Empty Seats At NaMo Stadium As Navratri Outshines India-West Indies Match

Glimpses of the public’s dwindling interest in the multi-day Test cricket in India were evident on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday (Oct 2). Even given the fact that the locals were partaking with gusto on the ninth night of the Navratri festivities, it did not convince the discerning followers of the traditional format that there would be a bigger turnout when India’s turn arrives to bat. There were hardly 500 spectators at the stadium, which is well-connected by a railway metro service to the main gate of the stadium. The rebuilt stadium can hold over one lakh spectators, and the locals have shown a bias towards white-ball cricket during the IPL matches and bilateral international series. Fifteen Test matches have been played at the venue with the inaugural match between India and the West Indies in the winter of 1983. According to local sports journalist and scorer Tushar Trivedi, around 10000 spectators had shown up on the first day of the inaugural Test at a locality in Motera. The West Indies, led by Clive Lloyd, won the Test by 138 runs after fast bowler Wayne Daniel took 5 for 39 in the first innings and Michael Holding took 4 for 30 in the second.  Sunil Gavaskar made 90 in the first innings and Kapil Dev took 9 for 83 in the second innings. After that defeat in 1983, five months after India had brought down the mighty Kings of ODI cricket in the Prudential World Cup final at Lord’s, India lost one more Test (to South Africa). India has won six Tests and drawn seven.