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By K.R. Nayar From Eden Gardens Kolkata. There was a time when Eden Gardens, where India take on West Indies on March 1 in the ICC T20 World Cup, was the stadium with the largest seating capacity in India. Nearly 100,000 people used to watch the action. Today, Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest. But my first experience of reporting while sitting amidst 100,000 spectators was at the Eden Gardens. After renovation, this stadium can accommodate only around 70,000, but the aura and history of this ground makes it special. It was established way back in 1864 . Last World Cup for yellow Ambassador taxi. Photo by K.R. Nayar  To Kolkata without a wink of sleep Leaving for Kolkata from Chennai within a few hours after the India-Zimbabwe match and taking the 4:45 am flight resulted in a sleepless night. Since it was a red-eye flight, I hardly expected any journalist to be on this flight. To my surprise,  India’s ex-captain-turned-commentator, Ravi Shastri w...

By K.R. Nayar From M. A. Chidambaram Stadium Chennai. Chennai cricket fans have always appreciated boldness and bravery, be it from the Indian team or from a visiting team. On Thursday, the Indian team gave them plenty to cheer during the course of their 72 runs win over Zimbabwe. It was a performance wrapped in authority and flair, one that re-instated the belief that they can remain T20 World Cup champions.  Chennai fans celebrate India's big win. Photo: ICC  From the very first over, they lived up to the hopes of the crowd as well as the whole of India, thanks to the positive start by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. They batted as if they had never been out of form and struck with authority. This was exactly what the crowd wanted. In T20 cricket, momentum is like oxygen, and the Indian batters never allowed Zimbabwe to breathe. When the openers provided a breezy start, the dressing room relaxed, the fans cheered, and it boosted the rest to go for the kill. Zimbabwe ...

By K.R. Nayar From M. A. Chidambaram Stadium Chennai. When a team official or a player meets journalists after a huge loss, he is bound to be grilled. Before the India-Zimbabwe match, there was an interesting situation because both team representatives were facing the media after defeats to South Africa and West Indies respectively. India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak at the pre-match press conference. Photo: ICC India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had to face a barrage of questions on the team’s batting, such as Indian batters having scored 11 ducks and a batting average of only 20 in this World Cup. Zimbabwe vice-captain Ryan Burl, when asked about West Indies, candidly admitted that the Windies have the firepower to attack from ball one. Kotak regretted the defeat to South Africa and mentioned it was the worst game they had played in two years. So often, it is better to admit that the team and the players played badly and appreciate the opponent rather than try to def...

By K.R. Nayar From M. A. Chidambaram Stadium Chennai.  If you are in Chennai and don’t get to see posters of the late actor-turned-chief minister M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and the late actress-turned-chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, then the trip is not complete. There was a time when huge cut-out posters of these two leaders, and later of former chief minister C. N. Annadurai, could be seen in various parts of the city. A domestic cricket tournament called the MGR Trophy is now in its 31st edition here, having begun on February 20. A poster of all three late chief ministers. Photo by K.R. Nayar  Interestingly, J. Jayalalithaa used to watch international cricket matches when she was young. In an interview with Simi Garewal, she once said that she had a childhood crush on former Indian cricket captain Nari Contractor and used to attend Test matches specifically to watch him play. At the age of 91, Contractor is among the oldest living Indian cricketers. So he is remembered no...

By K.R. Nayar From M. A. Chidambaram Stadium Chennai. A World Cup in India is a special experience. Every city one visits is different, and everywhere there are tales—both, about the city, and cricket. It is not cricket alone that entertains, because if you keep your eyes open, you will see the many creative and humorous things around. In Ahmedabad, the creativity and humour in naming establishments were remarkable. At the  M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Photo by K.R. Nayar  “What’s in a name?” asked Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet but after seeing a few in India, one feels that names do play a big role. They grab attention like a last-over six. As we drove towards the Ahmedabad stadium, the names given to certain establishments evoked many a chuckle among the media. As the media bus crawled through the Ahmedabad traffic at a pace that would embarrass even a defensive forward push, I had enough time to read, re-read, and even photograph these masterpieces of naming brilli...

By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad. To witness over 100,000 people sitting in stunned silence is not a sight one can forget easily. South Africa made it happen, defeating India by 76 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in their first Super Eight match. By the 12th over of the Indian innings, most of them had left the stadium, disappearing into the darkness of the night with unexpected gloom. Indian flags that had fluttered only for a short while were quickly wrapped up. None of the Indian batters got into rhythm. Indians were jolted by a fierce and fearless South African side. They snapped India’s winning run. Daring, Disciplined and Determined South Africans To be defeated in a World Cup, that too on Indian soil, is hard to accept. Every dot ball pierced the hopes of the fans. For every wicket that fell, there was a collective gasp. The belief that India would get off to a winning start in the Super Eight dissolved in a matter of overs. For the last few weeks, ...

By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad. The most prominent question posed to Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, South African coach Shukri Conrad, and their batter Quinton de Kock revolved around one gripping word—pressure. Undoubtedly, the Super Eight matches are high pressure games. Yadav went to the extent of stating that if there was no pressure, there would not be any fun playing this game. At the same time, players and teams can crack under pressure. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav speaks about pressure. Photo: ICC It takes a lot of mental strength to play in front of nearly 100,000 people in Ahmedabad. Even the bravest can succumb to the tension. To perform withstanding the deafening roar from the crowd requires nerves of steel. For some, the pressure settles on their shoulders, tightens its grip, and clouds their judgment — and in that moment, courage falters. Only the brave can brush it off and avoid committing a blunder. As Conrad said, the pressure during a...

By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad.  The moment India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel settled into his chair for the press conference on Friday, the first bouncer came flying—Abhishek Sharma’s three ducks in this World Cup. The real question behind it: will he be dropped for the Super Eight match against South Africa. Morkel intelligently answered that question, saying Sharma is an entertainer not just for the team but for all the viewers. It did not reveal whether he will be in the eleven or not. It is a fact that this World Cup has been cruel to this finest entertainer. Anand Subramaniam, media manager for the India team signals for the first question to Morne Morkel. Photo by K.R. Nayar  The wait for the first run Cricket sometimes exposes your nerves, strips off one’s confidence, but asks you to bat again as if nothing has happened. Some survive the pressure, but three ducks and the long walk back to the pavilion must have been shattering for this 25-yea...

By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad. The time has arrived for the intense Super Eight contests. Before one takes off into the world of exciting cricket, let’s see whether these contests can push everyone to the edge of their seats and whether T20 cricket will be at its electrifying best. It is a fact that only teams with steel in their spine and fire in their veins will survive. India and dark-horse Zimbabwe have arrived with a clean record, announcing that they are out to conquer any opponent with surgical precision. Journey to the Narendra Modi stadium through a parade of flags. Photo by K.R. Nayar  The charm of the rest A glance at the rest of the pack reveals a dangerous truth — every team here carries the spark to become a conqueror. Pakistan thrives in unpredictability; it is their chaos that becomes their greatest weapon. If they rise above the pressure, they can be unstoppable. Zimbabwe has muscled their way to the top of their group with grit and fear...