As the story goes, the trees surrounding the Moti Bagh ground here in Vadodara are still pockmarked by the hits from Yusuf Pathan as he used to hammer sixes for fun against the hapless bowlers in local matches. Cacophonous protests from the monkeys that made those trees their home used to be the only voices of discontent. Locals who regularly turned up to watch Yusuf bat knew the player was special. Yusuf would end up being a World Cup winner.
Moti Bagh, a picturesque venue boasting a superb outfield, was where cricket, local matches and sometimes Ranji Trophy fixtures, used to be played in tranquility. The new BCA Stadium that will play host to the first ODI between India and New Zealand on Sunday would revel in the explosion of sound. “The stadium has a capacity of 30,000-plus, and it’s sold out,” Snehal Parikh, a Baroda cricket old hand and the current CEO of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) told RevSportz. “Tickets are priced at Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000. And there are corporate boxes with full hospitality for Rs 20,000 plus taxes.”
Attributing the craze to the Ro-Ko mania is easy. On Thursday, as the Indian squad started assembling here, Virat Kohli arrived amid a grand fanfare, his arrival visuals going viral on social media. Scratch beneath the surface, and people in this part of the world have been starved of watching international matches for years. The last international fixture here was an ODI between India and New Zealand in 2011, played at the Reliance ground. The new, state-of-the-art, stadium is ready to open its heart and hearth to the Kiwis, who will train from 1.30 pm today. India’s practice is from 5.30 pm.
“The craze for Ro-Ko is there, Rohit (Sharma) and Virat are icons,” said Parikh. “But it’s a dream come true for us, as the new stadium would be hosting its first men’s ODI. People here are crazy about the game and they are very knowledgeable also. The city has a rich cricket heritage and culture.”
The BCA is planning a flag-off event featuring Rohit and Kohli before the match. “We have the BCCI permission,” said Parikh. “We have to check if Rohit and Kohli would be available. If they agree, we will go ahead.”
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