An Encounter with the Bengal Tiger

By Ahmad Sahar (Thanks!)    

It was my vacation and I was in bed when my friend Rajeev, called and told me that he managed to get V.I.P passes for the India–Pak match at Lal Bahadur Shastry Stadium in Hyderabad, India. I couldn’t t believe it! What better way to start off a vacation than a cricket match. Rajeev and I meet up at the appointed place. It was a weekday, which should see a good percentage of people not turn up for the match but the turn out was more than 100%. We found seats closest to the dressing room and were all ready to set the stands on fire kindled by our unconditional support for the Men in blue. We quickly made friends with all the people around us in the stands, one common motive uniting us all – a thorough thrashing of Pakistan at the hands of the Indians. India won the toss and opted to bowl first. 

I had seen all the in this Indian team in flesh earlier but this was my first look at a couple of guys who had just made it big in the Indian team. One of them was Sourav Ganguly. He wasn’t new to the team. I remember him straight driving Merv Hughes (the big burly Australian fast bowler, notorious for his equally burly moustache) in the match against Australia in the 1992 World Cup. This India-Pak match at Hyderabad was after Sourav’s triumphant debut at Lord’s. The match was exhilarating with Pakistani batsman firing and Indian bowlers bouncing back with vital wickets.  

A few Pakistani wickets fell and Shahid Afridi came on to bat. After spending just some time at the crease, Afridi danced down the wicket looking for a big shot, but managed to sky the ball straight to the deep square leg fielder, who was Sourav. The stands came alive and erupted with joy with the sight the ball in the air and an Indian player under it. We were all delighted at the thought of Afridi departing but just the opposite happened. Sourav dropped a sitter! He just didn’t make an effort, and never moved! He was brooding, and was guilty of not being committed to the proceedings. Sourav’s laziness spoiled the entire Indian party.

Sourav’s dropped catch made fans furious. I went to the boundary and told him to go home and forget cricket and that he didn’t deserve to represent the country. This must have hurt him and he turned around and stared at me as if he was itching to lay his hands on me. Sourav even came down to the boundary rope and looked us in the eye. He asked us to shut up and leave. In just a few minutes, it started pouring. Everyone ran for cover and the players too made their way back in a hurry to the dressing room. Sourav was the first to run for cover. As he went into the dressing room, I said: “Hey Sourav, if you had showed the same agility on the field as you have in taking cover, we would have had them all out by now. You are not worthy of a place in this team”. Sourav once more looked back angrily at me. I still vividly remember his eyes, full of rage.  

It rained the entire day and the match was abandoned but it still remains fresh in my memory, thanks to Sourav. Today, almost 7 years after my encounter with Sourav, I am a huge fan of his. I am amazed at the transformation of a young Sourav to India’s most successful captain in just a few years. His mesmerizing cover drives and superb sixes are simply breathtaking to watch. I wish the skipper and his boys all the best for the upcoming home series against Australia.