The return of SMS among DRS and spider cams

The ground staff at Sawai Mansingh Stadium put in hours of tireless expertise to restore the aesthetic value of Rajasthan Royals’ home turf ahead of the 11th edition of the IPL.

Published : Apr 16, 2018 19:09 IST , Jaipur

 Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the inaugural edition of the tournament, went through tough times but it was tougher for the curator to keep the venue in a decent shape to host big matches.
Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the inaugural edition of the tournament, went through tough times but it was tougher for the curator to keep the venue in a decent shape to host big matches.
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Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the inaugural edition of the tournament, went through tough times but it was tougher for the curator to keep the venue in a decent shape to host big matches.

 

A sea of blue has transformed the Sawai Mansingh Stadium into a resplendent cricket theatre. Voted the best Indian Premier League ground in 2012 and 2013, the venue has sprung back to life, thanks to the dedicated ground staff, led by Board of Control for Cricket in India curator Taposh Chatterjee.

With the return to the IPL manifold, the SMS Stadium has geared up to give the city fans a first-hand experience of watching the T20 carnival at one of the best-maintained cricket venues in the country. For four long years, starting 2014, the SMS Stadium was taken off the IPL circuit because of Rajasthan Cricket Association’s confrontation with the BCCI.

READ: Samson played a brilliant innings, says Kohli

Even though cricketers from the state were not deprived of BCCI-conducted tournaments, the venue remained out of bounds as far as IPL was concerned following the suspension of Rajasthan Royals for two editions in 2016 and 2017.

Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the inaugural edition of the tournament, went through tough times but it was tougher for the curator to keep the venue in a decent shape to host big matches. Chatterjee did not lose hope and worked hard to set a stage which matched the rest of the venues.

The staff worked without salary for months but did not give up. The dark days gave way to a bright opening this season when the Royals returned to be a part of the IPL.

ALSO READ: Rajasthan Royals makes the most of rain-hit game

The ground staff put in hours of tireless expertise to restore the aesthetic value of the venue. The unsung heroes were the happiest to turn the tide. The excitement was back. The venue became a source of inspiration for Royals’ triumphant comeback after the opening match jolt against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

There is a clamour for tickets and the loyal fans anticipate a thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.

Chatterjee and his band of workers have laid out impeccable playing conditions with a fervent prayer on their lips — no interruptions from rain as witnessed in the last match here against Delhi Daredevils.

The fans deserve a full game.

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