Dreams do come true

I spent a week in Port of Spain, watching the second Test between India and the West Indies. My impressions of the match:

Day 1: Outside the Queen's Park Oval at Port of Spain is a festival/carnival atmosphere, but less frenzied and less energetic than a Test match in Bombay. A local radio station was doing a live broadcast. The DJs were on the street outside the Queen's Park Oval, stopping cars and asking them who they thought will win. The West Indies had lost five of their last six Test matches, but the man on the street was optimistic despite that.

I had bought my ticket over the phone from the United States. I was told that when I reach the Oval, I would get my tickets on showing proper identification. There were a few anxious moments, as no one knew what I was talking about at the entry gate. However, the matter was resolved shortly and we made our way to our seats.

The Oval: It is gorgeous, with the Central Range as a backdrop. The site of Sunil Gavaskar's debut; the site of India's first victory over the then formidable West Indian squad, in 1971; the site of the famous run 400-plus chase in 1976, this was the Queen's Park Oval. In my mind's eye, I had seen the Oval a million times and the real thing was magnificent. Even as I entered, I saw Deep Dasgupta being given practice drills by the trainer. Instinctively, I yelled "Deep", he looked, I waved, and he waved back. This was going to fun, I thought. But nothing could have prepared me for the next five days. It was a cricket fan's dream come true and then some more.

As I made my way to my assigned seats in the Jeffrey Strollmeyer stand, I was struck by how close I was to the dressing room. The dressing room was extremely accessible; it was a low balcony and I could stretch my arm and hand over the autograph book and pen to the sitting cricketers. I saw Anil Kumble, John Wright and Srinath sitting relaxed. I was a kid in a candy store; I kept taking pictures and calling out their names asking them to look in my direction. I decided to take autographs during the drinks break. I was tuned to the local radio station, India was batting first, Ratra was playing and Kumble was dropped! This was too much excitement already. I could not contain my excitement and stood underneath the dressing room. I yelled and got the coach's attention. "John, who is opening with Shiv?" 'Bangar,' he said, barely audible, forcing me to lip-read. I told my wife, whose sole objective for the trip was to see Sachin Tendulkar bat, that you will see him, in an hour's time.

When Sachin Tendulkar walks out to bat at Wankhede, the noise is deafening. 45,000 people chant his name as one voice. When Sachin Tendulkar walked out to bat at Port of Spain, the applause was larger than usual. Trinis wanted to see him bat. He did not disappoint them. Well he did disappoint a few. When he got to his hundred, some gentlemen sitting next to me were upset that he had not walked earlier when a caught behind appeal had been turned down. "He should have walked," they said. "Lara always walk." They did not forget, and when he came on to field later in the game, they asked him, "Why you not walk boy? Why you not walk?"

Should Tendulkar have walked? I asked him this question a couple of years ago, on Rediff Chat (Monday January 25 1999 21:33). He then replied, "No, I will not walk if the umpire does not give me out, because if the umpire gives me out and I feel I have not played the ball I still have to go. So I strictly feel the umpire's decisions have to be followed." As you can tell, he is extremely clear about this. The debate, of course, is even larger than Tendulkar. It is a question of what cricket was meant to be, what it was, what it has become and where it is heading.

I was using every drinks break, the lunch and tea, to get autographs and photographs. I did photograph Tendulkar walking out to bat from a distance of 3-4 feet. The Indian team is extremely accommodating. They happily sign autographs and pose for pictures. Some of the guys may be shyer than the others (Laxman, for example), but they are not arrogant. Srinath, was extremely nice. When I asked him for his autograph, he asked my wife and I (in polite Hindi) where we were from. I stumped Wasim Jaffer by talking to him in Marathi.

About the Queen's Park Oval: The contrast between watching a game at Wankhede and the Oval is stark. Going to the cricket ground remains a pleasurable activity in this part of the world. Spectators can bring in picnic baskets, at Wankhede you can't even take in a pen. You can see the cricketers practice in the mornings and evening, talk to them, take pictures and autographs. At Wankhede, you feel like you are entering a war zone. There is no need to take a picnic basket at the Oval though, wonderful local cuisine and KFC jostle side by side for your Trini dollar. And boy, do the Trinis drink! I found it easier to get a glass of premium scotch than a cup of tea at the Oval.

