It’s a whole new ball game..

Akhilesh conducted a successful election campaign and got majority but providing good governance is a whole new ball game.

Learn a new phrase quickly to improve English speaking skills. The phrase we discuss in this post is, “A whole new ball game”.

Let’s first begin with some example uses:

1. Scoring well in exams is one thing but doing well in real life is a whole new ball game.
2. Umesh Yadav has done well in whatever chances he has got but he is just at the start of his career. Delivering consistent performance over sustained periods at international level is a whole new ball game and will really test his nerves and character.
3. Mamta Banerjee proved herself to be a street smart politician in defeating the left parties after decades in West Bengal. However, providing a good administration is a whole new ball game and will really test her skills and maturity.

“A whole new ballgame” means something completely different from what one might have seen or experienced earlier. It is generally used when a phase changes to something, the subject may not have much experience of. Normally, the sense is that the new phase will bring unforeseen challenges and would require completely fresh thinking.

Let’s take some more examples:

1. Akhilesh Yadav led a successful campaign in UP Assembly elections and achieved absolute majority which was nothing short of a miracle. However, providing good governance is a whole new ball game especially in a complex state like UP. If he is able to deliver, he will achieve greatness in Indian polity but if he can’t, he will be relegated to the dustbins of history.
2. Sudhir has done very well at the academy and graduated with top honors. However, handling different people at the shop floor will be a totally different ballgame but then, that’s what is going to decide how successful he becomes.
3. Indian army is pretty well equipped to handle any misadventure by Pakistan. However, handling an ever aggressive China which is far ahead in terms of weapon systems is going to be a totally different ball game.