CRICKET in India can be such a thrilling experience. The vast crowds and their passion for the game is what strikes me most everytime I watch a cricket series at home. The atmosphere is electric and packed grounds make it an unforgettable moment if you happen to be achieving a feat.
I have always enjoyed playing at home. I know it gives everyone that distinct advantage of being so familiar with the conditions when playing at home but the support from the stands in India gives you such a heady feeling that it often brings the best out of you.
The grounds in India are big and now are quite modern, equipped with facilities that make cricket watching a pleasure. The traditional centres have so much to offer by way of good cricket and I must confess that I have always looked forward to these matches at home.
Much has often been said of India preparing pitches which are spinner-friendly but then I see no harm in playing to your strength. There is room though for improving the overall state of the pitches and I know efforts are on in the process.
Talking of pitches, it is not that all surfaces in India help the spinners. More than encouraging spin, I would love to see pitches in India offering more bounce. If you look at the two spinners in the team - Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh - both would prefer the ball to bounce because it is this factor which helps their style of bowling.
The pitch at Madras was among my favourites because it always produced good cricket. The striking feature of cricket at Chepauk was the involvement of the crowd. The spectators were well informed and what struck me most was their unbiased attitude. Every nice act was warmly applauded and it did not matter if the beneficiary was a home player or from the visiting camp. Remember how the sporting public of Chennai gave the Pakistanis a standing ovation when they beat India in the Test match two years ago. That moment reflected the sporting nature of the venue. It had produced good cricket for the benefit of those who believed in watching and supporting good cricket.
Cricket at Eden Gardens can be so fascinating. To be cheered by one hundred thousand fans can be such a thrilling experience. On a few occasions the crowd did lose its focus and indulged in behaviour which was in sharp contrast to their known approach. Those sad happenings apart, the Eden Gardens has a special place in the history of Indian cricket.
I have heard old timers praise the Brabourne Stadium a lot. I too have some pleasant memories of that ground because I attended a few camps there in my formative years. The Cricket Club of India has a fantastic cricket atmosphere and I know many foreign teams have enjoyed playing at the CCI. Among the people who follow the game with passion, those from Mumbai are top in my list.
There are a few other quality centres in India but the best, in my opinion, is the Cricket Stadium at Mohali. A marvellous structure, it stands as a symbol of India's progress in cricket. It is a perfect modern cricket stadium and I am so happy that it is once again staging big cricket.
I know the effort Punjab Cricket Association took to erect this grand stadium. I have driven down from Patiala to play many domestic matches at this venue and every visit was such a pleasant experience. The open ground and good pitch always encouraged the teams to give their best.
Cricket was always the priority in PCA and it reflects in the professional manner in which they have gone about the job. It has an ideal area for practice where the teams can enjoy training in complete privacy. There are no crowd invasions at the stadium in Mohali.
It is a good sign of proper administration that attentions is being paid to the facilities for players and the spectators. I have always believed that if I have bought ticket then I should be able to watch the match in comfort.
From various accounts I have gathered that in places like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Mohali, the spectators are well treated by the administrators.
The security concerns and the resultant inconvenience can be irritating but then one has to accept them as part of the system now. Security is important in these difficult times but these venues offer smooth access to your seat and make cricket such a wonderful experience to watch.
I have never believed in making comparisons. There have been questions on whether Indian cricket stadiums can match some of those overseas and my answer has always been there is a distinct character of grounds in India and they stand out.
The vibrant stands and the vociferous support contribute to make the atmosphere so exciting. It is a feature which the cricketers have come to enjoy. In the sub-continent, the crowd may be very noisy but that is how it has been all these years.
Now that the Englishmen are in India, it is cricket time for everyone. They will experience different weather and playing conditions and face challenging pitches. But I know they will enjoy the experience. Cricket in the subcontinent is very different from playing in any other Test nation and I am sure the tour would give the Englishmen a lot of opportunities to enhance their cricket education. All I would say to them is enjoy your cricket and experience for yourself the passion for the game in India.
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