Shourjyani Chatterjee at Eden Gardens
When Jasprit Bumrah marked his run-up for the first over, there was a loud, rolling cheer to start the day. The energy within Eden Gardens was evident despite the fact that the stands were still filling up and that some blocks, particularly the upper tiers of G and D, appeared sparse.
There was a momentary silence in the stadium when Shubman Gill lost the toss, but it was soon broken by loud cries of “Bumrah! Bumrah!” that reverberated around the stadium. There were many Gill supporters among the crowd, who were heavily decked out in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli jerseys. Although many fans had already started on popcorn and chips, food vendors were still setting up outside the stadium and headbands were being sold.
Crowd control was maintained despite the strict security measures, which prohibited female spectators from bringing bags inside. There was a smooth flow of people making their way to their seats because many of the roads surrounding the stadium had been closed to pedestrians only.
The crowd erupted despite the fact that Bumrah’s first delivery was a little leg side. When KL Rahul went to retrieve the second ball after it had sped off for four byes, the noise erupted once more. “Arektu aage!” was yelled from the stands, urging Bumrah to strike the good-length area. His taped knee was the subject of jokes from others. One fan exclaimed, “Ki holo re? Paye lagche naki?”
Many fans stood with visible goosebumps during the national anthem, and there was constant talk about Rishabh Pant. In practically every block, Indian flags fluttered. A few people from the audience smiled nostalgically when one fan even showed up wearing a Dhoni jersey.
The crowd went into a frenzy when Ravindra Jadeja was stationed there early on. The entire stand exploded later when he moved to the boundary close to the L Block; Jadeja waved in acknowledgment of the commotion, which made the fans’ screams even louder.
Others were still finding their seats as more spectators began to arrive, with many more anticipated to arrive during the second session. After the initial rush of excitement, Eden gradually calmed down and became more focussed. The buzz subsided, but each ball received more attention. The Indian audience was also applauding the South African batsmen’s good shots. In the fourth over, Siraj was a bit expensive. Even though it wasn’t yet packed, the stadium had the distinct energy of a major Test match – boisterous, intense, and intensely engaged.
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