First-time visitors to the Eden Gardens, software engineers Chandan Kumar Singh and Keshav Chaudhary were excited and couldn’t wait to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli live in action. ‘Eden is a high-scoring ground and the Indian side should be aggressive right from the start just like in the T20s,’ said Keshav. Chandan expected nothing less than a century from the captain
All images by Nitin WaghelaBapi da can be spotted selling Team India jerseys whenever there’s a match at Eden. ‘I have been selling Indian cricket jerseys, hats, caps and at times, painting the national flag on the faces of fans for the last 10 years,’ he said. ‘I also visit nearby cities like Ranchi at times to give Indian fans everything they need to show their support.’
Sandeep Das, 18, travelled all the way from New Barrackpore to help his elder brother sell Indian flags and headbands for the very first time. The Das family is known to sell Indian cricket team merchandise near the Eden Gardens. Standing in a corner around the country's oldest cricket stadium, Das said, ‘Right now, the passion that surrounds me is overwhelming and it makes me happy to add to this feeling.’
Tricolour turban in place, Arijit Mondal, was all dressed up for his date with idol Virat Kohli. ‘Kohli is back in form and no one could be happier than me. I want to see him play a knock of a lifetime and make us all proud,’ he said
The Indian flag painted on both cheeks and a smile in place, this lady was in a rush to get into the stadium and soak in the ambience before the big game