturn which could be Capricorn or Aquarius can enable Sun to get results in abundance on account of Saturn being it's Pasagan. Likewise Moon sitting in a rasi of Mars that could be Aries or Scorpio can help Moon to get it's desired results in quick time due to Mars being it's Bodhakan. Similar way Jupiter acts as the Karaka for Saturn. Hence Saturn being placed in a rasi of Jupiter which is either of Sagittarius or Pisces will help Saturn get the required assistance in completing it's work. Vedhagan on the other hand obstructs proceedings and as an illustration Jupiter sitting in the rasi of Sun which is Leo can act as a hurdle and prevent Jupiter from getting it's results fulfilled.

⇒ Kala Pagai Dasa - Planetary Time Periods based on Life
There are certain planetary Dasa's which are said to create problems when they come within a certain age. There are also some sub periods which are said to be troublesome portions when a Dasa is operating. Lets look at the Dasa's which create problems when they occur during a particular lifespan

0 years to 2 years - Saturn Dasa
2 years to 11 years - Rahu Dasa
11 years to 18 years - Sun Dasa
18 years to 34 years - Moon Dasa
34 years to 52 years - Venus Dasa
52 years to 68 years - Ketu Dasa
68 years to 100 years - Mercury Dasa

We will now see the Antar Dasa's which magnify the issues when a particular Dasa is operating. In general it is said that the first sub period is not expected to produce favorable results but there are also specific other periods within a Dasa causing unfavorable time span on account of Kala Pagai which is planetary enmity.

Sun Dasa - Venus Antar Dasa
Moon Dasa - Jupiter Antar Dasa
Mars Dasa - Saturn Antar Dasa
Mercury Dasa - Rahu Antar Dasa
Jupiter Dasa - Mercury Antar Dasa
Venus Dasa - Sun Antar Dasa
Saturn Dasa - Mars Antar Dasa
Rahu Dasa - Mercury Antar Dasa
Ketu Dasa - Saturn Antar Dasa

There is also a concept of Maraka Dasa which can cause a killing impact on the native based on the sequence of Dasa. Listed briefly are the Dasa planets causing this effect based on the sequence.
4th Dasa - Saturn
5th Dasa - Mars
6th Dasa - Jupiter
7th Dasa - Rahu

All these are supposed to create problematic effects to the native based on the operation and sequence. It's not specifically mentioned to which Dasa this applies but this should be taken into account only with respect to the Vimshottari Dasa scheme of things.

⇒ Graha Bala - Planetary Strength
As per this concept, Ketu is said to be the strongest planet of all followed by its opposite nodal point Rahu. Then follows the luminaries Sun, Moon followed by the 5 planets Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn

The planetary strength for the 9 planets work in the following order:
Ketu -> Rahu -> Sun -> Moon -> Venus -> Jupiter -> Mercury -> Mars -> Saturn

⇒ Graha Paarvai - Planetary Aspect
In common parlance, the outer planets Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are said to possess extra aspects apart from the default 7th aspect whereas the inner planets namely Venus, Mercury, Moon and Sun are said to obtain only the 7th aspect. With regard to Rahu & Ketu however there is a major consensual debate with Tamil Astrology alone adopting 3rd & 11th aspect whereas significant mention of aspects for the nodes have been said that they either possess no aspect or hold aspect similar to Jupiter in the sense of owning the 5th and 9th view. There is also a mention in an old Tamil classic called "Jothida Arichuvadai" translated as System of Jyotish that exhibits a sloka interpreting Grahas to have special (Vichitra) aspects for certain planets apart from the default 7th aspect. Here even Mandi the son of Saturn is said to be possessing a forward and backward sight viz 2nd and 12th aspect.

