Martin Crowe (1962 – 2016)
Master of disruptive innovation, that is how one would come closest to describe (far from defining) Martin Crowe’s essence and significance as a flamboyant cricketer of timeless charm, the prodigy hailing from the Henderson suburb of Auckland who died untimely but left a lasting impression on the game he loved and played like there was no tomorrow.
A career ruthlessly punctuated by the whole range of injuries including backache, hamstring issues, shin damage and knee trouble; only batsman to lose his wicket on 299, equalling Sir Don’s ‘not out’ feat in an undesirable manner; and awesome leadership in the 1992 world cup campaign in what was sadly a losing cause, so was his short-lived comeback to first class cricket when he was two short of 50, so was the fulfilment of his last wish of catching the 2015 ODI World Cup action (Australia defeated New Zealand in the finals) and so was the eventual setback at the hands of an aggressive follicular lymphoma, on the back of a certified remission post chemotherapy…
His life was replete with tragic circumstances at regular intervals, but he rose above every blow with his unique brand of actionable philosophy, not allowing any of the knockbacks to turn into a sedate sob story that the world laments to no avail.
Not being privileged to watch his cricket in real time, even on television, does not take away even an ounce of the sheer elation at savouring the genius in video after video on YouTube: surreal footwork, clockwork precision, enviable array of strokes including his signature flicks, delightfully laidback sophistication, and last but not the least, the invincible technique of playing late on the front foot with an unflinching offside focus, thus reversing the virulence of the reverse swing, which got him the ultimate validation from none other than Wasim Akram, the swing and seam magician par excellence.
One of ICC’s best decisions till date is the induction of Martin Crowe into its Hall of Fame, thereby recognising a legend greater than what his numbers show, and with contributions that are yet to be acknowledged in full measure: his 'Cricket Max' idea that gave birth to the T20 format, his paradigm shifts to the ODI format (offie Deepak Patel and pinch hitter Greatbatch opening the bowling and batting attacks, respectively) which later became the clichéd norm, his altruistic brand of ethical and enjoyable cricket which now defines the NZ cricketing ethos, and above all, his non-conformist take on ailment-induced mortality, using it as a therapeutic tool for a life-transforming catharsis at a time when life was ebbing away from him.
He was a tireless champion of change, as also a selfless crusader for protecting legacy, recognising the merit of both movements, which are never the extremes they are made out to be. He was a staunch supporter of test cricket but he welcomed the idea of pink ball night cricket; he voted in favour of technology in sport but called DRS a bad idea, he upvoted the thrill of T20 but derided the savagery of batting with monster willows. Never shy of speaking his mind, he condemned Chris Gayle’s behaviour in the infamous boundary line chat with a female journalist when most others looked the other way.
He was prophetic in his occasional outbursts. A case in point was his 2015 lambast of David Warner’s ‘thuggish behaviour’ which accompanied a word of caution “soon, one day it will lead to an incident that will sully the game for good”. Well, 2018 was the year of the ugly Sandpaper scandal whose chief architect reportedly was David Warner, the worst form of thug behaviour known to cricket, dwarfing the mindless sledging he was known for all along. He was equally forthright about lauding the dramatcially changed and charged, new-look Warner ever since.
Martin Crowe is no longer in our midst but thankfully, we have all of his oven-fresh insights to cherish in the public domain, thanks to his swan song stint as a cricket writer and columnist.
His thought piece https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/martin-crowe-the-masks-we-wear-693959 is essential reading for all players, veterans and newbies and in fact individuals from all walks of life, though he wrote it in the context of what transpired during the 2013-14 Ashes
{ESPN Cricinfo - you must simply be the best coz Martin Crowe wrote for you! No two ways about this fact}
Quoting him verbatim will be the best tribute to the everlasting talent and temperament of this Hardout Kiwi who soared high to defy the reverse swing of destiny, dogma, diplomacy, disease, death et al
“I admire the quote from Mark Twain where he said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why."
It's a deep, thought-provoking observation. Why are we here and who are we?
The more fortunate ones have an inbuilt belief as to why they exist. They flow through life. Then there are the masses who ebb and flow, searching and evolving. There are also many who discover that for much of their lives they are unsure. Then one day they realise that, in fact, who they are is masked. They reach the point when enough frustration is enough. Only at that point does the real truth surface; the mask must be removed.”
Scores of celebrity cricketers from India can benefit from Martin's heartfelt counsel; it will help them protect the coccon of their true selves (while still in their playing days) from the diktats of a toxic industry of demanding stakeholders who want them to act in a certain manner, playing to the gallery at the cost of losing their mojo and method in the madness all around.