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| What an Encore! -Anon Payn |
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Ah! Here we go! Again. The time is here. We'll all rejoice. A nation will be in frenzy. What times! Lets enjoy it while its here. To the fullest! Because, this too shall pass.
I think the last time there was such a feverish pitch surrounding Indian cricket, it was 1998. And not surprisingly, the protagonist of that play remains the protagonist in this encore! Yes, these are amazing times. At times, on would wish to freeze such a moment. Sounds childish. I can almost hear some of those voices, "It's only a game!" But hell! If it was so, there wouldn't be this much said, written, and indeed, celebrated! It's another landmark in the history of Indian cricket. Have no doubt. This isn't one of those ‘flash in the pan' moments. This series will be remembered as the one that witnessed the change of guard; its audience has witnessed the last stand of an era. And what a gifted audience we are! It's been more than a decade of domination. A juggernaut has run its course. It may not be the end of Australia's run as the number one side in the world, but it's for certain that it will never wear the cape of invincibility again. Well, at least till it unearths a few Warnes, McGraths, and Waughs again.
In the near future, it's very difficult to foresee an Aussie side utterly dominating world cricket. The loss of Gilchrist will only add to the burden that Ponting has already been carrying since late '06. The fact that this day would arrive, we all could see. The Ashes of 2005 was the soothsayer in this tragedy! It had predicted the "Ides of March" (what an irony!), when a missing McGrath was all that England needed to topple the Australians. They always prided in their rotation policy. "None of our stars will depart in a clutter", they said. "The transition will be smooth", they said. Well, I suppose they never really saw it coming. Who can blame ‘em? With those thick curtains in the form of McGrath and Warne, they probably couldn't see beyond. In their company, even rookies like Stuart Clark seemed geniuses! With a sound opening pair, the middle order batsmen were never tested, truly. On the litmus test, that India proved to be, the Husseys and the Clarkes, and of course, the Pontings did not respond when the absence of a Langer triggered an early wicket. It was a sad departure for Gilchrist. But a stern test for Ponting, it certainly was.
The captain has looked nothing but invincible ever since donning the mantle Steve Waugh left behind. Now, though, the pressure is showing. What it means to captain a less than godly bowling attack has hit the punter. And the batting is suffering. Of course, the bowling of Sharma and Co. has played the part in eroding the batting form away from Ponting. Alas, things don't look very dainty for him, as sterner tests await the man.
Many shall dwell on the happenings of this tour. Of all the places that Australia went wrong, and where India went right. And why not? The last four months has been about little, apart from these two giants, in world cricket. It's attracted the attention of cricket followers and casual on lookers alike. An unpleasant tour for the most part, in the larger context, this block-buster bonanza may spell an increase in viewership of the IPL as well as the next India-Australia series, slated to be in India later this year. The game was loosing its shine in the west, especially Test cricket, with the emergence of T-20. But now the crowds may be coming back. Test may still have its hay days.