The planetary aspects for the 9 planets work in the following way:

Sun - 3rd, 7th and 10th Aspect
Moon - 7th Aspect
Mars - 4th, 7th and 8th Aspect
Mercury - 7th Aspect
Jupiter - 5th, 7th and 9th Aspect
Venus - 6th, 7th and 8th Aspect
Saturn - 3rd, 7th and 10th Aspect
Rahu - 3rd, 7th and 11th Aspect
Ketu - 3rd, 7th and 11th Aspect

Bar Italia - Truly Italian!

Bar Italia is located right at the heart of Dublin city center and sees it's existence dating back to the previous century. It is one of the few ventures which has seen it's light being prevalent right since 1999 onwards and you would see the proud display inscribed in white text with below quote "Open 7 days for lunch and dinner since 1999". This and the popular Italian eatery joint Toscano are the 2 restaurants in Dublin which have now been serving customers for around quarter a century.

As the name connotes it's pretty to surmise that this is a restaurant which prides on Italian fare with a variety of pasta and pizza options along with samples of antipasti on the board. It was however very limited on the vegetarian side of things and I just had couple of items to choose from on the pasta or pizza menu.

For starters, I went with Rosemary Potatoes. They were large chunks of pieces shaped like a spiral and slathered with garlic, oil, butter and flourished with seasoning. They felt good on the mouth and it was nice consuming these giant sized juicy potatoes.

On the main course, I decided to go with Pasta and I literally had just 2 items to choose from one being ravioli with mushroom stuffing and another being a cheesy pasta sauteed with pepper in what you call a cacio de pepe pasta. I chose the latter and it was brought in a big 2 tier bowl with the upper end being garnished with parmesan cheese and the bottom portion were the rolled up pasta infused with cheese and a dash of pepper. It was quite lovely though for the Indian palette of mine felt a bit too bland lacking the masala you're so used to but nevertheless the tinge of cheese and pepper worked really well and it was flavorful on the whole.

The place gives a rich appeal with a black carved theme with dim lights associated. You have the bar right at the entrance and a row of seating to go along once you get inside. The service was crisp and on point. There was hardly much waiting time and you got your stuff without any delay. It's definitely a good spot to dine out however being a vegetarian options felt a bit too limited and will certainly be helpful if they have little more items in the fray. The two items which I had set me back by about 23.5 Euros with the pasta costing 19 and started about 4 and half Euros. Pricing seems par for the course and on similar lines to other places. Overall a cozy smooth dining place at Ormund Quay right around the corner of Dublin city center.

Toscana - Tantalizingly Italian!

Toscana is located in the busy and bustling Dame Street which is packed with restaurant's aplenty. When most eat outs these days are hardly in existence for a year or two, this one sees it's entrance from way back since 1999. One good thing with most eateries in Dublin is that they place the menu along with the prices right at the outside giving a glimpse of what to expect for the customers. I happened to see a two course lunch meal for a price of about 20 Euros and decided to give it a shot. The rate looked like quite a deal especially since most singular items themselves cost around the same and with this you get to try 2 items for more or less the same fare.

Being a vegetarian however, options are limited to the bottom. With less choices available at hand, it wasn't much of a hassle choosing the appetizer and main course. In the appetizer section, I went in for the 'Suppli' which are basically Italian breaded rice balls in the form of a croquette. There were 4 of them and the plating was done up nicely with each of them given separate space and coming along with a garlic dip. The arborio rice inside stuffed with mozzarella tasted quite creamy and fresh.

On the main course side of things checked out the Vegetarian Lasagna. This was pretty tantalizing with cheese infused all over the plate surrounding the layered sheets of pasta which themselves were quite hard hitting and deliciously creamy comprising major portions of broccoli florets along with pomodoro, courgette, spinach and ricotta cheese. It would have been nice if there could have been a piece or two of garlic bread to additionally complement it but however the dish overall felt quite full fledged and nice on the tongue.

The service was quite quick with hardly much waiting time. They were also quite sweet to check in regularly if things were fine. The rates in general seem a bit on the higher side but thankfully with this combo deal didn't really set back too much. The ambience is designed in the form of a pub and gives a laidback insouciant feel with dim lights and dark color palette doing a tango. Overall a nice little eatery for craving Italian delicacies which has been serving customers right from even before the turn of this century.

