Dubai Diary and the two substitution!!

The entire stretch of the road visible from our hotel balcony at central Dubai was filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic. All  the passenger in their luxury cars were sitting on rooftop playing Arabic music, pumping foams and waving their National flag. It was a moment one can witness once in a lifetime. In fraction of a seconds everyone  said good bye to one century and welcomed a  new century. The locals were celebrating  the turn of a new century but for us the happiness  was double. Because, inside the hotel room the news channel were breaking the news of release of  hostages of flight  IC-814  from Kandahar,  hijacked  by Taliban. It was 1st of January 2000. 

Be it a new year, a festival or a birthday, the morning practice session of Indian team has  to go on, even more because there was an important match in the evening with  Tunisia. As usual the volleyball indoor hall at Al Shabab sports club was filled with spectators. We have already defeated UAE and wining against Tunisia shall  assure us a place in the finals. It was a crucial match and Tunisia was the favorite. With two of India’s best counter attacker, Jobi Joseph Mundamattamand Amir Singh( Arjuna Awardee)  in their peak form, I was a comfortable substitute. Mr Jagir Singh from BSF was the Chief Coach of the Indian team. He was a coach who would prefer to make very less substitution and as such we the second six would be busy cheering our team from the substitute box “come on....come on”, “koi nahi ….chalo chalo ” … “lovely …beautiful…bahut Barhiya”.

 The match started with Tunisia wining the first set. We won the second set.  The third set was neck to neck. A counter  attack from Joby bhai, helped us in equaling the score at 24-24. The air conditioning at Al Shabab stadium was very powerful, so I preferred  to wear my upper. As I was leisurely watching the match, I heard Jagir Singh suddenly ringing the bell. Before I could realize the bell was for time out or substitution someone pushed me from behind saying “Abhijit jaldi ja teray ko bola raha hai”.

The next thing I remember, Ravikant Reddy( Arjuna Awardee) while going out on substitution saying in my ears “Net touch mat karna, four to four hath rakhna” ( avoid net touch and keep block in the direction of zone four ).  I was substituted in place of Ravikant Reddy to strengthen the block at zone 2. The lights inside the ground was 10 times more brighter  than in the box where I was standing for the last 60 minutes. I could hardly adjust to it . While entering the ground, I saw M.s. Rajeshgetting ready to serve. I tried to concentrate on the attacker. The super effective float serve from Rajesh bhai dis-balanced the opponentbreceiver and the ball came crossing towards me over the net. I tried my best to jump as much as I could and hit the ball. Had it been Tom Joseph in my place, he could have made the public go crazy with his cross court spike. But unfortunately on that fateful evening on the turn of the century, the ball I  hit fell inches behind the opponent end line. As I saw the line's man waving  the red flag up, I realized the blunder I had just made. We  finally lost that match in 3-1 sets.

While the team returned to India with a bronze medal I carried back  lots of agony and frustration besides that precious piece of metal. The next few months were the toughest for me. We ( Uttar Pradesh) went for the Senior nationals at Salem where again my performance was no better. This added to my depression. I was struggling to balance my emotions but those were  one of the toughest days. Back in Dehradun I was staying alone as Subba Rao went for the professional club league at Lebanon. This period continued for many months. Nothing was going right for me. I started finding faults on others for my misery.  

After spending numerous sleepless nights, I realized it is me who is destroying myself and nobody else. Actually, after months of searching for a answer, I realized there is no external villain in our life. The demon and the God resides inside us, it is up to us whom we use. This realization helped me many times in the future whenever I faced tough times.  Slowly, I tried my best to find positivity in me. I started rewarding myself  for smaller achievement which helped me to overcome those tough days.

Two years passed by and once again I boarded the flight to Dubai along with the Indian team. It was probably one of the best Indian team, preparing for the Busan Asian Games 2002 under Shayam Sunder Sir. But, due to some personal commitment Shyam Sir, could not accompany the team and the onus was on Chander Sir and Kumara Mh sir . Joby Joseph, Amir Singh and Tom joined the team directly from Qatar who were playing professional league there. Amir Singh son Aryan was born and he came with his family, so I, Avnish Yadav and Balwan Singh adjusted in one room.

 

The competition was very tough in 2002 with both the pools packed with some of the leading teams from Asia, Africa and Europe. After the super exciting first round matches India along with Ukraine (world ranking  12), Tunisia ( African Champion), Iran ( India and Iran world  ranking was within best 25  in 2002)  entered the semi-final. India was playing the first semi-finals, with the favorite and defending Champion of Rashid International Volleyball Championship,  Ukraine. As usual stadium was jam-packed filled with Indian supported. Only two days earlier, the same Indian supporters were overjoyed after we beat Pakistan in 3 sets. But, on the day of semi-finals, the Indian supporters were not getting much opportunity to make those hopping sounds with Ukraine leading 1-0. Permanent Indian team supporter and good friend of all the players Kasim Hamza bhai was  also anxiously sitting in one corner of the  gallery with folded hands. The mighty universal attacker of Ukraine was on song hitting balls left right and centre.

