Sharmistha Gooptu in Birmingham
For most of us in the RevSportz team, this is our first time covering a Test at Edgbaston. For myself, while I have been to Birmingham several times in the past, including when I was covering the Commonwealth Games in 2022, Edgbaston was a venue I had gazed upon from the outside. As I entered today through the media gate, I was soaking in every bit of the atmosphere, and planning with my colleague Debasis to make a lunch time visit to the famous Eric Hollies stand, to capture spectators who are known to arrive there in all kinds of fancy dress.
A live band of musicians was greeting entrants just inside the doors where the board read: “The People’s Home of Cricket and Edgbaston for Everyone Since 1882”. Then, I moved past the Stanley Barnes and Eric Hollies stands, and the merchandise superstore, into the media wing. While the players warmed up before the toss, members of the media were seen getting a quick breakfast in the media lounge – bacon, hash browns, vegetarian sausages and tomatoes. I heard somebody say: “Well at least somebody has given a thought to vegetarians!” But largely the conversation was around the possible playing eleven and India’s possibilities.
As we watched the first over being bowled, a friend who lives around Oxford, tagged me on a post on Facebook, calling for a wave from the press box. Hello Edgbaston, and let’s keep hopes high…