3 Spine Chilling Sporting Thrillers to round off 2022

The year 2022 was writ large and abuzz with sporting events aplenty from different nooks and corners of the world. I would like to particularly single out 3 remarkable days which are all Sunday showdowns apparently from 3 different fields from the sporting calendar that hold a special place in the heart. Incidentally 2 of these took place in the perennially loved sporting city of Melbourne in Australia with the third being a masterpiece from the Middle Eastern region of Doha in Qatar. Also 2 of these were Grand Finales and the other just a group stage encounter but totally worth it's weight in gold. 

The sports in question happen to be cricket, tennis and football. Cricket is a sport that I have followed since perpetuity by constantly keeping a tab on the different series taking place in various parts of the world. Tennis as a sport has largely been about viewing the Grand Slams and a little bit of the big ticket Masters events. Also I've keenly followed the progress of three of the most influential tennis players not just of this generation but of all time viz Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. When it comes to Football, it's about largely being in sync with club events such as Premier League, Champions League etc. but more importantly about keeping track of major country events such as Euro, Copa America and especially the World Cup that takes place once every 4 years. 

The year of 2022 produced some vintage rippers from these 3 historical sports. The uncanny but common theme prevailing across these three memorable matches is the fact that they all looked like being just another typical sporting match up with sudden twists and turn of events resulting in a multitude of ebbs & flows effectively culminating and eventually catapulting these matches into virtual all time classics and going down the annals as contests to recollect for a lifetime. 

The architects engineering these rip snorters happen to be celebrated names from these 3 sports viz Rafael Nadal, Lionel Messi and Virat Kohli. Ironically they even happen to be born in back to back years of 1986, 1987 and 1988 respectively. Their exploits in the sporting battle under immense pressure also addresses the adage of "Class is Temporary, Form is Permanent" in a resounding manner. They were all under the hammer faced with extreme adversity and that is when they perfectly exhibited their caliber paving way for their fans to go into raptures and capping off a win to cherish for eternity. 

Thus, an ode to three heart thumping chest pumping spine chilling tearjerkers that truly define the character of what could be termed as sporting blockbusters of 2022 includes the following:

1) Tennis - Australian Open Final - Rafael Nadal defeated Danii Medvedev - Sunday, 30th Jan 2022 - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia

2) Cricket - ICC T20 World Cup Group Stage - India defeated Pakistan - Sunday, 23rd Oct 2022 - Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne, Australia

3) Football - FIFA World Cup Final - Argentina defeated France - Sunday, 18th Dec 2022 - Lusail Stadium, Doha, Qatar

1) Sport: Tennis, Event: Australian Open Final, Architect: Rafael Nadal 

Even before the start of a ball being hit by a racquet, the whole tournament was mired in controversy with defending champion and 9 time winner Novak Djokovic barred from participating due to vaccine reasons. This paved the way for Rafael Nadal to up his game and reach the final yet again. For starters, this had been historically Rafa's worst performing Grand Slam and he had come a cropper many a time losing agonizing finals to his nemesis Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the past. In the final was looming large the lanky Russian Medvedev who had just beaten Novak Djokovic in the previous Grand Slam final contested which was the US Open of 2021 thus preventing Nole from winning all 4 Grand Slams in the same year and also establishing that the Big 3 remained tied at 20 each in the Grand Slam race. Medvedev was clearly the favorite for this contest and he got the ball rolling right from the beginning ambushing Nadal from the word go. Having taken a 2 set lead and with a break in the third, it all looked more or less a formality before the beast mode being activated all of a sudden by the rampaging bull from Spain. Nobody knew from where Rafa got the energy to fight but what happened in the next couple of hours was sheer herculean brilliance from Nadal as he staved up point after point taking the match to a decider and finally sealing it 7-5 in the fifth set. Rafa was overcome with emotion with the turnaround being absolutely astonishing. Rafa also eclipsed the Grand Slam count to become the first man to go to 21 Grand Slams in a bitter sweet title triumph putting all past demons to rest and exceedingly elevating his fighter ship qualities to a zenith level perhaps that could sparsely ever be comprehended. Rafa Nadal would no doubt go down as the greatest clay court player ever to have donned the game but this win in a surface not supposedly his favorite and the manner of victory virtually rising from the Ashes will go down seemingly as one of his sweetest and perfectly epitomizes the hallmark of a champion showcasing the art of what a fightback and comeback is all about. 