The West Indies Cricket Board with its marketing savvy has set up a booth alongside the eating joints in the stadium. All kinds of official merchandise ranging from miniature bats to hats to towels to t-shirts are being sold. Why does not the Indian board do the same? If you make a trip to any of Bombay's street markets, you will see shirts with Sachin Tendulkar's picture on them and imitations of official Indian cricket team wear. If the board wakes up and wants to earn some more revenue, it should take a leaf out of the West Indian Cricket Board's book. The cricket board also blanks out television broadcast on the island when the game is being played. This is to ensure better attendance at the venue. The ploy was not completely successful and the attendance though healthy was never a hundred per cent at the Oval.

Books by and on C.L.R James's were being sold at the West Indies Cricket Board stall. I wanted to go see the cricket wicket behind his house in Tunapuna where Arthur Jones played the cut. But my schedule did not permit me, I was not sure if the house and the ground still stood. From conversations with locals, I gathered that Tunapuna is an unspectacular industrial town. They were surprised that I even wanted to go there. I did not go to see Naipaul's house either; I did see his alma mater though.

If you are a cricket fan, you have heard about the reverence Sunil Gavaskar is held in here. There is a calypso about him. When Sunil Gavaskar came on air the local radio commentary, the fellow commentators were in awe. They worship the man and rightly so.

After the game, the locals "lime" at a pub called the Cricket Wicket across the street from the Oval. To "lime" in Trini is to hang out, to socialize over drinks and a little dancing.

Day 2: Since most of you were following the game and can always look up any of the match reports for a given day, I will confine myself to writing about what was happening off the field.

The West Indies came to bat and the Oval came to life. The music started blaring between overs, the Carib girls were dancing. Every boundary was met with applause and approval. However, the biggest applause was reserved for the times when the Prince of Port of Spain and King Carl walked out to bat.

I know all the cricket fans have heard about how pretty Hooper is to look at when he bats, but you have to see him live to believe it. I have seen some great batsmen over the years, and in this Test too I saw Sachin, Sourav, Rahul, Laxman and Lara. But no one even comes close to Hooper. In Hooper's hands, the bat seems as light as a toothpick with the width of a tennis racquet. He almost seems bored or drunk. He has all the time in the world to play all his shots. You get the impression that he is batting against kids who are throwing underarm balls to him. It is impossible to hustle King Carl, to rush him into a shot, to surprise him. Lara on the other hand in stark contrast looks like he is going to get out on almost every ball. The crazy backlift with the bat coming from second slip, you think the bowler has a chance almost every single time. Yet, when he is finished playing his shot, the foot is always in the right place, the bat is right behind the ball; the head is right on top. I don't think even he knows how he does it, but if you have made 300 runs in a day against a first class opposition, you don't have to do much explaining after that.

Sachin, I have watched several times at Wankhede. His century at the Oval was patchy and uncharacteristic. But I was struck by how quickly he gets into position and hammers the ball. Watching Sachin Tendulkar bat live can be rather disconcerting because you don't see very much. You see the bowler's leap, the release and then something happens and you see a "no man move" shot, the ball banging into the boundary advertisement hoardings. He is blessed with a god given hand-eye coordination, which is almost invisible to the naked eye because of its astronomical speed.

Sharandeep Singh is a really nice person. He is extremely polite, affable and down to earth. My wife gave him the official West Indian Cricket Board tour book, which has pictures and stats of all the cricketers on both sides. Not only did he sign his own picture, he took it to the dressing room and had it signed by the entire Indian cricket team.

The "nuts man" doing his rounds finally decided that the West Indies team needs some of his peanuts, maybe that would do the trick. He stood on the flight of stairs, faced the dressing room and yelled, "COACH!" Roger Harper looked up. The nuts vendor flung a packet of peanuts, which Harper caught. He then threw packets for all the players in the dressing room. Most throws were accurate and were caught admirably, some were wayward and one struck the West Indies team analyst in the eye.

After the day's play a small crowd waits outside the dressing room for autographs and pictures. Most of them are there for only one reason: to catch a glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar at close quarters. When he comes, invariable escorted by a security guard for it would be impossible for him to reach the waiting team bus otherwise, he is mobbed by men, women and children. They call his name and ask for autographs. They hold up anything that they can find: T-shirts, caps, autograph books, currency notes, cricket bats, balls. He is humility personified, he signs as many as he can. Even while waiting in the bus for it to move, he opens his windows and signs autographs. When one is close to Sachin Tendulkar, I am sure a non-cricket follower would also sense he or she is in the presence of greatness.