Speaking of hay-days, I must return to the Protagonist! To be honest, already a million quills have written an elegy to an inning of amazing substance. Yet, I find it difficult to resist! Such is the aura of the Master. Indeed, the aura was at its height over the weekend (which actually ended up being an extended one, till Tuesday)! Yet, hindsight makes things look much more glamorous than they really are, at times. At times you tend to remember only the good, and not the bad and ugly, and crave for the moment to be back again. I never saw the "Twins of Sharjah" live. Perhaps the reason that I get so hooked whenever it's shown on the tely. Yet, watching the 117* live, I never realized how akin this was to a decade ago. Indeed I never expected the after effects to last so long. Maybe they shall last forever. Maybe that's why we are all Sachinists! The innings itself, wasn't flawless. It was very near perfection though. Sometimes flaws tend to make imperfect things perfect, rather than the opposite. That's precisely what I witnessed on Saturday. The start was circumspect, the middle was glorious, and the end was self assuring. The highlights tend not to do justice to such perfection. Yet, to the candid observer, the highlights may bring more satisfaction. The highlights probably won't show the difficulty that the inning was built around. What I witnessed in that inning, ball by ball, was the kind of stuff I have dreamt off. It wasn't as glamorous as the highlights show it to be. Yet the planning and execution of it all only added to my perpetually regenerating belief that this man is something unreal! Henceforth, only the highlights of the inning will be shown. The inside edge which missed the stump by just an inch will probably be erased, from the highlights, and eventually from our minds. The Genius shall be elevated to God yet again. Yet, a master shall be lost. A chunk of the glory of the triumph shall be cut out especially for him. A glorious career will proceed, without the uncertainties that dogged Ganguly and Dravid. Yes, I use ‘dogged' and not ‘dogging', perhaps echoing what's been on my mind, as in the minds of others, two legends might not wear the blues again. Probably a blessing in disguise, for it may prolong their Test careers by a good two, or more, years. In that, India has achieved what Australia set out to do. Phased out the "irreplaceables". And it was done in a smooth fashion too. First Laxman went through the dreaded door, followed by a more than willing Kumble. Suddenly, the team is not recognizable. But for one face. The face, that smiles, right from the top of the order. I had once thought that he should retire post the '07 World Cup. That, to the obvious ire of other Tendulkar fans whom I shared this with. They wanted him to continue his star studded career. Apparently, so does the man himself. He loves the game, and evidently does not want to part with any of his "toys", as Harsha Bhogle put it, in a hurry. And who can doubt his judgment? With master classes such the one at Sydney, it seems he will go on forever. In our minds at least, that's ever so possible!
The scenes beyond the ground, too, shall probably ring on in our hearts.
After that inning, right until Tuesday, it was all Sachin. Everywhere, the same chants. One couldn't expect the critics to accept that they were wrong. The egos meant those few stayed low throughout the euphoria, probably to emerge upon another failure. The fans, those with more of a reach to public media than others, were all over the television, newspaper, and indeed radio too.
Anon Payn
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Tammineedi
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Posted on: 2009-11-28 14:44:22
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 3
Location: Visakhapatnam
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But i want him 2 continue another 10 more years in both the formats and some body said that he is second best to dravid.. but i don't agree 2 that at all and i'm not supporting blindly |
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saurabh
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Posted on: 2009-04-19 04:35:05
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 7
Total Comments: 53
Location: Jodhpur
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Master rocks  |
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mohinder
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Posted on: 2009-03-21 01:29:57
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 1
Location: kurnool
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SACHIN IS THE GREATEST  WE ALL LOVE HIM FOREVER n EVER
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Deepak Khurana
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Posted on: 2008-03-12 13:10:48
Rank: Hardcore Sachinist
Total Topics: 268
Total Comments: 459
Location: Delhi
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para on master is very brilliantly written....the way it has 2 be...u write these articles like a vey perfect thinker .... yup d highlites cant show d way he carried d innings..n d way he made partnerships....singles all around...it was just a fantastic innings... n followed by another masterclass... |
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Anon Payn
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Posted on: 2008-03-09 00:40:09
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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| it was pretty obvious dat it would be disastrous... India looked invincible earlier in 2006 in Pak only when Sachin batted at no. 2... wen he came down... India was vulnerable again... again he went to number 2... India started doin well... Chappelle was thinking that if he can bend Sachin to do wat he wanted him to do, then the rest if team will automatically fall onto his feat... Sachin complied... and the result was for all to see... Chappelle din get the fact that dictatorship has never succeeded! |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 23:45:27
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| even the format of the 2007 world cup was weird .two failures and a team was out . just imagine ,in 1992 world cup , pakistan too lost the early matches and yet came back to win the orld cup . the format was terrible !!i still believe we had sent a great team to the wc2007 and we had a great chance of winning. but two bad matches and everything changes ! |
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Anish
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 15:51:00
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 142
