When Harry met Sunny

When Harry met Sunny

19th Dec, 2009

I had just acquired my boarding pass for the Nagpur -Mumbai AI flight and as I turned around, I saw a face very familiar on the TV. Soon I realized, it was none other than India's first cricket superstar, Sunil Gavaskar. It was something to see someone of his stature in flesh and blood. I could sense goose bumps inside me.
I was so excited to see him; I couldn't stop myself from running towards him. Also I didn’t want to repeat my feat of going dumbstruck, as I did when I saw Harsha Bhogle in my college. I frantically started searching a paper to have his autograph. All I could find was my visiting card. I shook hands with him, and said, "Hey Sunny it’s amazing to see you in person!!!"

I took out my Vcard and asked for his autograph. Sunny asked me, "Pen??” I was like, "Oh shit! I am not carrying one!, Can I just get one and then take your autograph?" He said, "Sure”.
I ran to one of the shops at the airport and bought a pen, came back to him. He promptly gave me his autograph.

I didn't stop at that. I asked him for a pic with him, and to my surprise he agreed so easily! The adrenaline flowing inside me made unlocking my phone a task, I took three attempts to unlock it and open the camera option. He seemed calm while I was conjuring up this mess. I couldn't have frustrated him further by asking someone else to take a photograph, so I took a pic myself holding my cell-phone against us.
I thanked him immensely, and I could see his response appreciating the honor he saw in my eyes for him.

I don't know if it was the Infosys effect that I addressed someone of his age by his personal name, but my mind was blank and I couldn't think much at that time.

Ravi Shastri was there too, but I went to him calmly and asked hi autograph and he gave it too.

Standing beside him was the aussie Brad Hogg, but I didn't want to disrespect Sunny's stature and neglected Bradd Hog! Anyways I hat aussie cricketers. Bradd Hogg is no McGrath or Stephen waugh either.

After the security check, we proceeded towards the boarding lobby. All the time I just couldn't take my eyes off Sunny. All that time I could remember my uncle's words, who used to say, "Sunny without a helmet left the balls outside the off stump like he sniffed them and just let them go off." I was completely mesmerized by the man who with all his 5 feet 6 inches frame stood taller than the Garners, Roberts' and the Crofts.

Till the time people queued up to board the flight, I couldn't take my eyes off the man who taught us to meet the English and the Australians in their eyes.