home ground

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

उद्या भारत 🇮🇳 जिंकेल का 🏏?.. home ground.. what are the odds?

मागच्या वर्षी ODI WCWC जिंकलो, त्याबद्दल लिहायचं राहिलं.. म्हणून, आधी backlog भरून काढुया (अगदी थोडक्यात).. २०२३ सालचा जखमी शेर Australia 🇦🇺, आणि २०२५ चा जखमी भारत, ह्यात पुरुष आणि महिला संघ सोडले, तर खास तसा फरक नव्हता..

group stage मधून चौथ्या स्थानावर उपांत्य फेरीसाठी qualify होणं आणि त्यातून विश्वचषक जिंकून आणणं म्हणजे नुसतं कौतुकास्पद नव्हे तर कारगिल गर्ल 🚁 चलचित्रातल्या कौसर मुनीरच्या "है सारे जहाँ पे भारी, मेरे भारत की बेटी" मधल्या एकुणएक शब्दाला शोभण्यासारखं होतं.. as Siddhu also quotes (courtesy: TGIKS, Netflix),

मिथाली राज से लेकर

स्मृती और हरमनप्रीत तक भारत का असली नाज़ है औरत..

ये सीने में तूफान और रगों में बलिदान है,

ये जेमिमाह का जुनून है

और दीप्ति शर्मा के हुनर की पहचान है..

ये शबरी का इंतज़ार भी है,

और रानी लक्ष्मीबाई की जयजयकार भी है..

ये ज़िद है भीकाजी कामा की,

और ये शेफाली वर्मा की विजय ललकार भी है..

ये हमारा गहना है, ये हमारी सच्ची दौलत है..

ये आजके gentlemen's cricket game के सर की ताज है..

जब भी भारतीय cricket का इतिहास लिखा जाएगा,

हरियाणा hurricane कपिल देव, captian cool MS Dhoni और पंजाब की power girl हरमनप्रीत का नाम आएगा..

back to 2026,

२०११ साली भारताने जी प्रथा मोडली, त्याची यंदा पुनरावृत्ती होईल का?.. जसा दहावा ODI MCWC 🇮🇳 भारताने भारतात जिंकला, तसाच हा दहावा T20I MCWC भारत भारतात जिंकेल का?.. आधीच्या ९ पैकी कुठलाच चषक 🏆 यजमान देशाने जिंकला नव्हता (ODI) / अद्याप जिंकलेला नाही (T20I).. धोनीच्या त्या ऐतिहासिक षटकाराने 'यजमान देश जिंकत नाही' हा समज मोडीत काढला होता.. असंच काहीतरी सुर्या करेल का?..

ह्यात तर्क शोधण्यापेक्षा परंपरेला मोडण्याची जिद्द महत्त्वाची होय 😊.. कारण सरतेशेवटी 'उम्मीद पे दुनिया कायम है'.. तसंही भीती आणि आशा दोन्हीही दिसत नाही - त्यामुळे कशावर जास्त विश्वास ठेवायचा, हे फक्त आपल्यावर असतं..

कुठेतरी बघितलं / ऐकलं असेलच की २००७ साली ZIM 🇿🇼 ने AUS ला हरवलं होतं.. भारत super 8 मधला पहिला सामना हारला होता.. ह्यावर्षीही same pattern repeat होत असतांना दिसत आहे.. आज इतिहासाची ही चक्रे ☸️ पुन्हा त्याच जागी येऊन थांबली आहेत, जिथून T20I विश्वचषक आणि भारताच्या विश्वविजेतेपदाचा प्रवास सोबत सुरू झाला होता 🏅.. योगायोग म्हणायचे की नियती?.. शेवटी 'history repeats itself' नावाचाही काही प्रकार असतोच की..