2) Sport: Cricket, Event: Ind vs Pak T20 World Cup Group Stage, Architect: Virat Kohli

India vs Pakistan clashes always attracts the eye balls and this one was billed to be a biggie and turned out to be a bombastic blockbuster. The Melbourne Cricket Ground which is one of the oldest and biggest stadiums in the world was all ecstatic having packed an audience of over 90000 cheering on for their respective teams. The 'G' as you call it was witnessing an India vs Pakistan World Cup game after 30 years since the 1992 ODI World Cup and the excitement was palpable with it being a showdown one just couldn't resist. Coming to some background information, India had an enviable winning record against Pakistan in World Cup encounters having won 12 out of 13 previous contests before this one. It was actually 12 wins on the trot for India but however Pakistan had finally broken the deadlock by literally tearing apart this unsavory record by recording a win in emphatic fashion through a commanding 10 wicket romp of their opponents in the last World Cup of 2021. The World Cup hoodoo against India which was plaguing them for so long had been arrested and Pakistan seemed to be on top once again for large portions of this game. After scoring a respectable 159, they had India on the mat by ripping through India's top order and placing them in a precarious position of 31/4. Kohli and Hardik did try to salvage the ship through a steady partnership but the required run rate was just oozing beyond acceptable levels. India needed an almost improbable 48 to win off the last 3 overs when Virat Kohli suddenly activated God Mode. His dispatchment of back to back sixes off Rauf was some of the cleanest hitting ever witnessed. Ashwin finally hitting a straight boundary off the last delivery to signal an Indian victory had the crowd go into euphoria and dancing in delight. India had pulled off a victory of unparalleled proportions which looked way beyond the bridge at one point but one man Virat Kohli through his sheer will and magnificent batsmanship made it happen. With just this one knock, Virat had avenged all his detractors who had called for his axing by constructing a T20 knock for the ages in such a high pressure taxing environment. Though this was only a group stage game, this victory would rank as one of India's finest ever in the T20 format and one to savor for a long time to come. 

3) Sport: Football, Event: Arg vs Fra FIFA World Cup Final, Architect: Lionel Messi

The FIFA World Cup of 2022 was the 22nd edition to have been staged with its existence going back almost a century back to 1930 when the initial World Cup was held in Uruguay. It was the first ever World Cup to be held in an Arab nation and just the second World Cup to be held in Asia. This was also the first World Cup ever to be conducted during the end of the year with almost all World Cups prior to this being staged around the middle of the year. The event courted a lot of controversy for some of the event handling but ended up being a World Cup to remember especially with so many smaller known unfancied teams toppling big giants of the game. The final was perhaps a testimony to signify that the best had been reserved for the last and boy oh boy what a game of epic proportions it eventually turned out to be. That however wasn't the case for more than 3/4th of the game with Argentina literally dominating the field of play and what looked like a resolutely comfortable victory for Albiceleste turned out to be an almost absolute nightmare at the end. The peaks and troughs foreseen right from when France were 0-2 down to equalizing at 2-2 before taking it to extra time only for Argentina's talisman Lionel Messi to get the lead back again at 3-2 only giving away immediately to a late penalty scored by Frenchman Mbappe completing a terrific hattrick to make it to 3-3 and then once again the drama of the penalty shoot out which Argentina finally managed to scamper through was all jaw dropping stuff of the highest order. Those last 45 minutes of the game was not just intense but also insane with fans shuffling for breath not knowing what was going to happen next. It was breathtaking to witness the sea of events which just kept going berserk all over the place. It felt like this game should really have not had a loser but in the end it was heartbreak for France and pure ecstasy for Argentina who had reclaimed the World title after 36 years making Buenos Aires go in to a frenzy. Argentina also managed to avenge their defeat to France who had knocked them out in the previous World Cup of 2018 in the pre quarterfinal stage. In the end Football was the winner and the entertainment that was got to witness was monumental to say the least. Lionel Messi capped of his career with the one silver lining that was missing in his kitty and the one that he so badly wanted viz the Jules Rimet World Cup trophy. This also enabled him to match the feat of his illustrious countryman Diego Maradona who last won the World Cup for their beloved country way back in 1986. The final held on 18th December 2022 was one of the last sporting events of the calendar year and it was a treat for everyone to witness this rip roaring sporting spectacle.

