A tale extraordinaire - Parvez Rasool

The showdown occured late afternoon, 5th of July. Resting the seniors for an inconsequential Zimbabwe tour, Sandeep Patil & Co. decided to give the lad from Jammu a big nod in the touring 15.

Parvez Rasool made the headlines again. This time around, for the correct reasons though.

“Because we are Kashmiri, because of the bad times we have been through, we are the subject to so much suspicion. Now you see, when we go to play in Mumbai, we shall be treated with the same suspicion again for all this.” Coach Qayoom’s words reflected upon not Rasool entirely.

Small town. Indifferent circumstances. Huge dreams. He is not just a talented young man equipped with impressive cricketing abilities. He is much more. And beyond. He is what Kashmir is. He represents. He reflects. Ever since India’s independence in 1947, Kashmir has been the centre of all the worry. Continuous intrusions-invasions by various national and international forces combined with poor social-political infrastructure & lack of proper administrative concern have only lightened the fire further. Also, the cold shiver you feel the moment you hear “Kashmir”, the continuous media allegations of the youth from the hills preferring guns to roses and bombs over proses have only worsened the case of the beautiful valley.

What do we forget? We forget that dreams know no bounds or place or politics.

That is where my friends, among all the ruins, the ashes, the blood, the cries, the trials & tensions, someone picked up a ball and a bat and dared to dream. And dream big. And here he is.

Small town boys and their stories are always fairytalesque. Just because they would have heard more bleak backtalks than the encouraging ones. Beating odds against yourself and yet thriving to succeed is always sweet. It requires determination, love for the profession, self confidence and more importantly deaf ears to all those dismaying people. In that way, Rasool is already a hero. We have always heard assassinations, assaults, wars, border issues, gun shots and explosions with Kashmir. Now for a change, a cricketer. From Kashmir. This what you call a fairytale.

Maybe its Kashmir’s reminder of being there after all these. Letting us know that there is more; much more to Kashmir. Inspiring its misguided youth with a lionheart.

That is why, Ladies & Gentlemen, Parvez Rasool is special. And the Parvez Rasool story, even more.