The Trini people are extremely friendly, patient and good humored. Considering people start drinking at 10 in the morning and continue to do so till the evening, there was never a fight, a brawl or any indecency of any sort. Contrast this with Wankhede where poor foreigners are heckled mercilessly.

Sourav Ganguly marshalled his resources brilliantly. He is a proactive thinking captain. He does not allow a batsman to get used to any of his bowlers, his field placements are spot on. He gives the bowlers their space, and is not in their face after every ball. After the day's play, he was sitting in the dressing room enjoying a cup of tea. The autograph hunters kept calling his name. He would look in their direction, but would not come down and oblige. Some misunderstood this as arrogance. The fans should really give the guy a break. He has worked hard the whole day and is mentally exhausted. If the man wants a quiet cup of tea, let him have it.

In the evening, my wife and I went to a fancy Indian restaurant. We had just finished ordering, when an Indian cricketer walked in. Instinctively, my arm went up and I said hi. He said hi, walked out and came in with a lady friend. Clearly, he was embarrassed to see me there; I was embarrassed to be there. I had no wish to intrude upon his privacy at all.

After a while they got another table, more secluded and both of us, the cricketer and I were glad for that. I had just begun eating when the door opened and in walked Brian Charles Lara with two other people. I could barely eat after that. If you go to a restaurant and Brian Charles Lara walks in, the last thing on your mind is the food.

Day 3: I watched the team practice in the morning; saw an hour's cricket and decided to take some time off and do some traveling. Port of Spain and Trinidad are extremely scenic. The thing worth mentioning however is that nowhere during the five hours of driving around, did I see any kids playing cricket. It was always soccer. Everyone has his or her own theory of the reasons for the decline of West Indian cricket. Let me add mine. It is soccer. There is more opportunity in soccer. Kids can win athletic scholarships to American Universities. They can play for clubs in the states or Europe. The season is longer, which means more money. Given that the probability of stardom in either sport is low, it makes more sense to play soccer and earn a decent living. If you are not playing international cricket, there is just not enough money in it.

When I got back to the Oval at approximately 5 in the evening, Sourav and Laxman were still batting and had resurrected the Indian innings. After the day's play, Srinath, Bhajji and Ratra were looking for some batting practice. However, only two people came out to bowl, Sharandeep and Deep. They were a bowler short and I offered my services. Sharandeep tossed me the bowl and asked me to bowl to Bhajji. Before, I knew what was happening, I was throwning the ball up and Bhajji was driving along the ground. When he hit a bowl slightly wide, and I had to get it, he said something to me. I thought maybe he wants me to pitch it up, or faster, or on middle or leg. Instead, it was an apology for hitting the bowl wide. Harbhajan Singh was saying sorry for having placed the bowl so wide and making me get it. There were some light-hearted moments when he started banging the ball in the direction where Sharandeep was standing. When the tail had had enough, they walked off and Sharandeep wanted to bat, so I gave him some batting practice too. By the way, you can tell how much I helped by seeing the scorecard of the 4th day. Ratra, Bhajji and Srinath made 2, 0, and 2 respectively.

Day 4: Once again, I was at the Oval by 8:30 in the morning. As Tendulkar was walking off the field after the morning drill. We asked him for autographs and photographs. He happily obliged. I opened my wallet, and showed him his picture. Adding that my brother was his biggest fan. I was the second biggest. I keep his picture in the wallet and not my wife's. All he said was, "Oh my God," and signed the picture. So, I now have an autographed picture of Sachin Tendulkar in my wallet.

My wife spotted Ravi Shastri doing the pitch report. As we were making our way across the field to talk to Ravi Shastri, Merv Dillon was bowling from one stump at another. Guess who was coaching him? Michael Holding! I was within earshot of the "Rolls Royce of Fast Bowling", passing on tips to Merv Dillon. Not wishing to intrude in any manner, I kept a safe distance. But heard him mention something about the arm not falling through correctly.