अपनी गली में कुत्ता भी शेर होता है.. home ground

खेळपट्टी आणि प्रेक्षकांचा आवाज हे एखाद्या ब्रह्मास्त्रासारखं नक्कीच काम करतात.. पण जेव्हा परके संघ दुसऱ्यांच्या अंगणात जाऊन डरकाळी फोडतात, तेव्हा home groundचा दबाव आपल्यावरच उलटतो का? 🙄..

a bit off-track.. trekला गेलो असता, बहुतेक वेळेस एखादा कुत्रा 🐕 असतो सोबत.. एकटे असाल वाटेवर, तर ह्याची शक्यता जास्त.. such noble souls - शोधून सापडणार नाहीत.. मग हे जेव्हा trek करत-करत (सोबत चालत-चालत) दुसऱ्यांच्या territoryत शिरतात, तेव्हा सुरू होतो कल्लोळ.. नेमकी हीच परिस्थिती एखाद्या 'away series' मध्ये असते.. तुम्ही कितीही ताकदवान असा, पण समोरच्याचा गड सर करताना स्थानिक 'शेरां'चा सामना करावाच लागतो.. आपल्या सोबत आलेला बिचारा कसातरी त्या शेरांपासून धडपड करत जीव वाचवत असतो.. सर्वच बाबतीत हे बहुदा बघायला भेटतं..

२०१३ ची champions league आठवते तुम्हाला?.. तुम्ही म्हणाल cricketच्या article मध्ये football ⚽ कुठून आला !!.. not really.. cricketची champions league - असं पण काही असतं का?.. हो, २०१४ पासून काही कारणाने बंद झाली, पण त्याआधी व्हायची.. परत चालू करत आहेत, असं ऐकलंय, we'll see.. back to २०१३.. Rajasthan Royalsने सर्व सामने जिंकले, फक्त अंतिम फेरी हारायला.. का?.. तर म्हणे, सामना Jaipurला नव्हता..

२०१५ ODI MCWC तर नक्कीच आठवत असेल.. exact same pattern आपण बघितला NZ 🇳🇿 सोबत.. सर्व सामने मायदेशी खेळून जिंकले आणि final Melbourneला जाऊन हारले 😵.. थोडक्यात काय?, तर परिस्थिती बदलली की नशिबाचे फासेही उलटे पडतात.. put differently, आपल्या बालेकिल्ल्याच्या बाहेर पाऊल टाकताच मोठमोठ्यांचे 'किल्ले' ढासळतात..

पण मग, अशी काही परिस्थिती ह्या finalची तर नाही 🤔.. सामना तर भारतातच आहे.. एक भारतीय म्हणून तुमच्या आशा वाढल्या असतील तर चला थोडी भीती सुद्धा घालतो..

तर आठवा - eighth नाही remember.. तर आठवा तो दिवस आणि ती रात्र.. आठवा Cummins काय म्हणाला होता - nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent 😶.. २०२३ च्या चषकात भारत एकुलता सामना जो हारला तो ह्याच मैदानावर 🏟️.. आणि नुकताच SA विरुद्ध जो एकुलता सामना ह्या चषकातला हारला, तो सुद्धा इथेच.. जखमी शेर आणि गली का कुत्ता सारखे हे दोन्ही संघ जे बरसले, त्याचं भारताकडे काही उत्तर नव्हतं.. आता तुम्ही म्हणाल, जखमी शेर ठीक आहे, पण SA 🇿🇦 आणि गली का कुत्ता काय गणित आहे?.. थोडक्यात, आठवा - remember नाही eighth 🎱.. आठवा सामना कोलकात्याला हारण्या आधी, ते इथे ५ सामने खेळले होते, so गली का कुत्ता..

मैदानाचं नाव बदलल्या पासून, हे दोन्ही सोडून इतर कुठले सामने भले भारताने इथे हारले नसतील (एक कसोटी सामना अनिर्णित होता), पण २०२३ चा गमावला, त्याने सब किये पे पानी फेर दिया 😭.. after all, "all that glitters is only gold".. इससे और भी कुछ याद आया.. यंदा परत (२०२४ सारखंच), Ind एकदा all out झाली आहे, NZ अजून नाही.. more details on both these topics in earlier ODI and T20I MCWC articles.. शेवटी links दिल्या आहेत..

त्यात रोहित शर्मा म्हणतोय, repeat तर करूच, सोबत history defeat सुद्धा करू.. तिसऱ्यांदा, लागोपाठ आणि यजमान - तीन प्रकारे never before achievements in T20I MCWC.. रोहितच्या 'hitman' जिद्दीसमोर इतिहासही नतमस्तक होईल अशी आशा आहे.. एका तऱ्हेने त्या दिशेने वाटचाल चालू दिसते तर आहे.. २०१२ चा 🇱🇰 SL सोडला तर इतर कुठलाच संघ, अजून अंतिम फेरी जिंकणे सोडा, अंतिम फेरीत पोहोचला सुद्धा नाही आहे.. घरच्या मैदानावर अंतिम फेरी गाठणारा भारत हा केवळ दुसराच संघ ठरला आहे.. defeat करायला हे सुद्धा एक आव्हान होतंच, ज्यात भारताला यश आलं आहे..

