'Never Imagined Oneday Ranchi will host Oneday International Cricket Match'

Never ever imagined that oneday in Ranchi Oneday International Cricket match will be played and that too Indian team will be led by a Ranchi boy Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Yours truly belongs to the same city where Mahi was born and brought up. Mahi was playing in 80's while our generation had already played boyhood cricket during 70's. When Mahi would have been getting infected by cricket, Tendulkar had arrived whereas we belonged to the time of Sunil Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Brijesh Patel, Bedi, Chandrashekhar. That was the time of Solkar, Engineer, Prasanna in Indian cricket. Cricketing greats like Garner, Holding, Lloyd, Richards,Willis,Mike Dennis,Allan Knot, Thompson, Lily, Chappels,Turner, Crowes and Hadlee were dominating at international level.

Alastair Cook:Captain 

of England Cricket Team

Mahendra Singh Dhoni:

Captain of India Cricket Team

Anyway, what comes in memory as the very first thing about cricket is double century of Sunil Gavaskar, 220 runs in his debut series there in West Indies. That was the time of All India Radio. Eyes did not have any role to play. We were all ears to transistor. We used to hear with utmost concentration bowl by bowl cricket commentary of Anant Setalwad, Sushil Doshi, Prem Kumar, Suresh Suraiya . And as the excitement in voice of commentator was felt so used to be our expressions. Together we shouted on boundaries, rare sixes, catches held out of the world and also when some famous batsman got clean bowled as described by the commentator.

District cricket used to be represented by Shaukat Hamid, Alok Mitra, Deval Sahay, Shyamal Roy. District matches were played in Police Line ground. Alok Mitra used to be a fast bowler. Many a time there used to be a grapevine that Alok Mitra is going to make it in Test Cricket. He commanded respect in cricket circle. Shaymal Roy was also an impressive left hand batsman. Daljit Singh and Ramesh Saxena used to play for TATAs.

All these players played in Police Line, RCC and MECON grounds. Apart from these standard grounds for cricket there were many more big and small grounds where cricket matches were played . There used to be a very good ground at the place of TV tower. Two – three more grounds used to be there near Police Line Ground. BMP ground, ground behind Welfare Cinema, and grounds were there in Dhurva, Chutia, Lalpur and Arvind Sporting Club at Piskamod also.

It was impossible to remain untouched with cricket when surroundings were hundred percent infected by cricket. I rather we (muhalla boys) began playing cricket from an early age of 7-8 years. Our passion for cricket was to the extent that we could not see anything else but cricket even if we were not playing it actually. In the morning our parents reminded us about what we uttered during our sleep. Obviously we played the game in our dream as well.

International , National , District Cricket inspired us a lot. We also formed teams at Muhalla level. Special about this Muhalla Cricket was that every one of us was an all rounder. We behaved at the time of taking field as if ourselves were Gavaskar, Solkar, Abid Ali, Karsan Ghavari, Chandrashekhar,Bedi, Prasanna,Engineer. Bombay cricketers dominated the Indian cricket during that time. Our wicketkeeper Kishore used to get his name written in score-sheet as Kisholkar. When not in action in ground we played the game among groups talking about cricket. We did shadow batting,bowling and fielding. We aimed to go to Mumbai and Delhi to earn name and fame in cricket. We were very very ambitious about making career in cricket. But as we grew we grew to know how important is studies. Our ambitions shifted to qualify in Civil Services, making career in medical, engineering line and also in business etc.

Anyway, our ambitions got inherited by younger generations. It has been achieved by one boy called Mahendra Singh Dhoni to its full potential. We could not go to Mumbai and Delhi to represent India in Cricket . Mahi has done it the other way. He has brought the international cricket to Ranchi. Some other boys-girls have also made it at international level not only in cricket but in other sports discipline as well. Cricketer Saurav Tiwari, world fame Deepika are excelling in cricket and archery respectively.

Coming back to international cricket in Ranchi. Excitement is at its peak among youths. The very news about Ranchi hosting India-England cricket match has charged the cricket lovers in Ranchi. IIM boys – girls came out with a procession in city holding flags and shouting India, India ....... Dhoni...Dhoni.

Construction of Ranchi cricket stadium has cost around Rs.180 crores. It has all kind of facilities for players. Stadium does have Gym, Tennis courts, Basketball court and also swimming pool. Stadium can accommodate 35 thousands spectators. A batsman will have to send the ball 75 yards away for a boundary. Ground fulfills the required international demands.

Credit goes to Dhoni who has brought the international cricket in Ranchi. He has made Ranchi famous in world cricket. Dhoni is giving back his due to Ranchi in an indirect manner. To realize dream of Ranchites JSCA 's president Amitabh Chaudhury has played a significant role. We Ranchi people are thankful to him.

I can well imagine the sight when Dhoni along with captain of England Alastair Cook will be going for toss in the middle of ground. Cricket lovers of Ranchi watching this game sitting in stadium will be inspiring Dhoni. Stadium must be reverberating with the sound of Dhoni ........Dhoni........Dhoni. Surroundings would be electrifying. We Ranchiites would be seeing the proceedings in person which otherwise we used to watch on TV, listening cricket commentary on Radio and reading about the outcome of the match on the following day in newspapers. I am getting impatient to listen that ear bursting sounds coming out from stadium in my TV. Yes, myself is not in Ranchi but can well feel the euphoria !