Gargi Raut in Delhi
Two weeks ago if someone had said that an inconsequential Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways would fill up two entire stands of the Arun Jaitley Stadium, no one would have believed it. But such is the craze for Virat Kohli. The superstar’s return to domestic cricket after over a decade has sent shockwaves among fans, so much so that DDCA had to make special preparations as they expected a footfall of 10,000 spectators.
On a chilly and foggy Delhi morning, thousands of fans queued up outside of the Arun Jaitley Stadium to catch a glimpse of their favourite star. Fans rushed to the gates in a frenzy, creating a scene of organised chaos as they scrambled to find their entry points. Cheers of “Kohli…Kohli” echoed through the stadium, electrifying the atmosphere as the local hero took the field.
The Gautam Gambhir Stand, which would have been empty otherwise, was filled to the brim. As confirmed by Rohan Jaitley, DDCA President, the association was prepared to open up more stands if fans showed up in large numbers. Soon, DDCA also had to open up the gates to the Bishan Singh Bedi Stand as spectators started pouring in.
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Kohli, fielding at the slips, too, got involved, occasionally turning to the crowd, waving and acknowledging the support. Even though Navdeep Saini scalped a couple wickets early in the session, the crowds insisted on chanting “Kohli ko bowling do” (Give Kohli an over).
But no amount of planning can prepare for a stadium filled with ardent Kohli fans just waiting to catch a glimpse of their idol. One fan wasn’t satisfied with just watching his favourite cricketer, he invaded the pitch, ducking security right and left. He eventually got his destination – Kohli’s feet, security swarmed to catch the invader as he clutched Kohli’s feet and refused to let go. The stands hooted and cheered as they watched the drama unfold.
Introspecting on the sudden attention that the domestic matches have received owing to an influx of superstars, you can’t help but wonder what the domestic circuit had been missing for so long. The ecosystem can only gain from global stars, be it youngsters rubbing shoulders with the best in the business or the matches getting record viewership/attendance. Speaking of viewership, the buzz for the match was such that BCCI had to go out of their way to livestream a match that was originally not included in the broadcasting roster.
BCCI’s 10-point policy was a step in the direction of negating “superstar culture”, but something that the BCCI cannot control is public adoration. As the gates to the stadium opened up, a stampede-like situation emerged near Gate 17. And the aftermath? Broken phones, lost slippers and shoes lying around, and an unfortunate incident, which left a police bike with considerable damage.
Also Read: When Sachin Tendulkar brought the world to Lahli
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