Thursday, December 19, 2013

Insanity and a 3 day trip to India for a test match.

You must be insane was the first reaction. But boy am I glad I did it !


Planning to go see "the" test match of my career and that too only for 3 days. Yes that sounds really insane but something I really wished that I did at some point. It was really simple, got a friend to arrange for a ticket, packed a small backpack, booked tickets and got the holidays that were due. I did take a punt that India wouldn't bat first but it was sad that West Indies couldn't even last a day when batting first. It meant that I would miss the first day and some bit of the second but the hope was that one would get to see him bat. However I digress, there was still the small matter of getting to the flight on time, but luckily the the trains were all on time and one could get on the flight just before the final call. Traveling with just hand baggage is highly underrated.

All this was on a wing and a prayer though, the hope I could see him bat one last time. Despite clearing customs and immigration in record time at Mumbai, I entered the stadium slightly disappointed, tired but exhilarated . I had done it, I was there. I'd done the NRI thing that one kept reading in books, travel to watch a game at the drop of a hat. This though wasn't just any other game, it was the last time one could see a certain SRT play in a test match representing India.

The crowd cheered, kept cheering another local boy Rohit, on but also cheered when he got out. There was a chance that SRT might bat again. Then there was the anticlimax, getting caught off a no ball. A low key plea started by a few folks, pleas to Dhoni to declare. Further furious demands followed. Rohit got his century in the end, a really good innings with the tail, but the crowd was interested in the presence of another man. The pleas continued, requests went out to the West Indies to clear the tail, but it was in the end Shami's dismissal that brought the loudest cheer. This was a day for insanity - an Indian captain boo'd for not declaring, the fall of an Indian wicket getting the biggest cheers.


The next day wasn't great - the heart wished for a strong West Indies performance. Boundaries would be cheered today for a West Indian batting performance. There were cheers when the runs were flowing slightly, couple of partnerships but overall everyone was there to just have fun. Nothing more, nothing less.

There could not have been more ways of saying his name

Sachiin sachiin ... the refrain
Saachin saachin ... the refrain...

Wow, what an experience. After a point people started pleading with Dhoni to let Tendulkar bowl. Pleas went out . 

Tendulkar bowl kar. 
Dhoni hai hai and whatever not. 

It was absolutely crazy. Then Tendulkar got the ball, and the whole stadium was standing and making so much noise. I don't know what the batsmen thought of it all - the atmosphere was electric and it was certainly goosebumps time. The match proceeded at a break-neck pace, wickets kept tumbling and in the end we were done. However something that should be realised is never again shall there be a number 4 with the initials SRT for a long time for India in tests.

Woh!