अजून एक महत्वाचं सांगायचं झालं तर.. भारताचा सर्वाधिक धावांनी T20I सामना जिंकायचा विक्रम, ह्याच मैदानावर आहे.. समोर कुठला संघ होता?, ह्याचा कदाचित तुम्ही अंदाज लावला असावा.. तब्बल १६८ धावांचा फरक.. खूप जुनी गोष्ट नाही आणि NZचा संघही २-३ जणांच्या फरकाने साधारण तोच - १ फेब्रुवारी २०२३.. अब तो खुश हो जाओ 😃..

तरी, "कोण जिंकेल?" ह्याचं उत्तर इथे काहीजरी आणि कितीजरी लिहिलं तरी सामना झाल्याशिवाय मिळणार नाही आहे.. आपल्याला भीती आणि आशा जरी दिसत नसल्या तरी रोहित म्हणतो तसा, मैदानावर उतरल्यावर आपल्या खेळाडूंना दिसतो तो फक्त तिरंगा 🇮🇳.. सर्वाधिक अनिश्चितता असलेल्या ह्या खेळात 🏏, जिथे कागदावरचे आकडे मैदानावरील गाळलेल्या घामाने पुसले जातात, एवढं तर नक्की आहे - उपांत्य फेरी एवढी चुरशीची झाल्यामुळे अंतिम फेरी 'पानी कम चाय' होणार आहे.. अभिषेक आणि वरुण नक्की चालतील (खेळवलं तर) २०२४ च्या कोहली सारखं.. तसंच रवींद्रची फळी सुद्धा..

home ground चा फायदा कुठल्या संघाला मिळेल, सांगणं अवघड आहे, कारण दोन्ही संघ SA विरुद्ध हारले होते, ज्यात भारताची कामगिरी NZ पेक्षा जरा अधिकच गरीब होती.. म्हणून, home ground ब्रह्मास्त्र म्हणून काम करेल की दडपण, सांगणं सद्यपरिस्थितीत अवघड आहे..

पण जर भारत इथे पुन्हा हारला, तर मात्र ह्या मैदानाचं नाव पुन्हा 🗿 Ironman ठेवण्यात यावं, ही सदिच्छा.. कारण इथे अंतिम सामन्यापर्यंत टिकण्यासाठी आणि अंतिम सामन्यात जिंकण्यासाठी पोलादी जिद्दच हवी..

annexure

ODI MCWC 2023,

https://irrationalitypersonified.blogspot.com/2023/11/mcwc-2023.html

T20I MCWC 2024,

https://irrationalitypersonified.blogspot.com/2024/06/t20i-mcwc-2024.html

T20I MCWC 2024

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

a sensational script.. T20I MCWC 2024.. all that glitters is not gold

what a world cup we'd had ❗.. whoever had written the script, indeed did a sensational job 👏.. name any of the 20 countries and everything fell "Just. In. Place." for each one of them.. for some on the positive sides, for others on the learning sides - pick of the lot being / to name a few - RSA, AFG, USA 🇺🇲 etc.. we'll talk more on the current affairs, but before that / as always, let's (try to) setup the premise..

do you believe in superstition(s)?.. if you are a cricket fan, most probably you've answered in favor of the question.. 

that was also the starting excerpt (few more shall follow, otherwise colored default) from the previous article on 'How and when did India lose the ODI MCWC 2023?'.. repeating this, because cricket (rather, most of / all the sports) and superstitions are made for each other - हम बनें, तुम बनें, एक दूजे के लिए 🪢..

but unlike last time, this one is not about 'How and when did India win the T20I MCWC 2024?', because that would be the next obvious / simple most thing 🤗 - the opposite of everything mentioned in the former article..

so far (before 2023), India had appeared in 3 ODI MCWC finals.. the pattern being, won - lost - won.. 'what comes next?'

so far (before 2024), India had appeared in 2 T20I MCWC finals.. the pattern being, won - lost.. we all know what came next (yesterday), and after today, 'what comes next?' - we'll all be sure sorry for that 😔..

