'Are you Ryan ten Doeschate?'
Cricket +
"No, Bollywood is not calling us"© Getty Images
March 28
It is ridiculously exciting to be back in Kolkata for IPL 5. After missing the connecting flight and having to spend a full day poolside in Dubai, I'm back at the team hotel and catching up with old friends. I've already seen some of the familiar sights that are so Indian to me, boys swimming/washing in the lakes, street shops selling sweets, soap and flowers, and the colourful fruit carts doing trade with the mass of people filing along the side of the busy roads. Oh, and the hooting culture hasn't changed either.
It is ridiculously exciting to be back in Kolkata for IPL 5. After missing the connecting flight and having to spend a full day poolside in Dubai, I'm back at the team hotel and catching up with old friends. I've already seen some of the familiar sights that are so Indian to me, boys swimming/washing in the lakes, street shops selling sweets, soap and flowers, and the colourful fruit carts doing trade with the mass of people filing along the side of the busy roads. Oh, and the hooting culture hasn't changed either.
Trevor Bayliss and Rudi Webster are two new faces, and along with their respective cricketing expertise, they both are full of cricket stories. Trevor, having shared some successful yet harrowing times with Sri Lanka, and Rudi, well, being a cricketer from the Caribbean in the ‘80s. Enough said.
March 29
Apart from training we've spent a lot of downtime in the hotel. The team room has a table tennis table, and rivalries from last season have already resumed. The support staff seem to think they dominate in this area, but our player representatives are looking sharp and I can't see us giving up our title any time soon.
Apart from training we've spent a lot of downtime in the hotel. The team room has a table tennis table, and rivalries from last season have already resumed. The support staff seem to think they dominate in this area, but our player representatives are looking sharp and I can't see us giving up our title any time soon.
The XBox is also a great way to pass time. There are loads of cricketers who play FIFA but it's Modern Warfare that has caught my interest of late. Apart from being a terrible soldier I also suffer from motion sickness and need a time out every 20 minutes or so. I've also had a few dreams where Morgs [Eoin Morgan] has abandoned me in some Russian city, surrounded by forces armed to the teeth. Might be time to find a new hobby.
March 30
The training sessions have been intense. Eden Gardens is in fantastic condition. The completion of the two stands and some eye-catching team branding have added even more to this amazing venue. The importance of winning your home games cannot be exaggerated and hopefully this stadium will become a fortress for the team.
The training sessions have been intense. Eden Gardens is in fantastic condition. The completion of the two stands and some eye-catching team branding have added even more to this amazing venue. The importance of winning your home games cannot be exaggerated and hopefully this stadium will become a fortress for the team.
March 31
It's been an early start this morning. We've just finished shooting a short ad for our main sponsors. Eoin and Yusuf play the lead roles, and let's just say Morgs is not set for a career in films. We all had a good laugh but the ad looks pretty decent too. I think I mastered watching TV. I was merely an extra but will have a word with the boss (Shah Rukh Khan) when he arrives!
It's been an early start this morning. We've just finished shooting a short ad for our main sponsors. Eoin and Yusuf play the lead roles, and let's just say Morgs is not set for a career in films. We all had a good laugh but the ad looks pretty decent too. I think I mastered watching TV. I was merely an extra but will have a word with the boss (Shah Rukh Khan) when he arrives!
April 1
Most of the overseas players have arrived today too which has really upped the excitement levels. Some of the hotel staff have been asking after Brendon [McCullum]. He obviously made a big impression and it's great to have him back here. Contrary to suggestions it wasn't only the bar staff who were asking after him.
Most of the overseas players have arrived today too which has really upped the excitement levels. Some of the hotel staff have been asking after Brendon [McCullum]. He obviously made a big impression and it's great to have him back here. Contrary to suggestions it wasn't only the bar staff who were asking after him.
The two questions I get asked most often here are: "Are you Ryan ten Doeschate?" immediately followed by "Where is Brett Lee?” Everyone will be happy to hear that Binga has arrived this morning, and it's only Jacques [Kallis], Marchant [de Lange] and Sunil [Narine] who are still missing.
April 2
A whole bunch of us had lunch in the hotel restaurant this afternoon. It was great to hear all the cricket stories of the past four months. The amount of small incidents that get missed by the viewing public are fascinating and it's fantastic to get the inside scoop from the international guys.
A whole bunch of us had lunch in the hotel restaurant this afternoon. It was great to hear all the cricket stories of the past four months. The amount of small incidents that get missed by the viewing public are fascinating and it's fantastic to get the inside scoop from the international guys.
Tonight's training was really tough. You can feel that the players are concentrating on specific match preparation now, with fine detail being paid to all the disciplines. I'm one of those guys who likes good volume in my preparation so it was a particularly tiring session. I've just spent my last bit of energy having a quiet drink down at the hotel bar. A good night's rest is on the cards.
I thought Shakib would have a place in his diary pages too- he is an international player too, isn't he, Ryan?
ReplyDelete