To be a good pace bowler all you have to do is to take a red ball (white ball, pink ball…) and hurl it across 22 yards at a batsman. It has to fall on or around the ‘Off stump’ and travel at a speed of 149 kmph. That is all.

Sounds so simple no? Well Glen Mcgrath did it for 12-14 overs a day at the same speed at the same spot. Ajit Agarkar bowled 4 balls there (albeit at a slower pace), then lost concentration, and bowled a few down the leg side.

Giving up smoking. Getting up in the morning and going for a walk. Giving up sugar.

We have made a huge, cardinal mistake of making these very simple sounding words, but very difficult to do. Like I keep telling people Easy in theory, difficult in practice.

Let us put it to the test. Year 2002. You have been MAULED by the 1999 tech boom and subsequent fall. You lost a packet in Hfcl. Or Silverline. Or you still remember the rip off of your dad in the Harshad euphoria.

I ask you to buy the INDEX at 3000. You buy. Next year, or say 2004, market goes to 6000. Easy to tell yourself “it will go to 8000?”. Tough I guess. So good chance that you exited at 6000. YOU WERE THRILLED that your Rs. 30,000 has become Rs. 60,000. At least a part of the losses have been covered. Good show, is it not?

Lets come to 2018. You invested Rs. 10,00,000. Rather I asked you to invest rs. 10L in 2-3 schemes. 2019, the portfolio is worth 9,35,000. Not terrible, but a loss nevertheless not so much of a panic.

Your spouse is identified with cancer. Got the report in June 2019. Hold the portfolio? you are not so sure about the insurance cover..you have to ask your HR. Does not sound very good. Buy and hold?

Your spouse just lost her job, and you are struggling to pay for the 2 cars, remember you have an emi too. Which is easier to stop? emi or sip?

You invested in the mid-cap stocks. BSE Sensex hit all time high (36900). You are thrilled. Withdraw or hold?

Daughter wants to go abroad. Borrow or sell shares?

Market is down 40%. Your father and father in law both have been PSU bankers whose only investment was in 100 shares of Canara bank which they got as ESOP. They tell you how satisfied their generation was. Buy and hold?

Market is down 30%, your wife says “should we stop this sip…we have our daughters fees to worry about darling”. Buy and Hold?

Market is down 40%, your friend comes and tells you ‘how he got advice and sold when the market was just 15% down’.

Cnbc announces that this is the worst quarter results in the st 3 quarters. Buy and hold?

ET carries an article saying how the last one years gains are completely wiped out and EVEN 2 year sip are barely in the green.

Your sister in law sends you an article in BS saying “PPf gave better results in equities” – on a one time investment in 2008 and held till 2018. Buy and hold?

No. These are not easy decisions. And the whole world becomes a fm. So in 2008 they would have told you – “see I told you”. These are people who don’t invest a Re in the markets. Oops.

“Buy and Hold”.  You must be Joking Mr. Subramoney. I can see you smile.