What made me like JL - An Encounter

This section would make good reading only for those who are as passionate about cricket and cricketers as I am. If you have never liked any person on first sight, then this page would seem exaggerated.

What was it in JL that I liked him so much the very first time I saw him? I am a die hard fan of Steve Waugh and never had eyes for anyone else than Steve. Then what was it that hit me when I saw JL and made me like him so much as to start a site for him. Although I know that with my schedule maintaining two sites would be a difficult task, I still decided to go ahead with it.

Justin first caught my attention when I read Steve Waugh's 97 Ashes Tour diary. Justin had written the introduction to the book and also filled up for Steve on four days when Steve was off with his family. That set me off thinking that Steve must indeed like Justin a lot.

After the sensational victory that Justin anchored with Gilchrist against Pakistan, I had admired the gritty batsman, not only for scoring over the Pakistani's but also doing so when Wasim Akram had publicly aired his opinion that Australian batting line up was strong, but the one weak spot was the No: 3, which was held by Justin. After a run of low scores, selectors were calling for his head. His captain backed him and when Gilchrist came down to the crease, they created history.

Of course, Justin's postcards were something I never missed when I surfed the net. And I wanted to meet the person who wrote so marvelously.

The Indian Tour

When the Australians landed in Chennai to play the third and deciding test, all my energy was focused on meeting Steve, which I was very doubtful as he was the captain. On the first day of the test, after the dismissal of Slater, I saw this gritty batsman play a solid knock on which Mark Waugh and Matt Hayden further capitalized on. But the second day of the match made a major impact on me.

Sitting behind the players, We (suchi and me) used to observe all the players, more than the game.  Justin Langer came out with a thick elastic band, which he tied to the railing and proceed to exercise his arms. I was taking no great notice of him, when he suddenly turned his chair and sat facing me and continued the exercise. There he was, looking at me , barely a meter away. 

It was his eyes that did it all!! They must easily be one of the most lovely ones I've seen. They were crystal clear and one could easily get haunted by them. I don't stare at people, but looking into his eyes, I just couldn't pull my eyes away. I was embarrassed to be sitting right in front of him, but I still couldn't tear myself away from Justin's eyes. 

Right from that moment, I wanted to very badly meet him. But being too embarrassed to do so, only sent up flowers to his room. I ultimately got a chance to meet him after the match at the hotel. With the uttermost luck, we were given the table right next to the players. Steve and Justin were sitting together discussing the match and not wanting to openly look at them, I chose to look at their reflections in a mirror and had a ring side view of both of them.

Soon after, Steve left and all of a sudden Justin shifted to another table beside us, where Dizzy, Gilly and Warne were sitting. Since there were no empty chairs, he shared one with Suchi at my table!!! I was completely ga-ga by that time, but still wouldn't go up to him and talk. My friends were goading me on, but I could not even say a hello to him when he turned and looked straight at me. 

What a dumb ass I was!!! A chatter box like me, who talks nineteen to the dozen was tongue-tied by those eyes. I just couldn't get words out at all. Kasper was at the table with Justin and he was amused at the way I was trying to talk and couldn't get words out. Justin was beside himself with laughter as he saw my shyness. But when I finally did speak, I was pleasantly astonished at the gentle way in which he spoke to me.

I met him again when he was leaving for home. After checking out, he stood talking to me for quite some time and did remember me from the night we'd met which thrilled me all the more. I never expected him to recognise me as the night I'd met him was the night of the defeat at the Chennai match and everyone of them were very low. He even remembered my name!!

I wasn't able to completely get over my nervousness, but then I wasn't as bad as the first time I tried to talk either. He was very warm throughout the conversation and when I confessed that I was nervous and afraid to approach him, assured me that I never need feel so and could always walk up to him for a chat.

After that, most people I met told me that Justin was a very nice person, a perfect gentleman, in fact, they gave the same opinion of him as they gave of Steve. I was really thrilled that the two people I like most are ones who everyone say are worthy of adulation.

This is the way I remember Justin, with those clear transparent haunting eyes and an enigmatic smile. While he smiles completely though, it lights up his whole face.