“My IPL moment, hmmm thinking, this is deep. I don’t remember the exact game… but it’s the first time I ever heard the RCB chant…” – Varun Doiphode.
A stadium is the most important part of the game. The outfield is coloured with a mixture of emerald and shamrock green, a rope marks the boundary area and white dots indicate the inner circle. In the middle lies a 22-yard rectangular area called the pitch. The stands around the outfield resemble a colosseum and the spectators gather in this arrangement of seats to witness the unfolding of a sport. Here, there are no slow-motion replays, sometimes you cannot spot the ball, and you miss out on the commentary. It is not even remotely similar to watching a game from the comfort of your home.
However, a stadium creates an atmosphere like no other. The air is filled with the glee of happiness, and the mood is festive. The outfit of the day is a jersey, faces are painted, flags are waved and the colour of the home team covers the stadium. As the electrifying chants and cheers begin, a thrilling sensation passes through your spine, butterflies kick in and involuntarily you begin to anticipate the outcome. The emotions are on high, you are living in the moment and are on top of the world. You are surrounded by strangers, yet you feel at home.
The impact this has on the team and its players is huge. They thrive off the buzzing noise, cheers and chants. When the home team seems to be drawing, the roar of the fans uplift the team’s morale and inflate them with confidence and love. It feels as though a stadium brings the team and the fans closer – makes them a family. To be a part of this feeling of euphoria is a blessing, an unforgettable experience and keeps you coming back for more.
Sanjana Rudra and Kruthi Ravikumar have been blessed to watch a few matches at a stadium and like most fans in the world, they find this feeling of euphoria quite addictive. Probably this is why their IPL moments took place in a stadium.
“It was the three of us, Shriya being the third one. It was our second time together at Chinnaswamy Stadium and our team RCB was playing against CSK. Initially, I was skeptical. I was so against us going for the game against CSK because I thought that it was a ‘losing match’. But boy, was I wrong! We scored 161 which was a very beatable score and Shriya knew it as she didn’t bother cheering for the boundaries during the first innings. We were so nervous, but for once our bowlers didn’t disappoint and took wickets early on. But again, we celebrated too quickly. MSD came and hit 84 runs off of 48 balls, 2 sixes in the last over and we were ready to start crying amidst the sea of yellow surrounding us. But miracles happen in this game, and the run-out meant that RCB had beaten CSK by 1 run. I’m glad that we ended up going for that match and that I was able to witness it in person with my best friends!” said Sanjana Rudra while handing over the spotlight to Kruthi.
“I walked into my second home and it was so odd to see huge patches of yellow in the stands. I felt like someone had entered my backyard without my permission and had set up a camp there – “bin bulaye mehman”. I vividly remember Sanjana, and especially Shriya asking me to keep quiet because I kept abusing the CSK fans around us. She didn’t want to be laughed upon if we lost and did not want a fight to whirl up. But after we won, all hell broke loose and she said: “Go abuse how much ever you want”. The adrenaline we felt was rare. It was a different kind of high and buzz. That night, we proudly waved our flags and smiled at the strangers around us. I guess this is why we love calling Chinnaswamy Stadium and RCB our home. It makes us feel connected to something larger than life”, concluded Kruthi.
We are halfway through the Indian Premier League. While BCCI has done its best to make the situation feel normal, the stands are empty. The elation lingers in the air but the feeling of being stoked in rhapsodies is missing. Hopefully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this situation and everything will go back to normal sooner or later. But until then, one will have to make do with the fake-fan sounds, relive the memories of the past, and dream to be ‘on top of the world’ again.
Reported by Shriya Rajachandra
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