honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
It probably does not deserve its own thread but whatever.
So I wake up at around 9:30 in the morning, it is the usual sunday after a late saturday night.... I looked around, finished off my bath and stuff, got dressed, had breakfast, called up a couple of friends to fix up the programme for the evening, learned that they both had to attend some functions.
Not knowing what exactly to do, I decided to while away my time by re-reading one of my most favourite books of recent times... The Da Vinci Code. Then suddenly around 11:30, I realize I haven't read the papers yet. So I pick up The Hindu and turn straight to the sports page and read an article about the India- South Africa test match coming up. Then I read the last 2 lines that says that India are practicing at the ground in the morning session and that RSA have theirs in the afternoon.
On an impulse, I decide to go out and see if I can get in. Normally, the security is so tight that the teams generally practice in empty grounds and on almost every one of the few occassions I have managed to go in for practice, it has been a little away from the pavilion and only if the cricketers around really cared about coming around all the way to the boundary for an autograph, could you get one. So I don't even call up my colleagues at office who had expressed an earnest interest in watching even the practice and walk across the road to the stadium.
I go in, following 3 guys, my excuse ready made... "I came in with them, those 3 walking in ahead". Obviously, I didn't know them at all.
As expected, the security was water-tight and you had to have some connections to even walk in to watch the practice. One either had to be from the media (NEO Sports, Times Now, Star News and NDTV 24*7 had all gotten in their camera crew and reporters there), or one had to know either the police big shots or at least the cricketers to get in. So I hang around with the trio in front of the pavilion, where the ticket counters are also present. Making small talk with the trio, I heard they had come to try and sell the tickets coz they had a couple extra and with the rain, 2 of their friends had decided that travelling home was a better option than risking watching the rain from the ground. 
So I ended up telling them that I was there to sell off a couple of extra tickets myself (the fact is I only bought 2 and there is no way I am selling them, even if it rains all 5 days) and juz kept talking to them, trying to convince the stadium security and the token cop that we weren't really interested in going in to watch the practice.
And then, after about 20 mins of pointless chit chatting, the moment finally came. The security men went off towards the main exit, trying to control the stream of people trying to get in under all pretexts (it is, after all, a sunday) and I knew I had my chance. The open area near the pavilion (where they generally keep the roller, the super sopper and the drinks trolley) was going to be my entrace and I quickly walked in, after a guy sporting an India T-shirt, obviously someone holding some influence in the MCC (Madras Cricket Club).
And as I walk in right in front of the pavilion, who else do I see returning after a batting stint than the Very Very Special Laxman himself...... Unable to contain my glee (and forum members would know how much I love his batting), I threw my autograph book at him and he signed on straightaway. With a genial smile and a gentle way of speaking, he was already proving extremely popular with the crowd (of 15!!!) there. Asked him about the IPL and whether he thought he could be good in Twenty20, and he responded that he may bat lower down and give others a chance but his offspin would be extremely useful.
So then I move on and I spot Ishant and Wasim Jaffar walking back, after finishing their practice. Got both of their autographs but because of the crowd, wasn't really able to talk about anything. And then I caught a glimpse of Roshan Mahanama, WC winnner and the ICC match referee for this series and got his autograph too. He was very nice to us as well and politely excused himself from questions, saying that he was hurrying to a meeting with Anil Kumble reg. some playing conditions for the series.
Then we saw Virender Sehwag walk past but he was obviously not in a good mood. He just said "No No" to us and went off. Then Irfan Pathan came along and he was really good. The way he handled the kids who were trying to knock each others' books off for his autograph was really amazing. No wonder people often talk about his maturity. The way he handled those kids (he was stern and yet kind) was amazing. It was almost as if he was handling some of the kids in his family. I asked him about opening and he said "Patha nahin yaar.... Jo bhi decision management leta hai, wohi karna hoga" (I don't know, man, whatever the team management decides, we will have to do it.)...
And the next guy was the Prince himself. Sourav walked past and as the security kept out most people (obviously ppl get excited when someone of his fame walks nearby), I managed to sneak out of the barricade to the other side and yelled out his name asking for the autograph. I was a moment too late in realizing that others had been cardoned off and I was the only one there. Sourav walked right upto me with 4 bats (2 in each hand) and said "2.8 pounds" and then walked off.
Then we spotted Yuvraj and Murali Kartik. Kartik had his left ankle heavily bandaged and was in obvious discomfort while walking. Yuvraj's appearance sent the very modest crowd of 15 into a bit of a frenzy and everyone started going past the caution tape. One guy even put his hand on Yuvi's shoulder and he turned around as if he was going to kill him. He yelled at the security to do their work and then they all came around. Yuvi came back after putting his bag somewhere and then obliged us, the autograph hunters. He was pretty chilled as well, asking us to behave because the security break incidents elsewhere were still on their heads. He even muttered "whatever I do, they make it a controversy" obviously talking of the media.....
