Rohit Sharma’s knock – a thepla, vada pav or simply a windy knock?

By K.R. Nayar
From Gros Islet, St Lucia

Fans living in the US and Canada have reached the different islands where India’s matches are being held. People from Gujarat but living in the US and Canada, who came for the India-Australia match at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, were the happiest. Seven months ago, Australia had humiliated India in the final of the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, their hometown. A banner mentioning one of their favorite dishes said: “We made Australia into a Thepla (a spicy flatbread).”

Mumbai fans, who are proud of Rohit Sharma being a ‘Mumbaikar’, felt that his knock transformed the Australians into a Vada Pav (Indian version of a burger). Incidentally, Vada Pav is Sharma’s favorite food. The majority of the fans for the super eight matches are NRIs living in the US and Canada, especially the techies who are mainly from Andhra Pradesh. Staking their claim, they noted that Sharma’s mother tongue is Telugu since his mother hails from Visakhapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh.

Since Sharma played one of his finest knocks on a very breezy day, someone said that this knock, like Sachin Tendulkar’s knock in Sharjah, known as the Sandstorm knock, should be called the Windy Knock. This suggestion was laughed off as his knock was more of a whirlwind Knock.

One of the first things people preparing to go for the India-Australia match in St Lucia wanted to know was how to pronounce Gros Islet, the venue for the match. Finally, it was found that in French, it is pronounced Groz’e-lay. Incidentally, this was a quiet fishing village before it became a popular tourist destination. It is said that St Lucia is the only country named after a woman, and hence the tagline for tourists is “St Lucia, Let Her Inspire You.”

Daren Sammy with the security personnel during the Pakistan Super League 

Former West Indies captain Daren Sammy, after whom this stadium is named, is one of the most down-to-earth and jovial cricketers. Though he had captained the West Indies to two ICC T20 World Cup triumphs, he has no qualms in interacting freely with everyone. His victory dance, which he often does along with Andre Fletcher, who is also a good dancer, is very popular. He never lets down any fan who approaches him for a selfie. 

The Peshawar Zalmi team, for whom he plays in the Pakistan Premier League, once posted a photograph of him with Pakistan’s security men. A Sachin Tendulkar fan was quick to remind everyone that it was Sammy who caught Tendulkar in his last innings of his career at the Wankhede Stadium Test match in November 2013.

Usually, if any team reaches the 100-run mark, the ICC announces that 10 kits are being delivered for grassroot cricket. Against Australia, India crossed the 200-run mark, and hence the ICC announced that 20 kits would be delivered. For the brilliant knock that Rohit Sharma played, it would be inspiring for children if he personally handed over those kits.

Anderson Griffith - the taxi driver  

Unlike in the US, one cannot find Uber taxis here. Instead, there are many apps through which taxis can be booked. All taxi drivers here are jovial and often play Caribbean music while driving us to the stadium. When you book a taxi, like Uber, the driver’s name appears. One driver had the name Anderson Griffith. When I mentioned that he has the names of two great pacers, he said he played cricket when he was young and talked all the way about  West Indies’ glorious cricketing history.