Heat and dust ... and marriage

One man makes such a difference. Sachin Tendulkar is recovering from a finger injury and his absence has taken its toll on the most important match of India's domestic season - the Ranji Trophy Final. The summit clash between hosts Mumbai and Tamil Nadu which started today at the Wankhede Stadium has an air of silence surrounding it.

When Tendulkar used to walk into the sun, the bowl would reverberate with his name. Now, the silence echoes. Many of the stands are empty, and the most prominent emptiness is that of ... the Sachin Tendulkar stand. It is dotted with shining blue seats, a pattern unbroken by the presence of even a single spectator.

The Vijay Merchant stand is also empty, though a few seats in the Sunil Gavaskar stand are taken. There appear to be not more than 1000 people present, and most of them are in the Garware Pavilion.

Why is this so? A Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official, when quizzed by this reporter on the attendance, has a theory: "There's so much cricket these days ... you switch on any sports channel and cricket hogs the limelight. Why would anyone want to come and watch this match?"

The absence of Tendulkar is also a factor. Tendulkar, who plays for Mumbai whenever his international schedule gives him the time to do so, is in the USA recuperating from finger surgery. Had he been playing, surely the crowds would have filled up.

An anchor from a prominent Hindi news channel walks by, looks around, and corners a 12-year-old spectator. You'd think they'd both have Tendulkar on their mind. The anchor shoves her microphone at the kid's throat and asks: "So, what do you think about Rahul Dravid getting married?"

The child replies, "I am a great fan of his and I think he should get married."

Amid this talk of marriage, people start taking their clothes off. The organisers have not provided any fans - the electrical kind - in the stands, and the heat is unbearable. Young men game for an afternoon of sport remove their shirts and vests. Who said the Ranji Trophy was easy going? It's all sweat and toil, even for spectators.