# Rama Subramanian, 64, has been watching Tests at Chepauk since 1975. By contrast, Gopinath, who is in his forties, and his son Ajith, will be on site for the first time to see a Test.
# Mythily has been a regular at Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in Chepauk. He wanted to be in the stands for the second India-England event that begins on Saturday, as cricket welcomes spectators to the ground after a year-long hiatus imposed by Covid.
# Kamraj, a middle-aged software engineer and test cricket nerd, hasn’t missed a five-day match at Chepauk since the India-Australia tied test in 1986.
All the fans lined up for hours on Friday, baking in the sun, waiting to pick up the tickets they had booked online.
A daily turnout of around 14,000 is expected at the stadium after the Tamil Nadu government gave the green light for 50 percent occupancy at sporting events – a full house would have meant just over 33,000 fans. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has limited the number at the stadium to 15,000.
Chennai is the oldest testing center in India. The IPL went to the United Arab Emirates last year, and fans now have their first chance to return to the stadium.
“I have not missed an exam at Chepauk since 1975, when I fell in love with cricket, thanks to Gundappa Viswanath’s 97 not playing the West Indies. India won the match. Fortunately, we have two tests here, which saved my sequence, ”said Subramanian, who prides himself on his ‘record’.
The TNCA sold tickets for the game online, but buyers had to come in person to pick them up. “It is a bad system. When I have purchased my ticket online, why do I have to queue to redeem it? I have no problem queuing to get on the ground, ”said the veteran of many Tests.
The association has sold tickets for nine blocks, between 100 and 450 rupees a day. “There are 17 entrances to the stadium, all of which will be enabled to monitor people’s temperature and make sure everyone wears a mask. Hand sanitizers will be available. There will be at least one seat between two spectators. There will be medical kiosks on the ground and a medical room with a doctor. There will be an isolation room, in case they detect someone with a temperature or any other symptoms. The biobubble area will be fully cordoned off, ”TNCA Secretary RS Ramasaamy told The Indian Express.
The first round, which India lost by 227 runs, was played behind closed doors. Two rounds of the current four-game series are played in Chennai; Ahmedabad will host the next two.
Gopinath or his son Ajith didn’t mind bothering to stand in line. The excitement of its debut test, display-wise, negated the negatives. “My son is a fan of Dhoni. Last year, we missed the IPL. So he insisted that we should be present for this test. We will come for a day, ”Gopinath said.
Mythily comes mainly for Washington Sundar, a son of the earth, who has tasted cricket like a duck in water: two half centuries in his first two tests.
“Covid cases in Chennai have decreased and it is to be hoped that stadium officials are vigilant enough to ensure that all security protocols are adhered to,” he said.
Blocking aside, test cricket has returned to Chennai after more than four years. The last test here before this series was played in 2016; Karun Nair scored an undefeated triple century to set up India’s victory against England.
“Chennai has always been a test city and the long gap was painful. I come only for the test cricket. I come from the tied test. I have never been down for an IPL match, and I hope that India will recover to square the series, ”said Kamraj.
The first day of ticket redemption was chaotic. Fans thronged the counters, disobeying security protocols. “There was some confusion. Fans thought that physical tickets could be redeemed on February 11. But we announced that the tickets could be redeemed from February 11th. The problem has now been solved … We expected a great response after a long break, especially as the number of entries is limited, ”said Ramasaamy.
At the intersection of Wallajah Road and Bells Road, ‘Dhoni Sports’, a sporting goods store, overlooks the stadium. Arif, the store manager, is an avid Dhoni fan, as is the owner, Syed. Arif often avoids the “boredom” of test cricket. However, for this test, you won’t mind getting a ticket, if one is available, he says.
.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.