The trademark Eden Gardens roar now seems a distant memory, but all that is set to change with India hosting New Zealand in the third and final T20I on Sunday. International cricket returns to Kolkata after a seemingly eternal wait of 24 months, and I am savouring the occasion to once again witness the action unfold at an arena that has always delivered the highest drama, the greatest thrills and spills.
The desire to keep coming back
As a child, learning about the humongous capacity of the Eden (second only to the Melbourne Cricket Ground) from my father, I was extremely enthusiastic about visiting the stadium, getting a first-hand experience of how it feels to stand amidst the delirious noise created by over 90,000 fans (the modern capacity of 62,000 has barely changed the intangibles), experiencing a change of ends between overs (which can barely be felt while watching on television), cheering for my team and looking ahead to getting autographs of the players like most kids in this cricket-worshipping country.
The opportunity finally arrived in the form of an ODI between India and Sri Lanka in February 2007 when I was in the final few months of my third standard. Even though the outing ended in disappointment — the match was abandoned due to rain after a mere 18 overs — I knew that the desire to keep coming back to the stadium had caught on.
Sourav Ganguly notched his first Test hundred at his home ground in 2007 against Pakistan TT archives
My next visit to the Eden came in the winter of 2007, with India and Pakistan reaching a stalemate after an eventful five days of Test cricket that saw Sourav Ganguly notch up his first Test hundred at his home ground. Wasim Jaffer was named man of the match for a sterling double hundred.
Some four years later, India were playing England in a “dead rubber” of an ODI, with the series already 4-0 in favour of the Indians. And yet, with India attempting a whitewash, I was curious to see how swiftly the mood of the fans underwent a transformation. Almost halfway through their chase, England had not lost a single wicket. The crowd began to feel restless, and as is the case with Kolkata’s cricket lovers, started voicing its grievances. Soon enough, a laundry list of sweeping changes was resonating from the audience, taking aim at BCCI and the team’s shortcomings. Less than a couple of hours later, the scene had changed completely. The previously disgruntled Eden crowd was jubilant, vociferously cheering for Team India after they had bowled England out to claim the series 5-0!
Notwithstanding the Eden’s volatile emotions towards the team it adores, there is no doubt that this is one place where the opposition gets respectful treatment, even if it is a weakened West Indian outfit, which took on India in a T20I in November 2018. What fascinated me about that game was how the Eden’s collective consciousness did not lack any passion or commitment towards the match even though it was, by no means, an unmissable encounter.
Eden Gardens witnessed the infamous India-Sri Lanka World Cup semi-final in 1996 TT archives
Steeped in history, the Eden feels like a grand old relative at times, someone who can intrigue you with tales from the time South Africa overcame apartheid to step back onto the cricketing field in 1991 to the infamous India-Sri Lanka World Cup semi-final in 1996 and a horrendous batting collapse to the pink ball Test in 2019 when the lean, mean winning machine of Kohli and Co. outplayed Bangladesh in every department.
Ringside view of Rohit’s 264
On Sunday, I hope to be at the Eden for the 22nd time in my life. The fact that the match and the series mark a new era in Indian cricket with the Dravid-Rohit partnership at the helm in the shortest format makes my presence even more significant. I was there in person in November 2014 when Rohit Sharma smashed an incredible 264 against Sri Lanka, still the highest individual ODI score in men’s cricket. Rohit had unleashed utter carnage that day and I felt as if his already immaculate sense of timing had reached invincible proportions. His display was beyond comparison, at least as far as my attendance at the Eden goes, a truly once-in-a-lifetime knock. Viewing cricket could hardly get any better.
Rohit Sharma's incredible 264 against Sri Lanka, still the highest individual ODI score in men’s cricket, came at this ground TT archives
Will Rohit turn on the style once more on Sunday? Will he even play, now that the series has been wrapped up?
Either way, my heart will bleed blue, as always. Irrespective of the eventualities, the knowns and the unknowns, my Eden experience will only become sweeter after my latest visit has transpired. For that is the relationship I have cultivated with this special stadium, a place where more than victory or defeat what matters is a sense of fulfillment as an India fan, a sense of belonging as a lover of cricket.