Gargi Raut at Edgbaston
Test cricket, like the name suggests, is a test of mental temperament, resilience and patience, much like real life. For some, sport is more than just a game. It becomes a source of hope in the darkest moments, a space to make memories, and something to look forward to. That’s the story of Himanshu Tanna, one of the volunteers in the press box at Edgbaston.
Apart from the usual buzz of the media professionals, photographers, and the support staff, there is one constant presence at the media box and that’s Himansu. He’s not a journalist nor a commentator, in fact, he’s one of those people with seemingly invisible responsibilities that hold a major sporting tournament together. Behind his warm smile and an inviting “hello, how are you?” is a story of love, loss and belonging, all intertwined with cricket.
Himanshu’s journey into sport didn’t begin with a dramatic flash. Growing up in Telford, he fell in love with cricket in perhaps the most organic way. When he first recited his story to me, his passion for the game, his volunteering at Edgbaston, and the loss of his daughter when she was just nine days old, I was immediately struck by the devotion he carries for the sport.
As I asked him to recite his story to me one more time, slowly sliding my phone closer to him so I could record his answers, he smiled nervously. Sitting in that Edgbaston stadium, with Shubman Gill at the edge of a triple ton, he seemed surprised that his story mattered. In his early days, he would travel to matches regularly and over time began to work as a steward. But cricket took centre stage in his life when his daughter passed away, Himansu relocated to Birmingham, looking for a fresh start “she was the size of my palm, her death burned a hole in my heart, I will never recover from it.” said Himansu. After relocating to Birmingham for a fresh start, he found comfort at Edgbaston.
In the year 2013, he volunteered during the Champions Trophy, he initially worked in hospitality, but later was asked to work at the media centre. This opportunity marked the start of a new chapter for Himansu and he never went back. But it wasn’t just the sport that made him come back over and over, it was the people. Since 2013, Himansu has been a fixture at the stadium. He’s worked for events like the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the Women’s Commonwealth Games, and three Ashes series. Always in Birmingham. Always at Edgbaston.
“It just gives me the opportunity to meet so many nice people. So, it’s not just about cricket, but it’s about making new friends, which I have done over the years. I’ve made some friends through photographers that live in the north of England, who I’ve still stayed friends with. And then I’ve known Tom and all the other people here. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know friends. On a personal note as well, I’ve gone through problems; I had a heart attack in 2019, so I got a lot of support from the colleagues here.”
The volunteering work has led him to meet many of his idols, he recalled one such unforgettable moment as he scrolled through his photo gallery and showed off his pictures with the legends of the sport. He met West Indies legend Gordon Greenidge in a brief but strangely perfect encounter. Himansu saw him in the toilet and immediately asked for a picture, to which Greenidge replied “If you let me do my business, I’ll take a picture with you outside.”
There are many such encounters in Himansu’s life, a brush with cricketing royalty. Like meeting Kapil Dev in a lift, Sunil Gavaskar refusing to hold his daughter for a photo fearing he might drop her and many others.
After his daughter’s death, Himansu even arranged a fundraiser for the hospital that treated her. And through it, he met many incredible people that supported him throughout his life.
For Himansu Tanna, and many like him, cricket has never been about just bat and ball, it’s been a lifeline. In moments of deep personal grief, cricket and the volunteering work gave him purpose. In times of uncertainty, it gave him people and friends. People to fall back on and people who supported him through the thick and thin. As Himansu walks through the stands and the press box, taking care of anyone that walks through the halls of the media centre, his story stands tall as proof of how sport ties people together. It is the thread that keeps humans sewn together in a world that is constantly trying to pull us all apart.
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