Superstition’s hand in India’s Super Sunday

Cricketers have always been known to be superstitious and this Indian team is no different. On Sunday night, as Rahul Dravid and Mohammed Kaif were scripting a remarkable turnaround, the others in the dressing room were busy positioning themselves in lucky seats.

For example, VVS Laxman was asked not to leave his seat till the match got over. There is a feeling in the team that India win whenever Laxman sits in a particular place and watches the whole match. In fact, he spent the entire NatWest Trophy final sitting in one position. Yuvraj Singh too had to endure the superstition bug. Soon after his dismissal, Yuvraj got on to the massage table; soon after that, the scoring rate picked up through Mohammed Kaif and Rahul Dravid. As he was about to get up, he was told to keep lying down. Only when the chase got easier and the target closer was Yuvraj told, ‘‘Utth ja’’.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly and senior pro Sachin Tendulkar too have always been superstitious.

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During his captaincy, Sachin would never take off his playing gear even after his dismissal. Sunday was no different as Ganguly and Tendulkar asked media manager Amrit Mathur to stay away from the changing room. Their reasoning: a wicket would fall whenever Mathur was in the room.

Through all this, coach John Wright was calmness personfied. He gets angry but never loses his temper. At Gaddafi Stadium, as the lights gained full effect and India’s chase faltered, he took a walk and came back saying, ‘‘Cool it, guys. We will do it.’’