Freedom is something we all aspire for, to rise up and break the chains of our daily monotony.
Perhaps so mundane and mechanical have our lives become with the constant struggle of earning the big bucks to fuel the reason of our existence, that any glimmer of something new that comes our way resonates with the word ‘freedom’.
Freedom from the tirades of the countless hours spent at work, in travel, those never-ending meetings and a whole lot more amid oodles of desolation.
Well for the cricketing giants in South Africa and India, this cricketing extravaganza is called ‘The Freedom Series’ to pay homage to the two icons of liberation in Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi albeit for the commoner this freedom is of a different kind.
He just needs change from the chores of captivity and cricket is perhaps that ointment to alleviate the pain of his daily dullness!
Yes, with the battles between these countries always being edge of the seat affairs in years gone by, it surely calls for plenty of eyeballs.
Well, this series is no different, with the spoils being shared in the T20I series at one apiece and India edging out the Proteas in the One Day leg, the upcoming two Tests are definitely the cream of this festive season.
The Centurion on Boxing Day will be lit with an air of anticipation as the Indian stalwarts, the likes of the Rohit, Virat and Bumrah will lock horns with the Protea kings in Markram, Rabada and Elgar.
Speaking about Dean Elgar, the resilient southpaw has recently announced his retirement from international cricket and would undoubtedly want to add more to his already praise-worthy feat of mounting over 5000 test runs with 13 tons and 23 fifties.
His departure from the international scene would spell an end of an era of the gritty, determined, never give up South African batters, the likes of Faf duPlessis, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and of course the master AB deVilliers.
Well, Dean’s retirement should be reason enough for the Proteas to conquer India in this test series to pay a well-deserved farewell to one of the stalwarts, leading their fray.
And they certainly can, with the experience of seasoned campaigners like Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada who would be ably supported by the exuberance of youth with the in-form Toni de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger and more.
For India, the motivation would be of a different kind with South Africa being the final frontier to conquer after having accomplished the envious feat of beating the mighty Australia, England and New Zealand on their own turf.
The Men in Blue have come very close to showing South Africa the curtains in their own den over the last few series, albeit the Proteas have always found a way to keep their home record unblemished against potentially the best team currently in test cricket.
India would surely want to correct this blotch on their rather envious cricketing resume, making this series undoubtedly one to look out for.
As the icons in Mandela and Gandhi bless this series from the heavens above, let cricket once again be the tool to bring South Africa and India closer. And freedom an expression that we can all own!
