Given the larger-than-life persona that Virat Kohli sports, it would not be farfetched to imagine that Eden Gardens, with all its circular grandeur, would be like a big, green cake on Sunday. After all, it’s the King’s 35th birthday.
That’s the event the Eden is hosting, a big birthday bash for Indian cricket’s poster boy.
Wait, isn’t there a match here on Sunday? Yes, that’s there too, but it’s difficult to think of it as the centrepiece. Not that it’s an inconsequential match, far from it actually. Whoever between India and South Africa win, will take a big step towards topping the standings, which will then ensure that they have the privilege of having the fourth-placed team as their semi-final opponents.
Rohit Sharma. Santosh Ghosh/Sanat Kumar Sinha
The way India are playing, flaunting their seven-pack of wins, there’s an air of invincibility around Rohit Sharma’s team. The winter is yet to set in, but India have sent shivers down the spine of almost all the teams they have faced so far. Will the Proteas, who have been mighty impressive so far, join the list of the vanquished? Maybe, may not be. But it appears no one is ready to spare a thought in that direction.
Rather, the focus on Saturday was all on Kohli. It was an optional practice session, the pacers stayed away, but Kohli, Rohit and a few others did turn up. Outside the stadium, a crowd of a few hundred yelled in joy when they spotted Kohli, while an artist tried to arrest the chaos in colours as he was giving finishing touches to a sketch of the former captain. Inside the ground, the flag-waving fanatic blew his conch from the upper tier of the BC Roy Clubhouse announcing Kohli’s arrival, while those who chose to have a closer view, parked themselves in front of the fence in ‘B’ Block and shouted “happy birthday” every time the dasher with the bat looked in their direction.
India supporters ready to cheer the team on. Sanat Kumar Sinha
The Cricket Association of Bengal will join the party when they gift Kohli a gold-plated bat on Sunday.
And on top of that, there’s the impending 49th century that will officially allow Kohli a place beside his predecessor in greatness, Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli’s record at this venue, though not mind-boggling by his lofty standards, is quite decent. He averages 47.14 in ODIs at the Eden and has even got a century, versus Sri Lanka in December 2009, to show.
Kohli, the dibbly-dabbly bowler, may also be in action on Sunday. Coach Rahul Dravid called Kohli the “wrong-footed, in-swinging menace” while talking about India’s sixth bowler options and revealed that the team “came very close to giving him an over” at the Wankhede in their last match against Sri Lanka.
Even if Kohli doesn’t deliver on the promise that he never made, there will be plenty for the Sunday crowd to cheer about. It should be a cracker of a contest between two fine teams. Just that if it’s Kohli who plays the bandmaster, the music will be sweeter.
Imagine a ton-up Kohli at the centre of the ground soaking in all the love the passionate Eden crowd showers... If you can indeed visualise the Eden as an oversized birthday cake, Kohli’s century, if it comes, will certainly be the cherry on top of it.