(2023) Final nail in the coffin - Kohli and his wife literally mocked 😆 when in-form Edwards was caught behind..

First hands on the trophy - Kohli's wife was nowhere to be seen.. I mean, c'mon.. when she's in the stands 🏟️ to support the team his husband is playing for, have you ever seen his team getting their hands on a trophy?.. be it hosted by ICC or BCCI, the team has not won ever, and never will 😦.. it's only her absence that can make us and / or RCB fans happy..

and if not her, was there any other celebrity in the stands to support India? not a single unrelated soul.. wow 🥳.. then what about Rinku and Khaleel?.. that's already answered..

(2023) till the finals, no team had bowled India all-out.. in the finals, this pattern broke..

although India won all the matches this season 🏅 (first ever team to do so), they did get all-out in their second encounter against the arch rivals 🇵🇰.. while RSA, none.. each and everybody from the Indian camp had faced at least a delivery.. while Shamsi, none.. now you may be wondering, where does this fit? - unlike last year, India were well past their bad omen in the league stage itself..

(2023) the knock-outs were nothing but repeat matches..

having to face always a different team, on completely different conditions every match / than the recent past - do the math.. there is hardly any scope for referable predict-ability or undue misconceptions.. e.g., इनको तो league stage में हरा चुके हैं, क्या ही उखाड़ लेंगे ये semi / final में?..

T20I MCWC 2024

as India culminates - successfully this time - let's go through few of the highlights, from an unfermented perspective..

as we know, only way to keep AUS / MI away from the trophy 🏆 is - not let them reach the finals.. and this is only possible, when at least a couple of other teams team-up.. this time these were, India, AFG and BAN 🇧🇩.. BAN? yes.. were they scripted winners against AFG 🇦🇫, the uneasy subject of this article would have been, 'How and when did India lose the T20I MCWC 2024?', with different contents, as (and where) Rohit would definitely had tried something out of the blue, and succumbed it all 📉..

reserved day - imagine a scenario, where India would have played and then won the final 🏆, without having won the match against ENG.. those who are wondering, 'how could that have happened?' 🤔, are probably not aware that there was no reserved day for the semi-final.. and since India 🇮🇳 topped their group in 'Super 8', they were ICC's first choice to play the final.. now compare this scenario with what happened after super over in 2019's final.. I am sure, you'll also 🙏 thank the rain God / Goddess that the Thursday's match was not washed-out..

but, what if ENG 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 had topped their group too?.. needless to guess, another stupid ICC rule would have come into play, adding nothing more than mockery to the most worshipped Indian sport 🏏.. so, the obvious question then is, 'why not also have an extra day reserved for the semis as well (same as final), and if needed, schedule the final on Sunday?' .. as easy as these suggestions may sound, matters won't definitely be that straightforward at ground levels 🙇‍♂️.. in other words, we are always grateful to you, ICC ☺️.. 

talking now about the final.. after having have won the toss 🪙, when he opted to bat, something felt uneasy, but the opposition was not AUS 🇦🇺 and we have seen in the before's ICC tournament, what RSA can do batting first, in addition to choking on big occasions 🤦‍♂️.. today was one / another one, and so, they did it again.. rotating strike in the penultimate over was probably not needed 🙅‍♂️.. and now, you (Miller) can only blame yourself, for having fielders upto the likes of SKY, guarding the rope / cushions..

Patel's blinder 😵 from the AUS encounter was also equally incredible / memorable, which is also a classic example on how karma rebounds 🪃.. to somebody disrespecting the Cricket's most esteemed trophy, ये तो होना ही था..

was 176 enough?.. on a dry pitch like that, a team needs to put-up a score that makes the sponsorer deliver 🚚 at least 20 kits to the grassroots cricket.. but who is complaining, when you have Jassi card 🃏 to play with?.. what Rohit accurately said in the post match presentation.. "I don't know what is with him. I know exactly what he brings to the table but how he does that, it is just a masterclass." 🫡

also, here's what Cricbuzz said about him when Jansen's guard was pulverized.. "Clone a bit of that right hand 🙋‍♂️ and give it to the best scientists all over the world to make plenty of Jasprit Bumrahs for the future ⏭️.. Because that right hand of this esteemed pacer is one of the most valuable things for Indian cricket.".. A neat prodigy, who was also inarguably adjudged "Player of the Tournament".. 👌

left-arm pacers.. without them, no team can win a trophy in a modern day cricket.. one of the main contributors to India's triumph back in 2007, 2011 and now in 2024.. 2019 was an exception, but who regards the winners as the winners anyway 🫤, also given the fact that, they are (one of) the last full-member teams to have won a WC, where all other nations, who they'd colonized and have learned the sport from them, outperformed them..