2022 was certainly a year for the sporting fraternity with plenty of highs and lows. There were many memorable moments and a plethora of records that had been smashed over the course of the year. The 3 matches picked to represent their respective sports not only act as testimony to the greatness produced but also stand as true torchbearers that will testify the leap of time.

Lionel Messi Drawing Parallels with Sachin Tendulkar

The FIFA World Cup 2022 played out in Doha, Qatar ended in sterling style with Argentina clinching the title after 36 years in what could arguably be described as a game for the ages. It would not only go down as one of the greatest finals ever contested but even as a solitary match would easily stake claim as perhaps the finest football World Cup match ever played. The Germany vs Italy semifinal of 1970 is largely considered as the greatest World cup match ever contested but this encounter between France and Argentina in 2022 probably pips that one and takes the cake.

The initial Football World Cup was played way back in 1930 and it's been in operation for almost a century of years being rich in history and tradition. The silver lining with regard to this match was that it had to come at the most pinnacle junction like a final which made the whole event all the more awe inspiring. One of the games greatest Lionel Andres Messi finally got his hands on the coveted Jules Rimet trophy, the one eluding him that he was waiting dearly for so long and it just ended up being so very extra special that it had to happen in his final World Cup appearance.

The game had it's ebbs and flows right from around the second portion of the second half. Until then for almost 75 minutes, Argentina had dominated the match in what initially appeared like a lackluster performance by France only to suddenly turn it around thanks to their talisman Kylian Mbappe who produced a blitzkrieg of a hat trick literally out of nowhere and nearly snatched it for France. It was a bit depressing for the defending champions France to eventually bow out on penalty kicks having come so close and virtually having one hand at the trophy.

However the final hurrah was reserved for one man Argentina's Lionel Messi. He came agonizingly close to capturing the trophy 8 years back in 2014 but which ended in heart breaking fashion as Germany made the decisive move to capture the crucial winning goal in the wee minutes of extra time. Messi being the player of the tournament was no solace as he so badly wanted the victors medal but alas it was not to be. The heart break continued again in 2018 as Argentina came undone against a quality young French side in the quarter finals who eventually would go on to claim the title. 2022 was Messi's last chance and a failure again would have deemed to be catastrophical. At the same time there was so much weight riding on Messi's shoulders to emulate the feat of Diego Maradona and anything other than a first placed finish was simply not good enough. Also to end up with no World Cup for not only the most seasoned player of his generation but also of all time would just be unacceptable. God however wrote the perfect script and Messi did eventually see his dream coming true with his beloved Argentinian side clinching victory in an unprecedented anti climax fashion to finally cement their side a World Cup medal after 1986 when Messi wasn't even born then.

