The VIP stand at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium was devoid of facilities and glamour which was prevalent during matches when former RCA president Lalit Modi was in power.
The VIP stand at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium was devoid of facilities and glamour which was prevalent during matches when former RCA president Lalit Modi was in power. "Where is the bar that Modi used to install at the Long Room? I was looking forward to my gin and tonic, but it seems the bar facility has been withdrawn. Is this because CP Joshi (who defeated Modi for the president's post) is a Union minister and is against alcohol consumption, asked Sharad Malhotra, an enthusiast, who drove down from Delhi to watch yesterday's day-nighter.
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India skipper M S Dhoni (left), Suresh Raina, Praveen Kumar and Yusuf Pathan break into celebration after beating South Africa by one run in the first one-dayer at Jaipur yesterday. PIC/AFP |
The absence of glamour was made up in a small way when former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin made an appearance. Azharuddin, now a member of Lok Sabha from Moradabad, was seen enjoying the cricket. The Sawai Man Singh Stadium was not a happy hunting ground for him in one-day cricket. His best effort in five one-day internationals here was just 56, but he scored a Test hundred here against Pakistan in 1987.
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The first one-day international between India and South Africa yesterday was disastrous for spectators, who did not get along their photo identity documents which the Rajasthan Cricket Association made mandatory.
There were heated arguments at entry points and this delayed the entry of spectators who were keen not be miss out when India were batting.
"I had booked eight tickets through the online process and got along the booking receipt too. But when it came to collecting my tickets, I was told there were none available," said Manoj Palawat, a businessman whose family had to return home.
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Getting the tickets booked by an online process was not the only hassle spectators faced. The cost fact caused some ire too. The RCA initially allowed a 20 per cent discount on all online tickets for which there was a decent response. However, the association then raised the discount to 50 per cent and this did not go down too well with the early birds.
"This is nothing but cheating. How could you offer two different discounts on the same ticket," asked Rewati Sharma, an advocate by profession.
Slogans against the RCA were loud and clear in the East Stand of the ground but the officials who were otherwise seen around the stadium did not dare visit the East Stand.
