Suppose you have met a famous cricketer who had played at Eden Gardens Tell the class of your experience.
Answers
For any admirer of the game of cricket, the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata is a very special venue. Regarded as the Mecca of Cricket, this ground has witnessed many historic games. For a cricket fan, visiting Eden Gardens for the first time it was an experience which not only was unforgettable, but also played a huge part in the journey taken there on. Sandipan Banerjee relives the day when he first entered this ground for the first time.
Cricket has been an integral part of the journey of my life so far. Perhaps, I can even say, it is most dominating part. Though I belong from a non-cricketing family, but the craze of this great game had taken me places, has given me some excellent memories to cherish for lifetime. These memories are like treasures and the most precious nostalgia amongst those is the day when I first stepped in to the Eden Gardens
It was autumn of 2003. Indian team was playing in a tri-series at home. In Indian cricket scenario, triangular series had been bit rare. But in that year, Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) finally obliged the tri-series fans like me and arranged one that involved Australia and New Zealand. Most importantly, the final of the tournament was scheduled at the Eden Gardens. IPL 2015: Eden Gardens witness almost full house on opening day
In those days Ricky Ponting's Australia was an invincible team. Though few of their main bowlers didn't play in that series but still the likes of Nathan Bracken, Brad Williams made life miserable for the opponent. Sourav Ganguly's India somehow managed to beat them in one of the league games and eventually both those sides eventually qualified for the final. Eden Gardens and Eden Park: Two cricket grounds, one name, one family
A final, projected as the revenge match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 final. So the hype was huge.
Those were the times when watching cricket match live in a stadium was a luxury, especially for a 15-year-old kid from a middle-class family, like me. Also in those days, to get a ticket in Kolkata, for such a big match like the India versus Australia clash, you need to have some 'source'. Back then, I used live almost 400 kilometers away from Kolkata, in a remote village of West Bengal. So arranging a ticket was 10 times difficult. But somehow my father managed two tickets, for me and my cousin. Ganguly: Eden Gardens has special place in my career
When I first came to know about this, I just couldn't believe myself. I was going to watch the game live from stands, which so far I had seen only in television or heard in radio.
A few sleepless nights were inevitable