When Rahul Dravid responded to a very pertinent question from me on the World Cup

By K.R. Nayar
From the Nassau International Cricket Stadium

It was a great feeling to be able to ask one of the most intelligent cricketers to have played for India a pertinent question about this World Cup. Legendary cricketer turned Team India coach Rahul Dravid responded to my query on what it feels like to play in a country where the World Cup has never been held, and how different would this experience be from all the World Cups he has played in.

 

Team India coach Rahul Dravid after addressing the press conference 

Dravid, who amazed everyone during his playing days with his ability to pick the right ball to hit, chose the right words to answer my query. “Obviously, it's slightly different. It is exciting that it's coming to a new country, a new place. Cricket is not one of the major sports in this country, so you don't feel that same kind of buzz,” he said.

 

Dravid has never practiced for a World Cup far away from the actual match venue. He expressed this view politely, though with a hint of surprise. “It's a big change to be practicing in a park,” he said, referring to Cantiague Park, where the practice nets are located.

 

Regardless, this World Cup will go a long way in ensuring that everything is in order by the time cricket returns to the Olympics, to be held in Los Angeles in 2028. Cricket may not be a strange sport to the people here by then. 

 

One of the terms used in cricket is 'duck', but in this country, most people associate this term with Donald Duck, a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. However, Nassau Stadium, where India takes on Ireland in their opening match, is located in a place where many Indians reside.

 

Pradeep Daniel, former Ranji Trophy player and Level 2 coach in the USA

One of the residents here is Pradeep Daniel, a former club mate who played for the Kerala Ranji Trophy team in the eighties. He was a naturally talented fast bowler and is now a Level Two cricket coach here. “Nassau is a place where many Indians reside, and hence almost all shops and restaurants around here are owned by Indians,” he said. He took me to a restaurant named ‘Chennai Dosas’ for a late lunch after Team India’s net practice. This restaurant was inaugurated by former Indian captain Kapil Dev over 20 years ago. Even at 3:30 pm, the restaurant was full of customers, almost everyone enjoying the dosas and uthappams.

 

 

The South Asian Times is free for Chennai Dosa customers 

Knowing that the restaurant would be frequented by Asians, a newspaper named ‘The South Asian Times’ is placed there for free for the customers. The lead story in the newspaper was about Nassau International Cricket Stadium being ready for the matches, with quotes from Bruce Blakeman, head of Nassau County.

 

Bruce Blakeman, Head of Nassau County, at Team India practice 

Incidentally, Blakeman visited the practice area where Team India was training and interacted with coach Dravid in the presence of journalists. While chatting with the journalists, he said: “Most of us here really did not know much about cricket, but now we understand why this sport is so popular around the world.”

 

A World Cup poster with Adil Rashid in action

One of the posters welcoming people to the stadium featured England’s Adil Rashid taking a catch. Blakeman’s name was seen below every poster. On the way out of the park, I noticed a Bengali sweet shop and a unisex salon named ‘Punjabi’.