RSA 🇿🇦 - while all the ghosts from the past were prudently buried in their last match, new ones are now born.. will these haunt them for another 3 decades to follow? hope not, fingers crossed 🤞.. wish you all the very best for your future endeavours..

Ghosts Haunting RSA

on the similar lines, in 2022, an African country 🇲🇦 played a semi-final match during FIFA WC ⚽ for the first time.. yesterday, it was a first time final match for them (an African country) in a Cricket WC 🏏.. to summarise, African continent is pacing it up and spicing it up.. if not this time, some time soon / any time soon, Shakira 🎙️ would cry out loud (again), "This time for Africa" 🎶..

jinx - she (not Shakira) had also said, it was her mistake when her husband (Ajinkya Rahane) got out on 98 in one of the IPL matches.. there is no logic to this, but so are many other claims, where logic fails.. ये दुनिया ऐसी दलीलों से भरी पड़ी है.. now, who jinxed yesterday's match for RSA?.. you already know the best possible and the most accurate answer to this question.. you, me and all of us 😎..

last but not the least.. if anything needs to be talked about, about the individual contributions - but why? - some performances were 'yes' below par / expectations, but those were also well compensated by the rest, exceeding the expectations.. ultimately, all that matters is, India (team) had hands on the silver 🥈..

#DidItForDravid

is that enough?.. if you ask this question to anybody / yourself, you'll probably get no other reply.. silver से पेट / मन / दिल नही भरता साहब, gold से भरता है.. after all - all that glitters is not only gold 🥇.. #DilMaangeMore

in case you missed out on the previous article on ODI MCWC 2023, here is the link.. https://irrationalitypersonified.blogspot.com/2023/11/mcwc-2023.html

ODI MCWC 2023

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

be a sport.. ODI MCWC 2023.. How and when did India lose?

do you believe in superstition(s)?.. if you are a cricket fan, most probably you've answered in favor of the question.. If not or if you don't, this article is not for you.. so, feel free to close ❌ the tab..

now that you are continuing, you must already be aware of the most popular one from this list.. 'Sachin always used to put on his left pad first' - nobody knows 'why?', even he himself did not know.. but that's exactly the crux of superstitions: nobody knows 'why?'.. btw, this goes along in all the other sports too, but we'll restrict / personify the irrationality only to our religion 🏏..

to start with, let's go back to the era when India had only one batsman.. me and Anup (cousin brother) were watching a match, Sachin inching towards a century 💯, and when he (Anup) could not hold it in anymore, he (Sachin) got out.. his (Anup's) first reaction as he returned was a dejected and guilty face.. another one - remember a Test match when India were chasing 145 against Bangladesh (day 4) and were shattered to 56/5?.. later, India won.. how? you are a devotee enough to guess it right 👍..

in one of the TV shows, Radhika claimed herself to be the x-factor behind her husband's efforts behind the world record of most catches in a single Test match by a fielder (non-WK), which today also rules the Guinness book.. not just that, the same show, she had also said, it was her mistake when he (Ajinkya Rahane) got out on 98 in one of the IPL matches..

as funny and fussy all of this may / must sound, against what Sumedh (son) says, "there is no magic 🪄, everything that happens is a science", may be, there are some powers beyond that 'everything', which we will never / do not want to understand.. only thing we can potentially do is to identify the patterns and bet accordingly on a side having the higher probability (on their repetition).. 

interpreting the signals - did you watch the Diwali special 'Believe' program on India-Pakistan clash from T20I MCWC 2022?.. one of the statements Virat made, was, "when I got bowled out on a free-hit delivery (so, actually not-out), the ball could have travelled anywhere on the field.. but, it went deep, to the tallest member of the opposition, only and also the one limping.. we ran 3.. this was signal enough that we will not lose.."

now let's start with some of the happenings (patterns and signals) in the last month and a half.. also note, nothing of this is a retrospection..