Location: Please Update
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| hey gr8 article. as always anon has produced a masterpiece. and like everybody, i was also surprised that u were in favour of him retiring after WC. but dont worry, now i hv understood after reading ur 'BIG' explanation. |
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UNBREAKABLE
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 15:34:47
Rank: Tendulkarized
Total Topics: 33
Total Comments: 775
Location: Baggad
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I know that quite a few die hard fans lost faith in him during that period, though he was still one of the best in India ....Arguably second best to Dravid in tests. And ever since he came back from the tennis elbow he was pretty consistent, In SA where Indian bowlers were running through the batting line up he managed to get a series of Good scores, and was the Man of the series in the ODI series against west Indies just before the world cup. I was always convinced that our team's chances depended on him(like every world cup), If our team could have handled those 2 odd failures then maybe he would have fired in the tournament when it mattere, unfortunately that didnt happen, and it was very convenient for everyone to blame sach for the loss ................which was out and out unfair. But he has shown tremendous character in playing one amazing series after anaother since then, to re-establish himself as the best batsman ever .......................off course this time he has taken it beyond all doubts .. |
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Anon Payn
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:34:59
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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lol yeah... mumbai indians or sri lankans... doesnt make a diff to me... as long as they make winning a habbit in the ipl... and best of luck for ur boards!!! ;) |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:30:04
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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yes , absolutely amazing to know he will play !! like you i was also worried the whole day . and their ipl teams name is great isnt it ? trust sachin to show his patriotism . i bet its his work .they could have chosen any stylish and hip name and yet they chose 'mumbai indians '.great !! but i have to go now . board exams are going on . nice to talk to you . bye! |
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Anon Payn
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:26:17
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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become a way of life hasnt it!! haha briliant to hear hel be playing tho!!! just amazing... now hopefully.. the average will rise over the current 35... that he has against SA currently!! |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:24:41
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| he has got a wiser head than all of us !! i can very well understand your worries though ! i go through it all everyday , like hundreds of other people , to be sure ! |
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Anon Payn
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:22:12
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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yes... dats quite true ofcourse... we can do all the worrying we want... ultimately he noes wer he is heading... :P newayz... for its become a sort of a habit... keep wondering wer hes gonna go next... thankfully... hes got a wiser head than mine... :P |
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Madhyama
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anon |
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:17:28
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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i didnt know you were online !!! yes , i know he loves test cricket more than any other format and not without reason !! but whenever asked about whether he would retire from one format to prolong another one , he has maintained he might think about it , but presently , he is confident he can manage both forms without much difficulty .probably he would know better than you and me what to do about his career and love ! |
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Madhyama
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unbreakable |
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:13:27
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| me too !! sachin wasnt having exactly great days in the field in the period 2004 to 2007 ( though he was still better than so many people ), every day at school all the boys of my class used to tease me if he got out early .and everyday i used to defend him all alone , saying he would show his real class soon enough . after the world cup , everyone was adamant he should retire and i fought with everyone i came across . now that he is rocking in all formats of the game , not one of that group even dares to say one word against sach !i guess we all have our own stories about defending sach . i still remember , when after the 241* sydney , 2004, he had said ,'i dedicate this to all my fans who stood by me in the bad days ', i felt that was for me and me alone . that was so special !!! |
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Anon Payn
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madhyama |
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:12:26
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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| i noe he loves the game... but i also know he loves test cricket more than anything... Jadeja once sed wen Sach missed the WI test tour... that more than missing the 5 match odi series... he wld b kickin himself for missin the test series... And ofcourse Sach himself has told on various occassions that given an option between test and odis he would prefer to play the longer version, as he enjoys it more... that was wat i had in moind while posting the stuff... both 2 years ago on orkut... when ppl wer a bit less polite compared to now, and ofcourse today... ;) |
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Madhyama
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anon |
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 08:08:30
