SRK’s magic has proven potent. Even with minimal local presence in the team, every member is a ‘dada’ in Calcutta--even Ricky Ponting. "Calcutta has always been quick to appropriate prominent figures," says sociologist Ranjit Mishra.
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Organisers struggled to fill the stadium at the first game, when curiosity and expectations should have driven folks in. "There is not one Sikh in the team. If Bhajji had been there, it would have made all the difference," says social thinker Dr Pramod Kumar.
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During the match against the Delhi Daredevils, the flutter of Indian flags indicated a far from localised fan base. Says ex-India player Arshad Ayub, "Most Hyderabadis identify with the team. Yet loyalties are divided—they’ll cheer favourite stars in rival teams."
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The media is hammering the Daredevils into public consciousness, but Delhi never had a sporting culture, or even regional loyalty. "The Delhi fan is an unevolved sporting beast," says writer/historian Mukul Kesavan, "to sex up the show, the organisers have forgotten that even in T20, loyalty is serious business."
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Even Tamil superstar Vijay’s presence hasn’t helped fans identify with the team. Says art critic Sadanand Menon, "Chennai doesn’t have a local hero as captain. Public bonding can happen...maybe through stunt images of Hayden snapping appalam between his fingers, Murali flipping a veshti or Dhoni grinding dosa batter, as he would the opposition."
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The crowds came in, but the spirit was missing. Badri Seshadri, founder of cricinfo.com, summarised it best: "Loyalties are always built on firm values...and I am not still sure on what basis loyalties will be built in T20 cricket."
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First week, first show was a thriller. But the question remains: was it drama in the field or loyalty for their team that raised passions? "People are not exactly clamouring for passes," says veteran journalist Kumar Ketkar. The team’s not doing well...and where’s Tendlya? If the groin strain takes time to heal, it could all just peter out.
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Strong crowd support for the team, but hard to tell right now whether they are lovers of the game. Says literary agent Mita Kapur, "It’s the newness, the combination of more entertainment and less cricket that’s taking time to sink in. Serious cricket fans find it too much of a tamasha." The lack of star quotient could also be their undoing.
