Gargi Raut at the Headingley Cricket Ground
The final ball has been bowled, centuries scored and catches dropped. The first Test match between India and England is done and dusted, and while many of us try to wrap our heads around the absolute drama that unfolded in the five days, there are still multiple experiences to look back on and revel in. From the warm ‘Yorkshire Tea Cake’ welcome in the press box to getting a chance to explore the pitch up close once the match was over, there were so many experiences that will be cherished forever by a young sports journalist.
The first day of the Test match was somewhat of a culture shock. I have covered more than enough matches in my life to know when a welcome is truly special. We have all heard the tales of Yorkshire Tea! But little did I know that I would be welcomed with a gigantic Yorkshire Tea Cake on the first day of the Leeds Test. All of the desks were lined with the special, yet personal, set of cakes accompanied with an editorial magazine. At the end of the day, there was a celebratory dinner, with pizza and drinks involved. It was a welcome like no other.
One of the best parts about covering cricket in England is definitely the vibrant crowd. From the creative singsongs to imaginative costumes and an appreciation for the longest format of the game seldom seen elsewhere, the country offers a unique experience in covering a historic series. While the stadium was jampacked for the first four days, the most bizarre experience was definitely watching some of the greats of the game walking around the stadium like any normal person would. Throughout the match, commentators, former players, and even legends would mingle among the crowd like it was nothing—a sight that is rare back home.
Stuart Broad, one of the commentators in the series, along with Mel Jones and Dinesh Karthik would arrive at the stadium in a cab every single day and would leave for home just the same way. No mobs forming, no loud cheers, just normal human beings going about their jobs. Even the England team head coach, Brendon McCullum, walked to the stadium entrance after parking his car. The Indian cricketing fraternity, even in their wildest dreams, cannot imagine a Gautam Gambhir arriving at a stadium back home with no security, walking from the parking area.
The third day brought a first-hand experience of the English weather. The first four days in the city involved unrelenting sun and heat, but suddenly, the weather turned into piercing winds and biting cold. For those travelling from India, it felt like we experienced three seasons in the span of four days.
By the fourth day, it was clear that the media center coffee would not satisfy the need for a good, caffeinated drink to fuel the long work hours of Test cricket. While many locals urged me to try the Yorkshire Tea and promised that it was unlike anything else, it failed to live up to the aromatic chai back home that evokes every sensory pleasure in a way no over-brewed English tea bag ever could. And with it began the hunt for a good cup of coffee, one that would keep us on our toes for the rest of the day, considering the gruelling schedule of early mornings and late nights.
And that very hunt led to many of the mediapersons discovering the Ugly Mugs cafe, a tiny establishment run by a family that doesn’t usually get much business. But match days meant busy mornings for the cafe owners. Media personnel, alongside fans who found their way to the cafe, lined up early in the morning to get their hands on authentic English breakfast sausages, burgers and wraps. And suddenly, the early-morning craving for a caffeinated drink turned into reality thanks to the low-priced, filled-to-the-brim coffee mugs from the Ugly Mugs Cafe.
The final day at the Headingley Cricket Ground came to an end with a walk on to the ground. Unlike back home, you are allowed to make your way on to the ground and the pitch after the end of play. It was fascinating to see the rough patches, the indentations and the scuffed-up wicket up close, previously only watched on the telly from the press box. It was an experience.
As the sun set on Headingley and the last echoes of applause faded into the evening air, I found myself standing on the very pitch where history had just unfolded. At that moment, feet on the same surface where heroes battled and stories were born, I realised that covering a Test match isn’t just about reporting scores or quoting players. It’s about living the game in all its chaotic, charming entirety. From tea cakes to unexpected friendships, from chilly gusts of wind to warm cups of coffee, it’s the little things that made this experience unforgettable.