Managed to get a quick autograph from Paddy Upton as well. And then it was the moment that I had been waiting for 10 long years. Back in 1997, during practice before the Independence Cup game (where Anwar scored 194), I was the first in line in front of the Indian dressing room from where emerged Anil Kumble. My cousin had just then taken my autograph book and ran towards the Pakistan side where Saqlain Mushtaq was giving autographs. Anil came out and thrust his hands towards me, obviously expecting a book or something to sign..... I ended up shaking his hand and was too embarrassed to even stand there after that..... And on Sunday, he walked straight up near Paddy Upton and I asked him if he could sign an autograph. He nodded and smiled and what I missed 10 years ago was finally mine..... I have always believed him to be the biggest MAN in Indian cricket over the past 15 years, simply because of the way he goes about his business. There is nothing to criticize about the way Sachin or Dravid or Sourav have carried themselves but this man juz seems to stand out. Maybe it is the quiet dignity or the no fuss manner with which he goes about things... Maybe it is the fact that he tries so relentlessly... Obviously being a bowler, that quality of his seems to present itself more often than it does with batsmen..... But he is juz such a genuine trier that you only have respect for the man...... It felt so good to finally get his autograph and to talk to him.
I threw in the token question as others started to bombard him, both with autograph books and with questions. "Will you play 5 bowers?"... The answer was short and direct, as I have come to expect. "We will see. And don't ask questions like the press." A laugh and it was over. He walked back to the pavilion. Sreesanth came out for an interview for NEO Sports with that girl Archana "something" Singh. She had earlier asked us to leave since the practice was over. I told her "Then what are you waiting for"... Obviously, we knew they were waiting to interview someone and we also hung around. Sree was great with the crowd, talking patiently to everyone, answering questions, posing for photographs with kids and elder guys alike.... And he is the only one to put something above his sign in the autographs... For a couple of Under19 cricketers, it was "keep dreaming big and strive to achieve it"... For me and a few others, it was a simple "Best Wishes"...
In between, I managed to get an autograph from Robin Singh as well and managed to talk to Venkatesh Prasad, who, quite stunningly, speaks Tamil almost as well as any of our folks......
Couldn't make it to South Africa's practice session as my cousin and my uncle had shown up but what a Sunday it was......... Truly special......
Will upload the pictures as soon as I get them transferred to a computer.
So I wake up at around 9:30 in the morning, it is the usual sunday after a late saturday night.... I looked around, finished off my bath and stuff, got dressed, had breakfast, called up a couple of friends to fix up the programme for the evening, learned that they both had to attend some functions.
Not knowing what exactly to do, I decided to while away my time by re-reading one of my most favourite books of recent times... The Da Vinci Code. Then suddenly around 11:30, I realize I haven't read the papers yet. So I pick up The Hindu and turn straight to the sports page and read an article about the India- South Africa test match coming up. Then I read the last 2 lines that says that India are practicing at the ground in the morning session and that RSA have theirs in the afternoon.
On an impulse, I decide to go out and see if I can get in. Normally, the security is so tight that the teams generally practice in empty grounds and on almost every one of the few occassions I have managed to go in for practice, it has been a little away from the pavilion and only if the cricketers around really cared about coming around all the way to the boundary for an autograph, could you get one. So I don't even call up my colleagues at office who had expressed an earnest interest in watching even the practice and walk across the road to the stadium.
I go in, following 3 guys, my excuse ready made... "I came in with them, those 3 walking in ahead". Obviously, I didn't know them at all.
As expected, the security was water-tight and you had to have some connections to even walk in to watch the practice. One either had to be from the media (NEO Sports, Times Now, Star News and NDTV 24*7 had all gotten in their camera crew and reporters there), or one had to know either the police big shots or at least the cricketers to get in. So I hang around with the trio in front of the pavilion, where the ticket counters are also present. Making small talk with the trio, I heard they had come to try and sell the tickets coz they had a couple extra and with the rain, 2 of their friends had decided that travelling home was a better option than risking watching the rain from the ground. So I ended up telling them that I was there to sell off a couple of extra tickets myself (the fact is I only bought 2 and there is no way I am selling them, even if it rains all 5 days) and juz kept talking to them, trying to convince the stadium security and the token cop that we weren't really interested in going in to watch the practice.
And then, after about 20 mins of pointless chit chatting, the moment finally came. The security men went off towards the main exit, trying to control the stream of people trying to get in under all pretexts (it is, after all, a sunday) and I knew I had my chance. The open area near the pavilion (where they generally keep the roller, the super sopper and the drinks trolley) was going to be my entrace and I quickly walked in, after a guy sporting an India T-shirt, obviously someone holding some influence in the MCC (Madras Cricket Club).