Ravi Shastri was extremely nice. I asked him what he thought of our chances; he said we should win this one. I asked him if Sunny was around. He said, he is upstairs, and I can go say hi to him. "Go upstairs." He made it sound so simple. As we were making our way towards the media centre, an ESPN cameramen from Delhi, called out. He was extremely friendly as well. He said, "Come up." But when we tried to make our way up, the guards stopped us. We decided to turn back. We were still loitering around before the game started when Srinath called us to show us the software. He introduced us to the team analyst Sumeet. Srinath pulled up a chair next to him and asked me to sit. He wanted to see the spell he bowled to Lara, in the post-tea session on the second day. The team analyst pulled up that video footage and Srinath studied it closely. After he left, Sumeet showed me, how it works.

During the game, he feeds in the live television broadcast. After each delivery, he assigns it data such as name of bowler and batsman, shot played, appeal made, fielder, runs scored, etc. This data can then be sorted as desired and be pulled up to be studied by the coach and the players. He said all the cricketers come from time to time to take a look at it, except one. I asked him why doesn't he come. He replied with a smile, he doesn't need to "zaroorat nahin hai usko ".

John Wright then came there; he wanted to see all the boundaries Lara scored in the first innings. I sat behind as the coach looked at the videos closely and made notes on his laptop and with long hand in his diary. I spotted Dinesh Mongia as I was leaving. I got his autograph and congratulated him on the Zimbabwe knock. He confirmed my impression that he loved batting with Yuvraj. I asked him if he could pass on my miniature bat to Sachin and ask him to autograph it. He looked inside and spotted Sachin and Srinath in serious conversation. He said he did not want to disturb him.

The cricket, as you know, on the 4th day was pretty depressing and nerve-wracking. The day ended with Hooper and Lara still batting and the Windies requiring another 182 runs to win. At the end of the day, the Indian team did not go off the field but sat on the ground. They were "cooling off", apparently it is a new trend in international cricket and the Australians and the South Africans do it too, the Indian cameramen informed me. The team trainer and physio stretched and massaged each player, whether they wanted it or not. Bhajji for one, looked distinctly sullen when it was his turn. Sharandeep and Dinesh Mongia were on the field too, helping out by stretching some of the boys. After a while, I think Mongia wanted to learn how to spin the ball. They were not seriously practicing, just tossing their arms. I stood right behind Sharandeep, curious to see his grip and see if I can read anything from that. I had the closest, best possible view and I could not tell a thing. He would toss the ball up and it would break either way. There was no way of knowing which. It seemed as if, he has a remote control in his hand, he tosses the ball, and then using the remote decides which way he wants it to break.

When the team reached the dressing room, once again fans were pestering Sourav Ganguly in the dressing room and this time he was more obliging. However, when Brian Lara walked into the room, he told the fans that they should get Brain's now. On cue, the fans started chanting, "Brian Brian". Sourav egged them on by urging them to scream louder. It seemed like it was all in good fun.

Day 5: As Bhajji was walking off the field after the morning drills, I said to him, "Bhajji, yaar aaj jeeta do". He responded, "Koi nahin yaar. Aap Chinta na karo, jeeta kar hi ayengey ".

I then made my way to the media center once again, when the guards stopped me this time, my friend, the cameramen, asked them to let me come. I went past the cricket journalists, up the top floor where the TV crew was. Michael Holding, Geoffery Boycott, Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar all in the same room. What one really wants to do in a situation like this, is be a piece of furniture so you can observe them in their natural habitat. Geoffery was pacing up and down the room, upset because someone had disfigured a picture of Shilpa Shetty pasted on the wall with chewing gum. I learnt that Sunil had put up the picture there. I got my autographs and went and sat next to the cameramen. The view was fabulous. I could overhear the radio commentators broadcasting live commentary. Ravi Shastri came and sat next to us.

When play started and Brian Lara walked up to the Trini Posse stand and asked the DJ to "stop it," I was worried, that if Lara wants it that bad, then India is in trouble. Ravi Shastri was equally excited, anticipating a fighting knock from Lara.

As I made my way down the media center, Nehra had Lara caught in slips by a peach of a delivery. I spotted Tinu, standing at the midwicket fence, with towels and water. I stood next to him, and from behind the fence asked him what he thought our chances were. He said that if we get one more, we have a chance. The very next ball Hooper holed out and Tinu ran on the field to give the bowlers some refreshment.

