Q: What is Asad Rauf’s favourite mode of dismissal? Ans - hit wicket. On the field, off the field, his love affair with the game of cricket continues. No matter where he is, he is amidst maidens; Maidens on the field to maidens off it, Asad’s life has come a full circle. Asad has been a member of ICC’s elite panel for umpires for quite some time now. He is regarded as one of the most respected umpires, thanks to his ability to call it right. But, the recent controversy involving a Kapoor girl from India may well cost him his place in the elite panel of umpires.

The girl is claiming that during his trips to India, Asad promised marriage to her. A promise he later failed to keep. If the photos that are doing the rounds are anything to go by, then Asad’s claims of ‘he was just posing for a pic with a fan’ are far from true. Infact, they are rubbish to say the least. By no means, am I saying that the girl is naive, as Asad is yet to come up with evidence that may prove him innocent. But currently, Asad is standing on a sticky wicket.

On the other hand, the Kapoor girl is putting up a brave fight. How right or wrong she is with all these accusations against Asad, only time will tell. The proposed marriage, the accusations of physical assault et al. are some serious accusations she is making. If they prove to be otherwise then I must say the girl has chosen a horrendous path to gain publicity or as one of my dear friends likes to say, “a path trodden by many, but certainly not the best way to stay in the news”.

On a sarcastic note, the whole episode is open for a whole lot of fun and leg pulling. This whole drama so far, may well attract Yash Chopra’s (a well-known Indian filmmaker for decades) attention. He may well be getting nostalgic. He infact may be planning to rope in Asad as his foreign affairs director. People say Chopra’s films are fictional. But now, all these cross border love stories have come real. And yes, this story too has a Kapoor in it. Like many of Chopra’s movies, this Kapoor-Rauf cross border love story has drama jam packed - a sense of bewafaai (betrayal) et al. Only question is, will the lovers reunite to live happily ever after? I can sense a bit of tension building up. Back to the cricket field, the batsmen around the world are in party mode (no IPL here, so no point blaming BCCI for this party; atleast now). Now, they know they have one umpire less to worry about. Why? Because he has knocked himself out.

On a serious note though, it is important to notice where the trend is moving. A trend few may consider as worrisome. Traditionally, being honest and performing good deeds were the primary considerations that would help you earn some name and if you were present at the right place at the right time, publicity was a given. Although, this thought is not extinct like a dinosaur, many are losing belief in the idea of being nice to be famous. So, this makes me ask are we rapidly moving into a period where good work or good human beings are merely the quintessential ‘also-rans’? Or are we already there? Remember, Chopra’s movies are still very high on family values. Hence, even amidst the love for cross border or passionate love stories, those movies have not yet distanced themselves from strong family values.

Hence, opinions about the issue will be divided. If the girl’s claims turn out to be baseless and are merely a way to become famous, then it won’t be unusual to hear that ‘it is justifiable to do whatever it takes to be famous’. A school of thought for whom result is more important than the means. Few may ask (tongue firmly in cheek) Ms.Kapoor, why are you mad at Asad? Oh come on, your Asad has made everyone proud. Few might go ahead and garner lavish praises on the girl if she is proven right and well, won’t shy away from calling Rauf a womaniser, a characterless individual. Well, I throw the topic and hence a choice of opinions wide open.