And as I walk in right in front of the pavilion, who else do I see returning after a batting stint than the Very Very Special Laxman himself...... Unable to contain my glee (and forum members would know how much I love his batting), I threw my autograph book at him and he signed on straightaway. With a genial smile and a gentle way of speaking, he was already proving extremely popular with the crowd (of 15!!!) there. Asked him about the IPL and whether he thought he could be good in Twenty20, and he responded that he may bat lower down and give others a chance but his offspin would be extremely useful.
So then I move on and I spot Ishant and Wasim Jaffar walking back, after finishing their practice. Got both of their autographs but because of the crowd, wasn't really able to talk about anything. And then I caught a glimpse of Roshan Mahanama, WC winnner and the ICC match referee for this series and got his autograph too. He was very nice to us as well and politely excused himself from questions, saying that he was hurrying to a meeting with Anil Kumble reg. some playing conditions for the series.
Then we saw Virender Sehwag walk past but he was obviously not in a good mood. He just said "No No" to us and went off. Then Irfan Pathan came along and he was really good. The way he handled the kids who were trying to knock each others' books off for his autograph was really amazing. No wonder people often talk about his maturity. The way he handled those kids (he was stern and yet kind) was amazing. It was almost as if he was handling some of the kids in his family. I asked him about opening and he said "Patha nahin yaar.... Jo bhi decision management leta hai, wohi karna hoga" (I don't know, man, whatever the team management decides, we will have to do it.)...
And the next guy was the Prince himself. Sourav walked past and as the security kept out most people (obviously ppl get excited when someone of his fame walks nearby), I managed to sneak out of the barricade to the other side and yelled out his name asking for the autograph. I was a moment too late in realizing that others had been cardoned off and I was the only one there. Sourav walked right upto me with 4 bats (2 in each hand) and said "2.8 pounds" and then walked off.
Then we spotted Yuvraj and Murali Kartik. Kartik had his left ankle heavily bandaged and was in obvious discomfort while walking. Yuvraj's appearance sent the very modest crowd of 15 into a bit of a frenzy and everyone started going past the caution tape. One guy even put his hand on Yuvi's shoulder and he turned around as if he was going to kill him. He yelled at the security to do their work and then they all came around. Yuvi came back after putting his bag somewhere and then obliged us, the autograph hunters. He was pretty chilled as well, asking us to behave because the security break incidents elsewhere were still on their heads. He even muttered "whatever I do, they make it a controversy" obviously talking of the media.....
Managed to get a quick autograph from Paddy Upton as well. And then it was the moment that I had been waiting for 10 long years. Back in 1997, during practice before the Independence Cup game (where Anwar scored 194), I was the first in line in front of the Indian dressing room from where emerged Anil Kumble. My cousin had just then taken my autograph book and ran towards the Pakistan side where Saqlain Mushtaq was giving autographs. Anil came out and thrust his hands towards me, obviously expecting a book or something to sign..... I ended up shaking his hand and was too embarrassed to even stand there after that..... And on Sunday, he walked straight up near Paddy Upton and I asked him if he could sign an autograph. He nodded and smiled and what I missed 10 years ago was finally mine.....
I have always believed him to be the biggest MAN in Indian cricket over the past 15 years, simply because of the way he goes about his business. There is nothing to criticize about the way Sachin or Dravid or Sourav have carried themselves but this man juz seems to stand out. Maybe it is the quiet dignity or the no fuss manner with which he goes about things... Maybe it is the fact that he tries so relentlessly... Obviously being a bowler, that quality of his seems to present itself more often than it does with batsmen..... But he is juz such a genuine trier that you only have respect for the man...... It felt so good to finally get his autograph and to talk to him. I threw in the token question as others started to bombard him, both with autograph books and with questions. "Will you play 5 bowers?"... The answer was short and direct, as I have come to expect. "We will see. And don't ask questions like the press." A laugh and it was over. He walked back to the pavilion. Sreesanth came out for an interview for NEO Sports with that girl Archana "something" Singh. She had earlier asked us to leave since the practice was over. I told her "Then what are you waiting for"... Obviously, we knew they were waiting to interview someone and we also hung around. Sree was great with the crowd, talking patiently to everyone, answering questions, posing for photographs with kids and elder guys alike.... And he is the only one to put something above his sign in the autographs... For a couple of Under19 cricketers, it was "keep dreaming big and strive to achieve it"... For me and a few others, it was a simple "Best Wishes"...
In between, I managed to get an autograph from Robin Singh as well and managed to talk to Venkatesh Prasad, who, quite stunningly, speaks Tamil almost as well as any of our folks......
Couldn't make it to South Africa's practice session as my cousin and my uncle had shown up but what a Sunday it was......... Truly special......
Will upload the pictures as soon as I get them transferred to a computer.