 

When in  the second set Ukraine was serving for the game point  at  24-21 Joby Joseph took a side out hitting a perfect four to four attack making the score 22-24. Ukraine was just one point short of wining the second set. The side out gave some relief to the Indian supporters. I was observing the universal attacker of Ukraine very closely from the substitute box. Ninety nine percent of the time he hits two  to two angle. Only in the morning at the break-fast hall  I got to see him  from a closer distance. I saw his fingers visible across the dish which he was holding. I mean if we hold a dish our fingers would be hidden below the dish but in his case his hand was so huge that the plate was just covering his palm and the fingers were giving him a grip to hold the plate from outside. To explain in simple terms if I am a deer than he has to be a Rhino.

As I was thinking about him, I  heard the bell ringing. Chander Sir was signaling for a substitution and Kumara Sir was calling my name “Abhijit …Abhijit, jaldi aao” . Joby Joseph , who just took a crucial side out was substituted and I entered in his place.it was a big gamble Chander Sir had taken.  Rajesh on service, Amir Bhai on zone 6 , Tom on zone 5, Subba on zone 4, I in  zone 3 and will be shifting to 4 zone  for blocking and Ravikant Reddy on zone 2. So, the Rhino was up against the Dinosaurs.

Rajesh bhai went far behind the end line to try his typical float serve. The plan was that Subba will concentrate on the first tempo attacker (Short ball). I was very  confident that if the ball was lift to the Rhino I will not allow him to hit in the two to two direction, come what may.  So, I was directly making eye contact with the giant. It was a very tense moment, if we make one small mistake  the game will go in their favour.

Finally the service  was well received, the Ukrainian setter  jumped and lifted the ball towards zone two. On their opposite side,  I took a full jump and kept my hands flat and  straight. The Universal attacker  thinking it to be the wining shot applied full power. At the last moment when he was about to hit towards two zone direction I shifted my hand towards right and felt a strong sensation on my hands. Before I could realized it was a dead block , the entire stadium roared in eruption,  Subba gave me the tightest hug of his life, Amir Singh and Ravikant came over me. I did not stopped and started running across the court as if we have won the finals. It was euphoric moment, I saw Chander Singh, who took the biggest risk by substituting me with Joby bhai looked towards the direction of the sky, as if thanking God. The score was still Ukraine 24- India 23.

As I went to my position for the second time, I saw the Rhino who was  yelling at the setter to lift  him the ball once again so that he can settle the score with the deer. It was third game point for Ukraine. This time we changed our strategy. Subba would just keep his hand up but not commit to the first tempo attacker but instead come for full support of me or Ravikant Reddy whichever way the ball is lift. Together with Subba we have silenced some of the best blocker of Asia and that day it was time for the Russians. Finally the opponent setter did the biggest blunder by once again lifting  the ball to the Universal attacker. This time Subba and I did a perfect combine block. The ball hit our block and  somehow  passed on to our court. Amir Singh took the reflected ball by upper hand and before opponent blocker could take their position, Ravikant lifted a rising ball to Subba, which Subba killed with easy. The score became 24-24. 

The crowed went crazy, with India saving three match point and coming from behind to equal the score with World Number 12. The sound of the spectators inside the hall was so loud that we could hardly listen to each other. I don’t remember much what happened next but we won that set. I once again went back to the substitute box and before the sensation on my hands could cool down we beat Ukraine in 3-1 sets to reach the finals with an extraordinary performance from all the players.

Next day, when the team lined up for the finals the confidence of each players were at a all time high. As the match started all the players from Joby, Tom, Subba, Amir, Rajesh, Ravikant, Libero  Silvaraj to Avnish, Ashish Arora, Raghuveer Singh Balwan were on song, giving no chance to the Iranians. They tried all their strategy but nothing worked out in their favor. With an all round brilliant performance from our players, Iran faced a humiliating defeat in the hands of the Indian in 3-0 set.

It was a priceless feeling standing on the victory podium and seeing the Tricolour going up. We all together bowed to the thousands of spectators standing with pride in the gallery, without whom the Gold medal would not have been possible. As I am writing this I would still get those  Goosebumps feeling , which is sure to remain with all of us for the years to come.   

At night the victory party started with the opening of a rare Champaign bottle by Ravikanth Reddy . Late Kodandaramai , the grand old man of Indian Volleyball cut the cake on behalf of the team. The party continued till late night with many well-wishers joining us. I wished there was no end to that night. We all felt relaxed that our months of hard work had given India a Gold medal. After sometimes I went out towards the balcony and looking at the sky thank God for making me part of this wonderful team and also for giving me an opportunity re-enter the ground for a second time as a substitute.