The obvious comparison with Messi finally being a World Cup winner would be to line him up with his immortal country man Diego Maradona who performed a similar feat in 1986. It was as if the monkey was finally off Messi's back as he ultimately sealed glory alongside Maradona in being a World Champion himself. It would have even more amazing if Maradona was alive and witness to this. However there is no doubt that the great legend would have been blessing Albiceleste from the stars. Another of the comparison would have been with his illustrious peer Cristiano Ronaldo who along with Lionel Messi have been staving off comparisons over more than a decade now as to who is the greatest in the present generation. Messi has certainly leapfrogged Ronaldo with this success as CR7s only major triumph for his country Portugal came in the Euro 2016 when they upstaged France in the final. With this monumental triumph however, Messi also officially has staked his claim to be the GOAT alongside former winners Pele and Maradona. Incidentally, Pele, Maradona and Messi contributed with exactly a total of 10 Goals/Assists during their respective world cup winning conquests in 1970, 1986 and 2022 respectively. 

Despite the heavy comparisons with former football players feats, the one which attracts an eerie level of coincidence happens to be with one of the torchbearers of Indian cricket namely Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Though Football and Cricket are sports as different as chalk & cheese, the situations in both Messi and Sachin's case appear so similar and it's remarkable that they just have so much in common with respect to their World Cup journeys.

Looking below at some of the engaging and interesting commonalities that have transpired in the lives of two of the greatest sportsmen from their respective fields of play:

1) Jersey Check - Both Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi wore jerseys with the number 10 inscribed during their World Cup campaign.

2) Birth Date Check - Both are born on a #6 as per numerology and more specifically on the 24th of a calendar month. (Sachin 24th April 1973, Messi 24th June 1987)

3) Stature Check - Both are built around the same height measuring about 5'7 and considered to be the shortest players of their respective sides.

4) Heartbreak Check - Both encountered heart break losing the final of a World Cup 2 editions previous to their last and exactly 8 years prior. (Sachin in 2003 and Messi in 2014)

5) Player of the Tournament Check - Both were Player of the Tournament in their respective World Cup event despite not going on to win the trophy for their respective countries.

6) Appearance Check - Both of them have represented their countries in maximum World Cup campaigns in Cricket and Football respectively (Sachin with 6 and Messi with 5) 

7) 2nd Highest Scorer Check - Both ended up being the 2nd highest run and goal scorer respectively during their victorious campaign with the highest coming from the losing side playing the final (Dilshan for Sri Lanka and Mbappe for France) 

8) Defeat of Previous World Cup Winner Check - Both their sides India and Argentina defeated previous World Cup champions Australia (2007 Cricket World Cup Winner) and France (2018 Football World Cup Winner) on their way to victory. (India beat Australia in Quarter Finals and Argentina defeated France in the finals) 

9) One Match Defeat Check - Both their teams lost only one match in the entire tournament which came during the group stages (India against South Africa and Argentina against Saudi Arabia) 

10) Player of Match in Semifinals Check - Both were player of the match in their respective semi finals en-route to the final. (Sachin vs Pakistan and Messi vs Croatia) 

11) Previous World Cup win in 80s check - Both their teams previous World Cup victory incidentally occurred in the 80s. (India in 1983 and Argentina in 1986) 

12) World Cup Victory Multiple Check - Both Sachin and Messi finally realized their long standing dream of winning the coveted World Cup title in their last attempt and coincidentally it came in years involving multiples of 11. (Sachin in 2011 and Messi in 2022) 

13) Post Retirement Check - This is rather more of a cheeky one. Both were largely expected to hang their boots after their final world cup hurrah especially since this was what they were expecting to fructify during their lifetimes with the sport they love. However that was not to be the case as Sachin continued to play for a couple more years after that and with respect to Messi's case, he has just hinted in a post match interview that he intends to continue a wee bit longer in the Argentina shirt.

Thus is a short similarities compendium of the World Cup winning journeys of 2 amazing sportsmen who carried the entire burden of their respective nations on their shoulders and finally achieved unprecedented iconic status by winning the biggest prize the sport has to offer.