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What is this thing about cricketers and actresses? Who makes a play for whom? Who throws the ball first? Or is it a foreplay of a different sort? We have had a long line of cricketers and actresses. Beginning with Pataudi-Sharmila Tagore, Sobers-Anju Mahendru, Reena Roy-Mohsin Khan, Ravi Shastri-Amrita Singh, Ajay Jadeja-Madhuri Dixit, Azharuddin-Sangita Bijlani and now, Saurav Ganguly-Nagma!

In all this, I think, Azza-Bijlee and Ganguly-Nagma stand out, for breaking a family unit and causing ripples of hurt over a family net. It could be argued that, the new relationship couldn't have broken the marriage. That, if the marriage was strong, it could have withstood outside attractions. Let's not forget that every marriage has its ups and downs. Is it necessary to buy the coffin and nail it down when the going's not good? Or is it that, when the going's not good, the good get going?

Let's also not forget that a marriage can only be as good or as bad as the two people in it. So, are these guys just not mature enough to say," Nai yaar, ghar mein biwi aur bacche hain!" Of course, a lot will be said about the solitary rigours of touring. And who has not heard jokes of travelling salesmen! But I wonder, " Is sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander?" Or in our case, "Is chutney for the 'murga', chutney for the 'murgi'?" Would either of these wives have thought, "Oh-fo, its just so difficult looking after the house and kids and in-laws without Him.. Hey, who's that dish there? Maybe I could 'chalao' something until He comes..Abhi pataati hun!" Would it not have outraged the husbands and everyone else even more? Maybe, Azharuddin one could say was dazzled by the glamour of Bijlee, after the charms of his homespun wife of arranged mode. That still is no excuse, mind you. But what was Ganguly thinking? After marrying his childhood sweetheart..? Must be the passion satiated, after the thrill of the hunt and conquest. So, once the marriage settled into dreary everyday-ness, he perhaps yearned once more for the rush of excitement, the surge in adrenaline. Pity he couldn't look for it in his cricket. His scores make a mockery of my patriotism. As a woman, the only satisfying thing about this Ganguly-affair, are reports that his wife has filed for divorce__"You don't quit; I fire you!"

Go girl, that's the spirit!

Maybe its also time he got fired from captaincy.
Just as, it is not end-time for cricketers and actresses and never will be. Much as I hate to sound prudish, let's just hope that the others will manage their lives more maturely and decently. Cheers to that..!

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