Rex Clementine in Calcutta 

Calcutta used to be the capital of India until King George V proclaimed the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1911. Known as the City of Joy, it’s a pleasant experience to be here during Deepavali time with the streets nicely decorated. This is where the World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Australia take place today (Thursday).

Calcutta’s airport is named after Subash Chandra Bose, one of India’s prominent freedom fighters. While Mahatma Gandhi was all about nonviolence, Bose was a complete contrast. He believed in a militant approach to freedom from the British. He also endorsed socialist political values unlike his Cambridge colleague and first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, who endorsed democratic values.

As for cricket, we have long admired the Prince of Calcutta – Sourav Ganguly. As captain, Ganguly got under the skin of the opposition and skippered India to many memorable wins both at home and away. The Prince of Calcutta was coined to him by Geoffrey Boycott. By the time Ganguly had become the captain of the Indian team people started telling Boycott that he better call him now the ‘King of Calcutta’. This Boycott refused and explained why, ‘For me, there is only one King of Calcutta – Jagmohan Dalmiya.’

Mr. Dalmiya was a business tycoon and was the first Asian President of the ICC. He faced many challenges as the President of the governing body and taught people a few lessons most notably taking the ICC away from Lord’s to Dubai.

Mr. Dalmiya was also a dear friend of Sri Lanka. During the 1996 World Cup, with Australia and West Indies refusing to play their World Cup games in Colombo, he played a pivotal role in putting up a joint India – Pakistan team to come and play a game in Colombo to prove the country was safe to play cricket.

Mr. Dalmiya was a practical man. The joint India – Pakistan team had the captains of both countries – Mohammad Azharuddin and Wasim Akram. It was impossible for Wasim to play under Azhar or vice-versa as fans of the two countries wouldn’t have endorsed it.

So, Mr. Dalmiya called up former Pakistan captain Inthikab Alam and made him the Manger of that team. Then, he told Inthikab now that a Pakistani is the Manager of the team it is unfair if the captaincy also went to Pakistan and it was up to him to convince Wasim to play under Azhar.

Then there was another problem. Wills the tournament’s sponsors had a deal that no cricket should be played two weeks prior to the tournament or after the tournament. This game a mere couple of days before the World Cup got underway contravened the agreement. Mr. Dalmiya then called up the sponsors and said, ‘Never again you are going to see a joint India – Pakistan team playing. In fact, you should pay me for putting your logo in the players’ jersey. So, just shut up and play.’

Mr. Dalmiya was an outstanding administrator. He had just finished his term as ICC boss ahead of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. England had just launched T-20 cricket in a bid to address the dwindling spectator turnouts in England.

The British press asked Mr. Dalmiya whether others should follow suit by embracing the T-20 format. “Why should we embrace T-20 cricket. In my home town in Calcutta, when Eden Garden hosts a Test match, there are 100,000 spectators inside the ground and 20,000 people outside the ground trying to get in,” he said.

Eden Garden of course is a cricket ground with full of history. Not so long ago, the venue could host some 100,000 fans. But after renovations, some of the temporary stands are gone and now the capacity is reduced to 65,000.

The venue hosted India’s second Test match way back in 1934. Virtually, it is India’s oldest active cricket ground as Bombay Gymkhana where the first ever Test was played has ceased to exist.

Eden Gardens hosted the final of the 1987 World Cup and the semi-finals of the 1996 World Cup where Sri Lanka famously knocked out the hosts and people reacted angrily.

The blinder that Aravinda de Silva played here is fondly remembered. He raced to a half-century on a tough wicket and set up the game for Sri Lanka.

In 2017, when Sri Lanka played a Test match at Eden Gardens, you thought that you had seen another player with a bright future in Niroshan Dickwella. The wicketkeeper not only got under Indian captain Virat Kohli’s skin, but earned much plaudits for his game awareness as India placed three fielders behind square and he happily hooked and pulled knowing too well that he cannot be out and just in time brought the error to the attention of the umpires who no balled Mohammad Shami.

Shami, the local boy, then got into an altercation with Dickwella. It was clever time wasting tactics by the rookie as Sri Lanka were struggling to save the Test.

In the end, the game ended in a draw and Kohli predicted a bright future for DIckwella. Six years on, Dickwella is not even in the reckoning these days with his off the field excesses getting him into trouble. Not scoring a hundred after 54 Tests made the selectors to say enough is enough.

That exactly has been the problem with Sri Lankan cricket. So many players emerge promising so many things but they lose track once they establish themselves in the side buying into a team culture that is far from ideal. You desperately hope that someone like Sadeera Samarawickrama doesn’t go the same route.

Calcutta is also the city where Mother Theresa, now a saint of the Catholic Church started her charitable mission. She went in search of the slum dwellers providing them medical care and the Missionaries of Charity that she established in Calcutta is now spread across the world. Many cricketers support the charity and Steve Waugh is a frequent visitor here.

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much,” is one of her famous quotes.