I was pretty confident; we will wrap it up soon now. When I caught up with my wife, she was of the same opinion. We began planning on what to do with the rest of our day. Chris Gayle and Chanderpaul however had other plans. With each passing over, my heart was beginning to shrink. Just before Gayle got out, I was positively depressed and was consoling myself thinking, so what if India does not win this one, I got to see a good Test match.

Poor Junior Murray, what more can I say? The tail continued to defy and even though I did not believe we could lose from here, I was still anxious and the sooner this tension got over the better. I also think Chanderpaul should have started playing some more shots as soon as wicket number eight fell. A couple of big blows here and there, and even the tail would have fancied bringing it home, if they had only 20 odd to get.

A fellow desi cricket fan from Phoenix, unable to bear the tension was downing one gin and tonic after another. When the last wicket fell, I wanted to run onto the field, but I did not. I stood there right at the edge, in the way of the cursing photographers. I have no idea why I hesitated. It will remain one of my biggest regrets, as will not making a banner proclaiming Sachin Tendulkar's greatness. Ah well.

So here I was, at the Queen's park Oval. I would have been perfectly content to see a drawn Test match here. I would have been happy if there was a result, I would have been happier if it was in the last hour on the fifth day. But to see India beat the West Indies in the last hour of the fifth day at Port of Spain for the first time in 26 years in an away series.

A lot of my friends have since asked me how I felt, and the truth is that it is ineffable. The human faculty is only capable of handling a certain quantum of happiness. When that quantum is maxed out, and yet fate continues to shower more upon you, one really does not know what to do. It leaves you almost exhausted.

It was with this blissful exhaustion, that my wife and I were sitting quietly underneath the dressing room as the handful of Indian supporters danced and sung. Srinath spotted us, and waved to us, asking us to come in the restricted pavilion area. When the guards stopped me, he indicated to them that I should be allowed. They did not however allow my wife, as it was a men's only area. One of the last few in the world, I was told. I was chatting with Sri as he was enjoying a cup of tea, when the winner of the Super Selector contest in India was introduced to Srinath. Another gentlemen who had been watching cricket for 25 years at the Oval was also trying to talk to him. I was struck by how much unsought advice the cricketers get. I am sure after a while you learn to deal with it. But nearly everyone thinks that they have some advice to give the team. They forget these are professionals, for the most part they know what they are doing. After chatting with me for a few minutes, Sri said bye.

As I was making my way back, I ran into Sharandeep, who inquired why was my wife not accompanying me. I told him how she was not being allowed. He went himself right up to the gate and opened it himself, ignoring the protests of the guards. He even pointed out to another lady who was waiting in the reserved section as if to say, if she can be here, so can she. "They are with the team." Not wanting to get the guards in any trouble, we decided to leave. We thanked Sharandeep for his kindness.

When, the victorious Indian team left in the bus, my wife and I kept waving to them. It felt strange. These were our boys and for five days they had fought and won a fierce battle. Off the field they are courteous, down to earth and friendly. I almost felt a pang of sadness as they rode into the sunset. As if I was parting with good friends who I won't see again for a long time, perhaps never.

After the Indian team's departure some of the remaining West Indian fans directed their ire towards their coach and Lara. "Lara partying last night. He partying, man. You don't believe me? He partying, man. How can you lose five straight and still be coach?" The drunk fan was being supported by an elderly stern looking lady, who said, "It's true. What he says is true."

Was Lara partying the previous night? Should Harper be sacked? I don't know. I was, as I have said before, "happiness maxed out" to worry about these things.

In fact, I seem to have attained a quasi Nirvana. Ever since I got back from Port of Spain, I find the everyday problems, such as money, career, house, anger, and envy, petty. I have tons of pictures, souvenirs and autographs but more than anything else, I know that now whenever I have a rough day at work, or the wife and I are not agreeing about something, I can always kick back, shut my eyes and say to myself, "I was at the Queen's Park Oval."

Editor's note: Rediff believes that like its own editorial staffers, readers too have points of view on the many issues relating to cricket as it is played.

Therefore, Rediff provides in its editorial section space for readers to write in, with their views. The views expressed by the readers are carried as written, in order to preserve the original voice.

However, it needs mentioning that guest columns are opinion pieces, and reflect only the feelings of the individual concerned -- the fact that they are published on Rediff's cricket site does not amount to an endorsement by the editorial staff of the opinions expressed in these columns.

Mail Sachin Agarwal