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| Sunil Gavaskar |
London: For Sunil Gavaskar, it was an emotional return to the old Westmoreland Hotel, now the Danubius Regents Park, off Lord’s, which had been the Indian team’s base during the 1983 World Cup matches here.
“My memory is vivid... The lobby, bar and the balcony overlooking the lobby were packed with screaming fans when we returned with the World Cup (on the night of June 25)... There was, in fact, a sea of turbans and I couldn’t move,” the living legend told The Telegraph.
Gavaskar came to the hotel on Friday, hopping across from Lord’s, to pick up old mate Farokh Engineer for a dinner engagement. Engineer, who is rather on the heavier side nowadays, took time to get ready.
That worked to the advantage of Indians (from Moscow to Antwerp), staying at the hotel, who besieged Gavaskar. Autographs, photographs... The hero-worshipping followed, leaving the centre of all the attention somewhat taken aback.
“I thought this is the Sachin Tendulkar generation (of fans)... I’m surprised that even kids know so much about me... About (son) Rohan too,” Gavaskar remarked.
An Antwerp-based homemaker, Sapna Taksali, summed up the mood when she said: “We can’t forget your deeds... You’ll remain special...”
Somebody who runs a consultancy in Moscow used the occasion to invite Gavaskar for an interaction with senior executives.
Obviously, there were questions on India’s loss to the West Indies.
“Sir, is it a wake-up call for (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni?” was one such. Gavaskar played it straight: “It’s a wake-up call for everybody in the team.”
It was a good 20 minutes before Farokh emerged from the elevator and it was time, then, for Gavaskar to leave the old Westmoreland.
Gavaskar’s walk towards its revolving door, though, was anything but brisk, as if there was one moment from 26 summers ago which he wanted to relive.
Footnote: The silver jubilee of India’s World Cup success was celebrated last year. Now, a reunion to mark 25 years of our World Championship of Cricket win, in Melbourne, could be held next March.
