Sharmistha Gooptu in Manchester
When I was leaving the stadium yesterday after the day’s play, having watched a contented Shubman Gill and KL Rahul walk back to the pavilion, I witnessed the jubilation of fans. The game was far from won, England was still quite ahead, and today was going to be India’s challenge. Yet, I left the media centre to the loud beating of drums somewhere in the stands.
Incidentally, despite all predictions and supporters hoping for rain to become India’s saviour, there was no rain — not even in the night as far as we could tell. When I wrote yesterday about fans praying for rain, a reader commented ‘Fools to pray for rain while remaining silent on bad team mgmt decisions…’.
That, of course, is relevant and discussions will continue among experts and analysts airing their points. The cry for change will pick up force if India lose the series today. If it’s a draw, the critical voice will still hold ground and will be put forth by journalists and commentators of the game. For structural change, as against a win or a loss.
But when it comes to fans, theirs is a visceral life for the game and for the stars who play this game — some the biggest stars of our part of the world. Yesterday, I encountered eager fans waiting outside for the players and the media building. They were just hoping for a glimpse of the team.
Further on, under the stairs which lead from the players’ dressing room into the ground, were a group of delirious fans, who had seen the side go from the brink of a collapse to the Gill and Rahul resurrection. As it happened, Gautam Gambhir and Sitanshu Kotak, were alighting the stairs at that same moment and even the generally ‘Gambhir’ Gambhir responded to their cries with a half smile.
This morning, as I walked to stadium, I again countered groups of fans — the hopefuls who had turned up yet another day for their team. Taking pictures, wrapping themselves in the Tricolour. They are not the ones that will care about team management or which player was left out and should have been included. They are here for moments. For the fours and sixes and the joy of holding high the national flag — they are the fans.
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