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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wow ! that was a pretty big clarification . probably i dont know you as well as unbreakable does , but i did read your article sachinism and based on that i was really surprised that you of all people would wnt him to retire . even now , though you have written your view , about prolonging the test carrer , you have forgotten the most crucial part .the fact that sachin enjoys the game and to him , its not about winning this title or having that record to his name . its just the passion and love for the game that keeps him going .so i dont agree to the reasons you have given .though thats only my opinion , nothing serious .and yes he needs rest , thats true , but the way he is going ,i can see him playing the world cup . |
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Anon Payn
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a clarification.. esp to Unreabreakable and Madhyama |
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 07:44:07
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 1
Total Comments: 37
Location: Please Update
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What i meant by retire post wc 07 was to retire from ODI cricket alone. I missed those crucial 3 letters my mistake, and apologies! I will be the last person on earth who would want to see his great career pre maturely shortened. Infact my very thought behind wanting him quit one form of the game post the 07 wc had the very objective of pro longing it. I still hold my ground regding the issue, that he should retire from the odi version... i have a couple of reasons for this... 1. he has achieved everything in this form of the game... everything but one... a WC title... to achieve dat, he has to play the 2011 version in india... this team can do it... but to make sachin play in that one, he has to take care... already we are beginning to see that one full year of non stop cricket means he is out for 3 weeks... in a career almost so complete... a missing wc title would mean that the greatest cricketer of modern day era would not get wat he deserved. 2. while he has covered almost every facade in od cricket, in tests, he has far from achieved everything. in that version he has painfully under achieved, in my view. he has been consistent... but hasnt been the blockbuster as he is in odi... if he gives up odis... if not completely, then atleast pik and choose his games wisely... then we may certainly see wat he can truly achieve in that format... i believe that this tour of aus (test) was by far his best. to me he displayed the most amount of maturity at the crease he ever has in his illustrious career.. and wen u speak of Tendulkar, thats saying something, for he has been re knowned for having a very even head since the age of 15... now imagine... if it wasnt for the draining odi series, he might have played all the tests against SA... now tho it luks extremely likely that he mite miss atleast one test. i noe his performance in the finals was the diff between the 2 teams at the end... but he cld still do with lesser amount of one day crikcet... thats just my point of view and Unbreakable, the ian chappelle issue... yea well... the whole period from 2004 .. culminating in the wc was a tough one for all Sachin fans, as tough as it was 4 the man himself i suppose ;) honestly, if i had thot of him quitting at that point, i wldnt be able to call myself a true sachin fan today. i remmbr gettin into heated discussions wit most of my friends and family about his place in the side.. often they would end in "why do u care so much! it dsnt affect u whether he plays or not!" :P and ofcourse the chappelle article! haha when i heard wat he had written, 2 things hit me... one.. he had put himself and his reputation of being a sound cricket analyst is serious jeopardy... and 2) how he would respond to the severe backlash that Sachins blade was sure to dish out... well he has been humble enough to appreciate, whole heartedly, the latter, and been quite lucky to get away with the former!! ;) |
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Duttnath
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 07:14:33
Rank: Tendulkarized
Total Topics: 11
Total Comments: 346
Location: Durg, Chhattisgarh
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| Tremendously written Anon Bhaiya. A pleasure to read. |
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UNBREAKABLE
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 02:57:51
Rank: Tendulkarized
Total Topics: 33
Total Comments: 775
Location: Baggad
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Unmistakably Anon .......Great to read . Not surprising that you wanted Sach to retire after world cup, that was the kind of impression media created after 2 odd failures, and off course not to forget MrChappel, who questioned the master's attitude. And that ws the time many Like me came out openly in support of the greatest living legend India has ever produced. And whatever he has done aftr that, hasnt let me down .......for sach with Sach thru thik asn thin .. |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 01:41:24
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| and as the year progresses by , i feel more and more that the whole year would be an encore of 1998 . |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-03-08 01:40:28
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| same with me as vishal . dont agree with a few things , but still really enjoyed reading it . though i cant believe it , you actually thought sachin should retire after the world cup !!!! |
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Vishal
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Posted on: 2008-03-07 23:22:37
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 92
Total Comments: 1872
Location: Delhi
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Omg Anon....GREAT ARTICLE!! one of the best on sachinism for sure...wonderfully written. I dont agree with a few things but that doesnt matter..this is an absolute thriller of an article |
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√arun
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Posted on: 2008-03-07 23:09:18
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 82
Total Comments: 2049
Location: Chandigarh
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| there will b for sure |
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Ashish
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Posted on: 2008-03-07 15:11:16
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 2
Location: Please Update
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| Well the aura is here to stay, and i am pretty sure that there will be many more encores like this |
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