At the start of the five-Test series, India worried themselves silly. They weren’t sure about dealing with the trauma of watching cricket without the two recently retired stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on the field.
For over a decade, Virat and Rohit had decided the biorhythm of a nation, their batting form dictated a million moods. Early reports from England said that the usual fan frenzy was missing when India, under new captain Shubman Gill, landed in England. Very few turned up at the airport, not many were checking where they were staying. Did the 25-year-old with the face and voice of a teenager have it in him to lead India in a long away Test series against the tough-talking Bazballers? How all those fears turned out to be unfounded.
Though the human race keeps forgetting, life keeps posting periodic reminders of its cyclic nature and the impermanence of things. There would be departures that threaten doom but this England tour was a reminder they could well be a false signal and turn out to be the foreword to a story of some grand arrival.
Given Indian cricket’s acrimonious succession history, this one was surprisingly without intrigue or public heartburn. Prince Shubman would settle on the throne with ease, as if he was born to rule. King Kohli, if reports are to be believed, called the new captain at his London home, for a meal. He would tweet a small loving note when he scored the double hundred. “Well Played Star Boy. Rewriting history. Onwards and upwards from here. You deserve all of this.” Rohit Sharma would land up at The Oval on the penultimate day of the final Test and cheer for the team from the VVIP boxes.
Everybody seemed happy, at peace with the role they were playing, or not playing. Indian cricket’s transition was so seamless and smooth that it took some time for it to sink in. The three images helped.
First was a chance sighting. The intention, at the time of getting into the London tube, was to shop for shoes at an Oxford Circus shop that is known for deals to die for. Stepping out of Green Park station you run into the crowd flowing out of Hyde Park – London’s sprawling meadow that’s a melting pot of runners, walkers, joggers, picnickers, families with young kids and all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts.
Story continues below this ad
Among the wave of happy smiling humanity was Rohit with his wife, kids and nannies. Bending to speak to his daughter, he seemed to be enjoying his family time. He was dragging a plastic kiddie scooter while wife was pushing a pram.
Headed towards their place of stay, they had to pass the point where the tube commuters and those leaving Hyde Park converged. It was something very mildly, just as a concept, similar to the Churchgate terminus where the sea of office-goers meet the Azad maidan regular. Rohit could do in London and what he could never experience in Mumbai. The mega stars seemed pleased to be one of the many enjoying a lovely day with their loved ones.
The second picture is of Virat at Yuvraj Singh’s charity dinner, again in London. He landed at the venue after the Indian team left early. Before he was invited on the stage, he seemed pleased to interact with other former Test cricketers like him. Around him were mostly his seniors, Virat seemed to be pleased to catch up with them.
In the past there have been reports of bad blood between Yuvraj and Kohli. There were allegations that Kohli didn’t want Yuvraj in the team on fitness grounds. But those seemed like bygones. Everyone had grown up and was ready to move on. Kohli too seemed happy with his life in London, he too has spoken about family time, parks and kids.
Story continues below this ad
Was he missing the Indian team? – the show’s MC would ask him. “I just coloured my beard two days back… when you start doing that after every four days, it is time,” he said, stroking his chin wisely. One of the greatest batsman to have played the game had found his closure.
London seems to be the perfect getaway, and permanent home, for Indian cricket stars perpetually under threat to be mobbed when in Indian public spaces.
Celebrated painter Stuart Pearson Wright, who painted Sachin Tendulkar’s stunning portrait that hangs at the Lord’s museum, had a chat with the batting great on this issue. “There is one thing in our conversation that has stuck in my mind. He started by asking me where I was from. And at the time I lived in London. He said, ‘I love London because when I’m there I can walk in the park with my children. It gave me a snapshot of his life in Mumbai,” recalled Stuart.
“He can’t even leave his house without a team of people … it’s something that most of us take for granted, just the freedom to wander … particularly with our families, our children. I didn’t have children at that stage. So, I’ve got two kids now. Okay. And that resonated with me.”
London parks and kids – it seems Virat and Rohit have found their own new meadows and teammates. They would help them to get over the pain of missing the stadium, dressing room and green pitches.
Story continues below this ad
What about Shubman, the new inheritor of the crown of thorns? The third frame is of him from Manchester, midway through the series with England leading 2-1. In the previous Test at Lord’s the skipper had lost his cool during the tense final minutes of the Day 4 when India wanted wickets and the English players were trying to waste time to avoid facing Jasprit Bumrah under fading light.
That’s when Shubman snapped and shouted at opener Zak Crawley. He told him to show some guts but in his utterance he mentioned ‘balls’ and how he needs to grow them. The English press had a field day. They headlined Shubman’s sledge, not even missing the “f*%&king” that the Indian captain had thrown in for impact.
At the next press conference, Shubman knew what was coming. An English reporter did rake up the issue and the Indian captain’s eyes lit up like he had spotted a ball that was well short of good length.
“A lot of people have been talking about this so let me clear the air for once and for all” – it was the emphatic and authoritative ‘enough is enough’ prelude to his strong statement about English players abusing the spirit of the game that perked the ears of the reporters.
Story continues below this ad
Shubman’s eyes blank and the nostrils flared, this was not the boy with dimples and rom com star looks. This was a batsman who had broken records, played a match-winning innings and stared the opponents in their eyes. This was a moment when doubts flew out the window and got lost in the muggy Manchester air. It was when you realised that you were watching a captain who would be at the helm for a long time.
A relaxed Rohit at the park, a satisfied Virat on stage and Shubman’s show of gravitas at the press conference helped to process the change. It helped convince the mind that Rohit isn’t the captain, Kohli isn’t the King. And henceforth, Shubman will do everything that Rohit and Kohli used to do.
