With the second Test scheduled to be played in Kolkata, the authorities would do well to avoid the repeat of the incident of 1999
THE second Test match at Calcutta, now known as Kolkata, is as accidental an event as it is enormously enthusiastic. When, at the beginning of the season, in accordance with the venue rotation policy, it had been announced that Eden Garden would not host a Test match, there was much sorrow in this city’s avid cricketing circles. Any other team and it would not have mattered. But Pakistan not playing here? Not conceivable! And then came the series of events and the second Test landed up at Eden Gardens. Who cares whose loss it was, it was certainly our immense gain!
Recent history records that unruly crowd behaviour resulted in a match being played out in virtual solitude some half a decade ago. But then, the aficionado will tell you there are isolated quarrels in the most ecstatic of marriages. He will refer to the enormous support extended to Asif Iqbal and his lads in the dying days of the winter of 1979-80. The sixth Test was then played at Kolkata. Pakistan were two down having lost in Madras and Mumbai and there should have been waning interest.
Instead a full house 70,000 plus enthusiastically greeted the visitors and applauded a great innings by Taslim Arif; a deadly spell by Imran Khan and diverse other performances. Wasim Raja, Wasim Bari, Imran, Zaheer and the rest were feted night after night with kababs from the popular restaurant Nizam’s, biryani custom made for the occasion in Chitpur Road’s Royal Hotel and the kind of sinful sweets for which Bengal is renowned.
The players were invited to panel discussions, speaking assignments, Rotary meetings, schools. colleges, parties and even weddings to “bless the happy couples”. The match ended in a tame draw but nothing else would have done justice to Calcutta’s mehmaan nawazi.
The years that followed might have seen the honeymoon atmosphere dissolve a little, but there was no let up in the enthusiasm that a Pakistan match at the Eden generated. Even if this meant remembering the heroic effort of Salim Malik and at other times Imran Khan, who were capable of winning matches single-handed.
Just as Indians like Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and the great Bedi would reserve their special effort for this venue, the Pakistanis also seemed to be inspired whenever they played in Calcutta. For my part, I will never forget the succession of farewell parties spanning the years between 1980 and 2000, and how there were always moist eyes when the Pakistanis left, so deeply had the likes of Raja, Zaheer, Imran and in later years Sohail won the hearts of this city’s social set. We even remember some of the management — Shafqat Rana and Aslam Sanjrani and commentators Omar Kureishi and Chishty Mujahid, who were wonderful ambassadors for their country and for their country’s cricket.
So, the wheel brings us back to this city waiting with bated breath, notwithstanding the unseasonal heat, the humidity and the threat of the dreaded nor’ wester, the violent thunderstorm which comes and goes with no warning whatsoever.
There will be the usual spate of receptions, parties and daawats, both official and unofficial, and the evenings will surely see players fatigued from the day’s labours, trying heroically to balance their on field aspirations with off field commitments. But this is a young side with not many long standing acquaintances, which might be a blessing in disguise!
The Calcutta wicket in recent years has always been on the benign side, holding out promise of a full five-day match. In winter here at the Eden there is usually the early morning heavy atmosphere to assist the seam bowlers, but once the spring sets in there is no movement in the air whatsoever. There will be a bit of grass as was the case in Mohali , but more of that nearer the time of the actual commencement of play.
With the second Test scheduled to be played in Kolkata, the authorities would do well to avoid the repeat of the incident of 1999 
