The Dressing Room

Cricketers in India are demi-gods. We worship them when they do well on the field and burn effigies when they fail to perform. For the world outside the perception about our cricketers is different – that cricketers are stars and sometimes arrogant. At times it seems justified for very few are privy to their lives inside the dressing room or their behavior outside the field.

I've been a sports fan and more so a cricket fanatic for long. Having grown up idolizing these stars it was a dream to meet them at some point in time. I've been lucky to have witnessed the cricketers, few of them and observe their personalities to an extent. It was in September 2004 when I had a first hand experience in terms of the effort each player instills in his game. The Indian team had their conditioning camp at the K.S.C.A, Bangalore where I had the privilege to assist the team as a wicket-keeper.

Keeping wickets to Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and few others was phenomenal. John Wright the coach then watched the players from behind the nets along with keeper Parthiv Patel beside him. Sairaj Bahatule, the Mumbai leg spinner bowled one down the leg and I had collected the ball well when I heard John Wright saying “good job” mate and explaining my movement down the leg side to Parthiv Patel. The next couple of deliveries I had goosebumps literally. I remember Sachin Tendulkar having recovered from a shoulder injury and tried his hand at bowling. During one of his deliveries Sachin had bowled a googly which I failed to read and went the wrong way while the ball went in the other direction and Sachin gestured with a smile indicating how I was foxed. The 3 weeks I spent with the players was remarkable.

Almost four years later I had an opportunity to experience something similar. This time around it wasn't with my white dress and keeping gloves, but trying to learn the nuances of my new job or part of it I must say, sitting in the dressing room alongside the players. It was a Duleep trophy game between South and Central zone having great players and prospects like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, L.Balaji, Badrinath, Piyush Chawla, Kaif, Dinesh Karthik to name a few. To be sitting in there and not get distracted by their presence is impossible. Looking at them speak, conduct themselves, prepare for the game, their food during breaks was fantastic. The starry nature of theirs isn't visible for they are completely natural in the dressing room atmosphere in comparison to facing thousands of autograph seekers outside.

As I sat with my colleague trying to learn some new stuff, right next to us was Venkatesh Prasad speaking about banks and a whole lot of things happening around before he departed. Rahul Dravid who failed to create any impact was alone, not much of interaction, laying his hands at almost every newspaper and discussing a murder case that appeared on the first page with Robin Uthappa. Chief selector and Sehwag of the 80's Krish Srikanth was in his own inimitable style talking aloud and smoking. South Zone were struggling at 81/5 when Dinesh Karthik went out to bat. In the current scenario even a double century by Karthik would be hard to earn him a recall to the test and ODI side and moreso since Dhoni is at his peak. As he walked down to the field, Srikanth shouted at him in tamil saying " dai machaa... Jolly aa valaaadu" (meaning enjoy your game).

The best of the lot of was VVS Laxman. That Laxman is humble, friendly and liked by everyone was a testimonial to what I observed. Laxman, Kumble and Srikanth spoke a bit of every language (tamil, telugu, hindi,english). Srikanth mentioned that the role of a selector was a thankless job along with wicket-keeping and umpiring. He went on to say that the selector could only pick any one of the 3 best contenders for any slot and dropping the other 2 was a sin. The aftermath, the “gaaliyan”(abuse) that a selector receives on dropping players was the worst part.

Dravid eventually joined the three and burst into a laughter when Srikanth mentioned that his “expert analyst” role with one of the news channel was the best as he would sit in his lawn with his “dhoti” and answer few questions from the studio. They spoke about the Satyam scam, recession, stock exchange losses, investments and real estate. On the field Dinesh Karthik did just what Srikanth told him, to enjoy the game, as he resurrected the south zone innings with a fine 152 of 112 deliveries. The whole team stood up and applauded as he showed his bat towards the dressing room. Laxman on hearing the noise sat beside coming fresh from a nap and ordered some tea enquiring about Karthik's knock.

John Wright in his book “Indian summers” mentions Laxman was pivotal in forming a bridge between the old and the younger lot. He was spot on. The way he carries himself is wonderful. Simple, no nonsense, approachable and most importantly liked by all. The general chat revolved around Laxman as he chatted in with Dinesh Karthik, enquiring Balaji about his home in Chennai, Badrinath and few others. Piyush Chawla later came in saying “Laxman bhai I couldn't bowl well as i lacked practice with the Kookabura ball” as part of the new experiment. Post match, Laxman would get Sreeshanth to analyse his bowling and the plan for Day 2 relishing with a plate of Rava Idly.

Personally having had an opportunity to watch these greats from close quarters was fascinating and a day well spent, I'd say.