Virat Kohli, amidst the excitement of the India-Australia ODI series, made a grand entrance to the Sydney Cricket Ground for a warm-up, touching the ground and his forehead three times, evoking euphoria among the thousands of Indian fans already gathered in the stands.
The cricketer’s inability to open his account in the last two matches of the series, which India lost to Australia, may not matter today or whether he scores. However, at SCG, with no tickets left, the smiles and cheers reflect the undying love for cricket and cricketers.
The lightrail at Moore Park station, near SCG, is filled with blue people, many wearing the No. 18 Virat jersey. Avinash Patel, a civil engineer from Rajkot, predicts India will win today, regardless of their series loss. He believes the first match was spoiled by rain and that India must win today, regardless of the series.
The speaker expresses disappointment with Kohli’s performance, stating that despite a few matches not deciding the game, he has shown passion and effort, highlighting the importance of his performance.
The loud bhangra beats outside the stadium evoke celebration of the man they’ve come to watch and cricket. Children paint their faces with Indian flags, and people rush to secure seats, as they don’t want to leave early if India loses or their players don’t perform well.
Ashley Kent, who has watched the India-Australia game for the first time, notes that Australians will enter just before the game starts, as there is one yellow jersey for every 100 blue jerseys.
Australians attending India matches highlights the growing popularity of Indian cricket in SCG and MCG, leading to the museum at SCG having a dedicated section for only the home team, men in blue.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma may be retiring from Tests and T20 formats in Australia, with no ODI series planned for the time being, making it likely the last time they will play in Australia.
Australia will be losing two beloved players, Mitch Marsh and Shubhman Gill, as Indian students discuss their new identity post Kohli. The crowd cheers again as Mitch Marsh and Shubhman Gill face off, leaving the stands looking bluer.
