India and Australia. Top two ranked teams. Delhi. Fortress since 1987. Hosting a Test after 6 years. The hype was real. All the makings of a blockbuster. I made it a point to not miss it at any cost. Booked the North West Stand Ground Floor. Was fortunate to get the stand of our choice. Because the economical tickets didn't last too long.

Tickets. There was major confusion due to different booking partners for different associations. Bigger problem was the Season Ticket system.

The Ticket 'Mess'

This was my first encounter with the newly introduced 'Season Ticket' system by the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). I was alien to the concept. Earlier, tickets for Test matches were sold for individual days. In this new system, tickets for all 5 days were sold collectively. This means a single person gets tickets for all 5 days. Even if you wish to attend a single day or a couple of days. Does it make any sense to you? It didn't to me.

Seems to me that the administrators were losing on revenue with matches getting over in less than five days. This system allows them to earn revenue for the full quota of 5 days. It also creates an abject situation of demand and supply, giving the administration reasons to sell tickets at exorbitant prices. Now you know why there were empty seats at the stadium despite the stadium being sold out.

I found the system to be unfair and exclusionary. So many genuine fans are left wanting for tickets. I had people reach out to me for tickets. To a point where I felt disappointed with the mess that this system had created. It breaks my heart seeing the way fans continue to be treated in this country. (More on this in other sections).

The BCCI and State Associations should work together on creating a single online ticket booking platform. With all the necessary information, procedures and guidelines. And most importantly, bring back the old individual day booking system.

Day 1

During this time, I was repeatedly asked "Test cricket, really?" I would smile and pass on the question. This is about emotions. Emotion, like humor, is subjective. I have reached that stage in my life where I don't feel the need to explain or justify. February 17, 2023. Day 1. I could feel the shift in energy the moment I was in the vicinity of the stadium. It became even more palpable when I entered the stadium.

The weather was not on our side. Hazy, dark and smoky, unlike the last few days where you could sight the blue sky. But it didn't really matter. It was the morning of the first day of a test match. Something that I have only heard in conversations or read about in books. This was also Pujara's 100th Test. Ravi Shastri's voice echoed throughout the Kotla grounds as the captains made their way out for the toss. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy held its pose in the background. Rohit Sharma was at his candid best. Cummins chose to bat. The dream was underway.

My excitement was at peak because of the composition of the sides. Two teams having players who genuinely valued Test Cricket. Siraj's contest with Warner was fun to watch. He kept trying new things to intimidate the Australian openers. He is one bowler who I would look forward to watching more and more just because of the intensity he brings to the game. It was also a treat to watch India's spin-duo in action. Ashwin, in particular, is someone who I have wished to see bowl live. His knowledge of the game and awareness of his craft makes him a destructive force. Only he can do what he does. I hope sanity prevails and India starts playing him in overseas games too.

The Australian batters didn't disappoint. Khawaja was watchful and crafted a brilliant innings. Labuschagne, in his short innings of 18, played a cover drive to Shami which I am going to remember for the rest of my life. It was a thing of beauty. I was very excited to watch Smith bat but the star batter was in no mood to thrill the Delhi crowd. Peter Handscomb was the surprise I wasn't ready for. From his unusual batting stance to his mindset, he was a treat to watch. Though I would want Test matches in India to last a full five days. But Australia folding up on Day 1 allowed me to catch a glimpse of Indian openers, particularly Rohit.

Unpleasant Stadium Experience

I have been to Kotla many times before but some things don't seem to change. Seating for example. Broken, dirty and uncomfortable. Also, is it too much to ask for basic amenities such as a drinking water and clean toilets in a cricket stadium in the country's capital? Food pricing continues to be exorbitant. The Ticket Booking system is a mess. These are all recipes that would keep fans away from the stadiums in any other country. But in India, the administrators know that players would fill up the stadiums anyhow and hence don't consider it important enough to improve the fan experience for which they are paying their hard earned money. I hope to be optimistic but am not sure if it ever will.

Also Read: 6 Breakthrough Moments in Indian Cricket

After the proceedings of Day 2, it was clear that the game wasn't going to last long. Day 3 promised a thrilling climax. Kotla was full and brimming with palpable energy. However, I was missing Day 1's vibe. Day 1 felt like quintessential Test cricket day - slow, peaceful and suspenseful. Every delivery was a contest. The crowd was more involved as it appreciated good cricket irrespective of the side they were supporting. I found friends in strangers, with whom I could discuss and talk cricket with strangers around me. I had never experienced this in any other format. This is what I seek.

Each session and day promise a different experience, which is what makes Test cricket stand out. Australia collapsed like a heap of cards on Day 3, which didn't come as a surprise considering how defensive they were in their adaptability and skill to play spin ever since the tour began. I was left disappointed with the lack of fight from Australia in the second innings, which didn't allow the Test to progress for more than 3 days. I think it's high time teams stop blaming pitches and focus on skill and application. As India completed the chase, the stadium erupted in joy, another first that I experienced live.

I headed out of the stadium not knowing when I would be coming back. Kotla doesn't get the number of international games that it used to. The pitch here is sub-standard and the weather highly unfeasible for sporting action. And the fan experience continues to deteriorate. It pains me to see what this iconic stadium has been made into which boasts of iconic cricket memories. But I would like to hope. As Andy Dufresne says in Shawshank Redemption,

Hope is a good thing maybe the best of the things. And no beautiful thing ever dies.

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