ODI MCWC 2023

so far (before 2023), India had appeared in 3 ODI MCWC finals.. the pattern being, won - lost - won.. 'what comes next?' is probably the simplest 😁 of questions when it comes to identifying the pattern on the "logical reasoning" levels.. now that it's in the past, after today, 'what comes next?' should be another easy answer and since the time-period between all of these is reducing, this should happen in the next 4 years.. 1983 - (20) - 2003 - (8) - 2011 - (12) - 2023 - (4) - 2027.. unless some other pattern intercepts and overrules 🤞.. 

in 2011 edition, India were the first team to win a ODI MCWC final on a home soil.. next 2 editions observed the same 🔄.. this edition, scheduled to happen in India, 'a repeat' was never going to be a possibility.. obvious reason: India set a new trend in 2011 "in host country", which they were anyway expected to reset, by hosting it again..

2019 - NZ 🇳🇿 won the semis against IND and lost in the final..

2023 - IND won the semis against NZ to lose in the final..

India 🇮🇳 were very and exceptionally brilliant in their first 8.. always ruled the points table, bowling department was ruthless, batting department was clinical, fielders were always on top of the white sphere, craving for medals 🏅.. but then, and very particularly, they started to lose focus while playing their 9th, against NED and this was the turning point, rather those were the turning points in India's dream journey.. Rohit himself said, "we tried off side yorkers, which were not needed".. why indulge in unnecessary / irrelevant matters?.. and dude! why use 9 bowlers?

Rohit's concluding words
from post match presentation 

is all of the above not contradictory to what happened thereafter?.. in the next 2 knock-out matches, India bowled only 5 specialists.. and when they failed in taking timely wickets, should India not have tried the irregular bowlers, who picked-up a couple in NED 🇳🇱 match?.. in other words, why then try the options earlier?.. all that needed was, simply continue the pattern that was successfully tested so far and let the wishful affairs happen effortlessly..  

in the tournament, India won first 5 matches chasing and next 5 batting first.. so, logically and at least, the plan for 11th match should have been 'chase', especially given the fact that last 2 wins (NED and NZ) were not walk-in-the-park types, relatively.. now, nobody can control outcome of the flip of a coin 🪙.. but when Rohit said, "we would have batted first anyway", he went against the logic, and rest is history.. even Kamlesh (brother-in-law) had said in the morning, "to win, India must chase"..

till then, no team had bowled India all out.. not even once, in all of their 10 consecutive matches that they won, irrespective of batting first or second.. in the final, they even took it deep till the last delivery.. but then, Kuldeep was too lazy 🥱 and Siraj was inarguably angry-cum-disappointed that he (Kuldeep) did not even put enough efforts.. all-out = pattern break..

one more - though a low score, India should have been positive about having made 11 more runs than the ENG 🇬🇧 match, which they ended-up winning by 100 runs.. alas, Shami bowled ahead of Siraj, against the followed / established norms.. was that needed?..

Final nail in the coffin ⚰️

where did India actually lose it all? I remember once Niyant had said, काही अघटित घडायला १ सेकंद पुरेसा आहे, so we should not risk it (some plan during college days).. similarly, one small expression of negligence / mockery / dignity can uncreate / wash-off all the advantage anybody has / earned.. in the context of this World Cup, Kohli and his wife literally mocked 😆 when in-form Edwards was caught behind.. that was too much / not required, imho.. as you sow, so shall you reap.. at times, excitement, aggression and sledging are necessary.. all fine, ok and my pleasure types.. but not crossing the thin line of being mockingly arrogant about it is also important.. be a sport

all of the stated above are just some interpretations of limited observations (from my side) during just concluded ODI World Cup 🏆 where India lost in the final.. sure, a lot more happened for which we all should be proud 👏 of India Cricket Team, especially when they were on top of everything till the first 8 matches and first innings of the 9th = 8.5 matches..

similarly, and otherwise too - in every aspect of the life, it's important to identify patterns and signals.. and more important is to bet on the higher probability side.. irrespective of having / not understood the science / logic behind.. sometimes, that's the only option 😇.. you may not always win but the chances are better than the flip of a coin..