Shourjyani Chatterjee at Eden Gardens
With J Block and D Block representing two different but equally enthusiastic facets of Kolkata’s cricket culture, Day 2 at Eden Gardens generated a wide range of emotions. Even without many banners, J Block was bustling with activity during the pre-lunch session as Washington Sundar and KL Rahul set up their partnership.
Mainak Sinha from Kolkata set the tone with a light joke, saying, “Shetty-r jamai bhalo khelche, o run koruk (Shetty’s son-in-law is batting well, let him score).” Another fan, who had come along just to accompany her friend, added with a laugh, “Rahul Athiya ka pati hai, mereko bas utna pata hai. Acha hi khelta hoga (Rahul is Athiya’s husband, that’s all I know. He must be a good player).”
When Rishabh Pant walked in to bat, Eden was roaring. Bapi Pramanik’s excitement filled the block as he shouted, “Spidey esheche! Ebar 4, 6 hobe. Oshadharon player (Spidey has come! Now there will be fours and sixes. He’s an extraordinary player).” After every six from Pant, he was dancing and screaming, but once Pant got out attempting a pull shot, he snapped in frustration, “Khelte parena! Irresponsible ekta player. Dhore dhore khelte hoy (He can’t play! Such an irresponsible player. You need to bat patiently).” This showed the contrast that exists in the Kolkata crowd.
“Khela ta bhalo jachchhilo, Pant out na hole hoto (The game was going well; it would’ve been better if Pant hadn’t gotten out)” was a common expression of disappointment from all the fans. The block erupted once more when Shubman Gill entered, but the cheers were mixed with worry when he hurt himself. “Ei toh namlo, nemei chot peye gelo? Eto tana khelche. Okeye rest deoa uchit (He just came into bat and is already injured. He has been playing so much of cricket, body must be tired. Should be given some rest).”
The pre-lunch session in J Block defined the traditional Eden Gardens atmosphere, combining humour, heartfelt concern, criticism, and joy.
Following lunch, the focus turned to D Block, when Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja resumed their innings and the crowd began to reappear in force. Loud cries of “Bharat Mata ki jai!” were triggered by Jurel’s first two boundaries, and the front row stood up to cheer a spectacular cover drive.
“Bhai, Jurel-er bat-er awaj tai alada asche (Brother, the sound of Jurel’s bat today is something else)” is how Shubhojit Pal summed up the admiration. Anil Kumble and Dale Steyn’s broadcast segment during the break was held directly in front of the stands. Half of the audience stayed in their seats, captivated by the sight of two legends so close, rather than going out for food.
“80, 70-run hole South Africa chape pore jabe,” Raju Dutta said, expressing confidence in the pair at the crease after analysing the match situation. “Jurel aar Jadeja-ke khelte hobe.” There was discussion regarding the lead and someone said that South Africa would be under pressure if India scored an additional 70 to 80 runs. Although the audience criticised earlier batters for losing their wickets too quickly, they felt that Jurel and Jadeja should continue to bat. However, the whole crowd was frustrated when wickets fell after lunch.
The tone of D Block was louder, edgier, and even more chaotic than that of J Block, which was more focused and expressive. Arguments over seat numbers quickly escalated into a furious dispute about the merits of Jurel and Pant. Chandannagar resident Sourav Sett expressed a direct opinion in favour of Jurel, stating, “Pant-o erokom khelte parto shundor, Jurel-er moto. Nijer wicket haray keu erokom kore? Pant baaje khello (Pant could have performed this as well as Jurel. Who throws away their wicket in such a manner? Pant didn’t play well.”
Every run felt personal, and every dismissal sparked discussion, reflecting the block’s atmosphere.
On the second day, J Block and D Block combined to paint a complete, multi-layered picture of Eden Gardens: amusing, erratic, emotional and intensely passionate. The crowd experienced every moment of the game with the intensity that Kolkata is famous for.
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