First, some context. In 1992 India and SA didn’t have diplomatic relations, we didn’t recognise the FW De Klerk government and Indian passports carried a stamped warning: ‘not valid for Israel and South Africa’.
Cricket wise, South Africa was as unknown — nobody knew anything about players, pitches, conditions or grounds. Complete ignorance. Illustrated by the question asked by one player in the first team meeting: Yeh captain Kepler Wessels kaun hai?
Team meetings ahead of games were essentially casual where everybody had tea and wished each other luck. India’s first-ever tour was the equivalent of cricket played blind — classic teen patti. Pre-tour preparation was practically zero. No conditioning camp or team practice. Players gathered in Bombay a few days before departure only to collect tour clothing and pose for the customary team photo before boarding the flight. The tour agreement with South Africa wasn’t signed and I was told to settle playing conditions with Ali Bacher.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 09, 2023 من Hindustan Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 09, 2023 من Hindustan Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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