The presence of India internationals, especially Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has lifted the Vijay Hazare Trophy cricket tournament.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association’s Alur facility had perhaps never seen such crowds before. At least 200 people gathered there for each of Jharkhand’s games in Group B of the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently. They stood under trees or in the sun, sat on the grass or on the tall boundary wall, all to watch one man.
Some had walked to the ground from nearby areas early in the morning while others had made the long trip from the centre of Bengaluru 25 km away. M. S. Dhoni disappointed them the first time but they kept coming back; again and again. At a stroke, the tournament’s profile in the city had been raised to a level that no marketing campaign could have achieved.
Dhoni is not the only India international to be playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season. Eleven Indian players who featured in the South Africa Test series have turned out for their state teams at least once this month.
R. Ashwin had played only one List A game for Tamil Nadu in the last five years. The last time he represented the side in the Ranji Trophy was in November 2012. India’s busy schedule simply did not give him any time. Now, though, he jumped at the opportunity. “Going back to the yellow brigade for the Vijay Hazare trophy,” he wrote on Twitter after the Delhi Test against South Africa. Six games later, having helped Tamil Nadu secure a spot in the quarterfinals, he could not contain his joy. “Csk to Tamil Nadu cricket team, we have maintained the same spirit the yellow stands for. Come on ppl of Tamil Nadu get behind us.#imAllin,” he exclaimed.
Bu hikaye Sportstar dergisinin January 2, 2016 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Sportstar dergisinin January 2, 2016 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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