Rex Clementine
in Pune

Pune will host the second T-20 International between Sri Lanka and India and this city is famous for witnessing one of cricket’s biggest upsets. Two time World Champions West Indies were humbled by Kenya as Maurice Odumbe became the cynosure of all eyes during the 1996 World Cup.

That was the old ground in Pune though, known as Nehru Stadium in the heart of the city. Sri Lanka will be playing at the new ground known as Maharashtra State Association Stadium. The distance between the old ground and the new ground is like between Pallekele and Asgiriya.

Maharashtra is one of the 36 states in India. But it has three teams in First Class cricket because geographically the state is large and there’s too many cricketing talents. Bombay is one of the First Class teams from the state while Pune is the base for the Maharashtra team. There is also a team called Vidarbha who are based in Nagpur.

Pune has had some tough times in recent years. The authorities here in order to build the new stadium struck a deal with Indian company Sahara whereby they would get US$ three million and the naming rights of the stadium will be given to Sahara. The stadium was even initially known as Subrata Roy Stadium, after the founder of Sahara. Then the business tycoon got into trouble for defaulting payment and went to jail. Only 40 percent of the money that was promised to Pune cricket ground was paid and cricket here faced a crisis unable to pay bank loans. Even to date if BCCI transfers money for hosting cricket matches, it goes directly for settling the loan instead of being used on development of the game.

Despite the financial crisis, cricket in Pune has thrived. Maharashtra reached the final of Vijay Hazare Trophy, the one-day equivalent of Ranji Trophy for the first time last year. The current Indian team has two Pune based players in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rahul Tripathi.

Pune is a three hour pleasant drive from Bombay. The Sri Lankan team travelled here yesterday by road. Bombay was a good experience for them with not many people giving them a chance. It is the middle order that has been a worry and while the middle order came good, the top order failed to fire in the first game.

The Sri Lankans would have had some time to dine in a few restaurants while in Bombay and if they had asked the locals one of the places that would have been recommended is The All-Rounder. It’s a restaurant inside the Cricket Club of India also known Brabourne Stadium.

A short walk from the Wankhede Stadium where the first T-20 was played, Cricket Club of India hosted the Sri Lankan Test match in 2019.

The All-Rounder offers some fine food options. There is also another Restaurant at the same premises called the Wet Wicket. That is where you would see reporters spending their time after a day’s play.

The All-Rounder has paintings of the five finest all-rounders to play the game; Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Richard Hadlee, Sir Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Jacques Kallis. If you are curious about the surrounding you will notice that one portrait has been removed as the vacant area clearly shows. Make a guess whose painting it would be?

 In 2019, in Kashmir, a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian policemen came under a suicide attack and 40 cops were killed. The attack was carried out by a Pakistan based terrorist group. The incident is known as Pulwama attack and the Prime Minister of Pakistan at that time was a certain Imran Khan.

 So the missing picture is of the great man. Not everyone in Bombay or India condone the actions of the Cricket Club of India. Of course you should not mix sports and politics. But more than that, is it not India that taught us good virtues like tolerance?