‘Meeting Dalai Lama made us realise cricket is just a game’

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 24

Steve Smith and his men came face to face with spirituality when they met the Dalai Lama in his monastery here today. The meeting couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the visitors as they stand just a win away from wrapping up a rare series win in India, and they would need to stay calm and composed in what's going to be a fiercely contested match. 

The nobel laureate turned it into a cheerful experience for the visitors, rubbing  his nose with Smith’s. Not the one to let the moment slip away, Smith asked the inspirational figure how to get a peaceful sleep when caught in the thick of a battle. “Yeah, it was great. I asked him a question about sleep and how he could help me. We rubbed our noses together, and (he) gave me some blessings, so hopefully it'll help me with my sleep over the next five days,” said Smith.

The Australian team may see it as a good omen as the touring England team in 2013 too had visited the monastery but could not meet him. Smith was not sure whether getting an audience with the apostle of peace would bring down the team's on-field aggression but sounded grateful to have got an opportunity to meet the spiritual figure. 

“He is all about compassion and fondness for each and every human being. It was nice to hear from someone as prestigious as the Dalai Lama. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. If we can learn anything from it, we probably get overboard at times as cricket is a tough game. At the end of the day, it is just a game and you need to realise it and perhaps that is what the team can take forward."