I rarely miss an opportunity to watch a cricket match that features God (Sachin Tendulkar) on TV. So there was no way I was gonna miss the opportunity to take balcony darshan from within the stadium.
So when one of my colleagues offered me an IPL ticket for the Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers T20 on 3rd April, I nearly jumped off my seat. There is an ignoble saying in the financial world, “there are no free lunches”, and here I was getting a three course meal, absolutely free!!! Yaa Jhakaas!
Match due to start at 8 pm IST, I landed at the stadium at 6.30 pm. No sirree, I was not gonna take any chances with the crowd which I knew would start pilling up within the hour of the match starting.
When I stepped in, the stadium was three quarters empty. But the playing field wasn’t and I had the greatest joy of watching some team members of the MI & DC team practicing. Adam Gilchrist (Gilly) has been one of my favourite batsman and I saw him at close quarters tonking it all over in the nets. One of his arc swings off a spinner landed barely 10 feet from where I was posted (Gilly repeated that shot in the actual match off a pacer). Also watched Herchelle Gibbs, Andy Symonds, Rohit Sharma and a host of others flexing their muscles before the showdown.
At the other end of the field aaplee Mumbai Indians team were going about pumping iron. By that time, the stadium got three quarters full … and God walked in.
Everyone in yogic posture. Take a deep breath … now let go.
Om Sachindevaya Namah!!!
The aura of SRT can only be best felt in an enclosed arena. The lil’ master had just about stepped foot on the grass when the crowd (including yours truly) went apeshit and started the mandatory bhajan chanting of His Name. On and on it went while he strutted around nonchalantly, unfazed by the screaming cauldron around him, hawk-eyeing the playing strip, now putting up his playing gear to face some mortals at the nets. The match had not yet started and I already had my money’s worth … but then I had already got a free pass, so it was just pure bliss!!!
Eventually the nets went down, the floodlights lit up Brabourne and on came the two captains for the toss … followed by another roar from the now jam-packed stadium, which must have shaken the very foundations of the arena. Tendlya won and chose to bat.
The start was steady with God treating us to some cover-driving, flicking and deft touching, straight out of the cricket text book. Sadly he got out after a quick-fire 30-odd runs off some 20-odd balls. As he walked back, you could probably hear a pin-drop in the arena, more evidence of the aura. But what I witnessed was good enough for me.
Eventually, MI looked the better team and the match was won even before the start of the last 3 overs of DC batting.
And after having my fill of balcony darshan I set off back to the land of mortals, all the while contemplating a revisit.
Imagine my greatest surprise and joy, when another colleague offered me a ticket couple of days ago!!! The match is MI vs Delhi Daredevils, who are looking very strong and it will be a humdinger of a clash.
So, 13th April is the day and I can hardly wait. I am so looking forward to Tendu’s charisma vs. Viru’s flamboyance. May the best team win … I shall still have my darshan!!!
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