CHENNAI: June 30 was a grim day for Chennai. Every hour, the city approximately recorded 100 new coronavirus patients (2,393 to be exact). On that dank, dark and most terrible of Tuesdays, it was second in the world in terms of registering new COVID-19 patients, just behind Los Angeles.
Hospitals were overflowing, beds were unavailable and the only music playing in the city was that of ambulance sirens. The Omandurar Government Medical College Hospital, like other designated COVID-19 hospitals, was seeing a non-stop influx of patients.
Worryingly, more people were queuing up at the lobby to get themselves tested. A succession of dog days on an endless loop. The disease was moving in ever closer, like an apex predator in stealth mode before the final ambush. The degree of separation from you to a person, who had contracted the disease, went from six to one in a matter of weeks.
The light at the tunnel, it genuinely seemed, was that of an onrushing train tearing everything apart in its wake. It’s more than seven months removed from that week from hell in early July. The city is still reporting new cases — the figure is between 100 and 150 these days — but there’s a degree of normalcy that didn’t exist in the summer.
Beaches are open; people are, by and large, free to travel, hospitals aren’t slammed and healthcare workers are breathing again. But the surest evidence that the city is learning to run again after a summer of discontent, disease and death can be found a stone’s throw away from the Omandurar Government Medical College Hospital. An international cricket match. With spectators.
A clued-in crowd
During Virender Sehwag’s pulse-pounding 319 against South Africa at Chepauk in 2008, the spectators struck up a rapport with pacer Makhaya Ntini. Ntini, who debuted for the Chennai Super Kings less than a month later, was fielding in the deep on a lot of occasions, so he would frequently acknowledge the chants from the crowd. He also egged them on a few occasions, by placing one of his fingers near his ears. The crowd responded by making more noise than before.
Whenever this happened, the South African turned around, gave his biggest smile and raised his thumbs. It was ‘banter’, before that word was bastardised. It was also the crowd and Ntini working up a chemistry with each other a month before the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). That tired trope to address the Chennai crowd — Knowledgeable Chennai Crowd — was deeply entrenched through instances like these even if only one act, clapping off the Pakistan team in 1999, is routinely mentioned.
On Friday, Rishabh Pant tweeted: “looking forward to a good game and the #knowledgeablechennaicrowd in attendance.” On Saturday, moments after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 161, the crowd had already begun to sing a different tune: “Rishabh Pant, Rishabh Pant, Rishabh Pant.” They were welcoming one of Indian cricket’s newest mavericks with a privilege and energy that had, until then, only been reserved for two in this grand stadium.
MS Dhoni.Sachin Tendulkar. Even as he continues to polarise website columnists, anonymous accounts on social media with 75 followers looking for a reaction and former Indian cricketers, the Chennai crowd have already declared that Pant is here to stay.
Waves of nostalgia
Ashwath Ram, who was one among the 15,000 or so inside the Stadium on Saturday, picks up the story: “I would have been absolutely okay if fans weren’t allowed because of the COVID situation but once I knew fans were being allowed, I knew I had to try and watch the match live at least one day mainly because I felt this team deserves an ovation in person from the home fans for what they did in Australia.” The city has also endured a big break from attending any sporting events for so long.
True, that’s been the case for most cities but with a caveat. This one sees crowds for kabaddi, cricket, badminton, tennis and football matches. Heck, during the 2015 floods, a few 100 even braved the rains to watch Chennaiyin. So it’s no surprise to note that Ashwath was overwhelmed by nostalgia as he walked through those rickety gates before play on Saturday.
“When I walked through, it was a wave of nostalgia,” he said. “Walking into the stands to experience the noise, energy, vibe and cheers. It felt like being back home. Something which always had beautiful memories and a reminder to be grateful for this sport and my privilege to be able to watch it live.”
Sounds of Chennai
It’s the start of the Test and Virat Kohli has won the toss. He says he will bat much to the delight of the first benchers who have come in nice and early. Their unmistakable roar can be heard in Wallajah Road.
Prashanth V, a fan in the queue waiting to enter ‘K Upper’, turns around. “You know what that sound is, right?,” he asks. “It’s the sound of Chennai.”