Yuvraj Singh’s back injury comes in for scrutiny in the British media. Did he gain unfair advantage by employing a runner, is the question. But England skipper Kevin Pietersen nips a potential controversy in the bud, saying “You got to trust the man and I am not going to create a storm over it.” Over to K. C. Vijaya Kumar.
November 12: Mumbai’s Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport is bustling as passengers file towards the boarding gates with the flight to Rajkot set to take off. There is a hurried rummaging of the handbags for paper and pen. Kevin Pietersen and his England team-mates are there and all eyes are on them as they board the flight. The England captain, with headphones on, seems to be in a world of his own. A gentleman standing next to him tries to strike a conversation with him, but for Pietersen music is more important.
In the aisle on the other side, former England seamer Angus Fraser, now a cricket writer, is scanning the newspapers. “End of an empire?” goes the headline, and the article below it debates whether Australia is losing its aura on the cricket field. Fraser’s face lights up with a smile. He obviously is relishing the news, having been part of unsuccessful Ashes campaigns.
The landing is rough and the passengers lurch forward in their seats. Derek Pringle, another cricketer-turned-writer, sitting right in front, asks in exasperation: “where are the shock absorbers?” Welcome to terra firma.
November 13: The OB vans of television channels ring the entrance to the Madhavrao Scindia Stadium. It is the eve of the first ODI of a seven-match series between India and England. M. S. Dhoni and a few others in the Indian team are fresh from the Test series victory over Australia in Nagpur.
The practice sessions are intense. In a build-up bereft of verbal volleys, the shots that zoom into rival nets are seen as a sign of aggressive intent. But Dhoni disagrees. “The nets were nearby and a few balls went there and some came here. Nothing more,” he says.
November 14: Yuvraj Singh returns to form with a smashing unbeaten 138 and powers India to a 158-run victory. Derek Pringle discusses Yuvraj’s wagon-wheel with his fellow-journalists. “Shots all around,” he mutters with an air of resignation. Former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi walks in and spends time with Pringle over a cup of tea.
The post-match press conference is shifted to the lawns. All and sundry pile on and as no one turns up for a while, Angus Fraser slouches on the centre table. A British journalist whispers: “Why are they taking such a long time? All they have to do is to send four members of the England coaching staff and we can ask them about their failings.”
The stage is set for some tough questions. In walks Pietersen. He smiles as Fraser hurriedly moves away from the chair. The England skipper then holds the mike and says aloud, “hello, hello, mike testing, one, two, three…” The mood is light, but the British media wants to know about the legality of Yuvraj having Gautam Gambhir as his runner.
The obvious insinuation is over the nature of Yuvraj’s back injury and whether unfair advantage was gained by employing a runner. A potential controversy is nipped in the bud as Pietersen says, “you got to trust the man and I am not going to create a storm over it.”
Yuvraj then steps in and is all diplomacy and few words as the back injury is probed. Finally Pringle tells him in good humour, “I guess you should keep that waist band on, you are scoring runs.”
November 15: Touch down at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport in Indore, the land of C. K. Nayudu. Geet Sethi, former World billiards champion, steps out of the flight and into the airport lounge where a lone friend greets him. What a contrast to the reception our cricketers receive.
The mist is clearing, but there is a nip in the air. As the taxi heads for the hotel, one hears from the car stereo a radio jockey exhort, “Big match here on Monday and Indore is all set. Fabulous response from the crowds and people are staying overnight near the ticket counters.” At first, one suspects it’s a marketing spin, but when the driver points towards the pavements, you see the serpentine queue, with even ladies standing patiently at a State Bank of India outlet.
Tickets for the match are available at select branches of banks and the fans are keen to catch a glimpse of the stars. The teams are scheduled to arrive later by a chartered flight. The cricket caravan, thus, rolls on.
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