Chandigarh, March 27: There were no aartis, tilaks or garlands. For a change, Team India's arrival was devoid of any drama. Under instructions to avoid any kind of hype, the hotel staff simply lined up at the entrance as players made their entry. A good number of fans gathered at the entrance of the hotel on Saturday afternoon to catch a glimpse of their heroes and also welcome them in their own special way, reports Times of India.
As players walked out of the bus one by one, fans called out their names along with the sobriquets they have given them.These nicknames are based on the players' unique characteristics, their playing style, regions they come from and so on.Although nothing was derogatory and was in good humour, each player reacted in his own inimitable manner.
Not surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar, who was among the first to climb out of the bus, got the loudest of cheers.Next was skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. They called him bhai, indicating how close the player is to their heart.Both Sachin and MSD responded in an endearing manner, acknowledging the fans' presence with a genuine smile before moving on.
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Chants of Bhajji veerey (brother in Punjabi) rent the air when Harbhajan Singh stepped out. However, the feisty Sardar seemed to be in no mood to react. He simply waved at them without even looking in their way.
After his fantastic performances, local hero Yuvraj Singh was expected to be given a thundering welcome and so it was.There was a chorus of “Paaji you have done it!” for a couple of minutes prompting Yuvraj to break into a smile and wave to them patronisingly.However, barely did Yuvraj's hand come down that someone in the crowd shouted: “Where's the party tonight?”
Yuvraj refused to be provoked, making it clear that he is not the Yuvraj of the past.The reception that Munaf Patel got must have made the player and the entire team a bit confused. For, fans were keen that the player turned towards them for a picture.The shy Baroda speedster was obviously in doubt whether they were heckling him or were genuine in their warmth.
Sreesanth appeared to be in a meditative mood and soon as the crowd started shouting “Break Dance… Break Dance”, the speedster took the bait.He turned back and said: “Come to the disco tonight.”
