When I first started playing representative cricket, whenever a team list was put up, my first worry was whether I made the team or not. My finger would trace all the names and slow down when it reached number 12 or 13. Is my name there? Once I found it, my joy knew no bounds. The names before (and after, if there were any) never registered. It was only about seeing my name on the list—that was the first step! As the years went by and I became a more permanent fixture in the squad, checking the team list became more about whether my name appeared higher than the last year. If I started off at 15 in my first year, moved to 11 a few years later, did I move up the ranks as the years progressed? No.8, maybe 7? What about 5? Once I got over that, team announcements became less about finding my name and more about who else had made it. Don’t get me wrong, I never took my place for granted, but once I found my name, I would always take a careful look at the team I would be playing w