A lot of water has flown under the bridge since the last time the World Cup was staged in the subcontinent
To quote Bob Dylan, "The times they are a-changin."
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since the last time the World Cup was staged in the subcontinent.
Touring teams' perception towards India has changed, so have their frequency of visits. The visitors are more aware with the conditions, not to mention the commercial opportunities.
Andrew Hudson, chief selector of Cricket South Africa, was part of the Hansie Cronje-led side that crashed out in the quarter-finals of the 1996 World Cup.
"A lot has changed in India since 1996. The passion for the game remains the same, but what I have noticed is how quickly cricketers are feeling at home here now," Hudson, who is travelling with the South African team, told MiD DAY.
"That's because they keep touring India for the IPL and other tournaments, and are aware of conditions here. I can recollect that earlier they used to be a little skeptical about performing well here because the nature of the pitches was almost alien. But now all that has changed."u00a0
And it reflected in the manner in which the South African and the West Indian players eased into the Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium here yesterday for their training sessions.
"The World Cup has grown bigger by the edition. This is certainly the biggest ever in terms of excitement in the air. I have never seen people so excited, not just in India and Bangladesh, but even back home in South Africa," Kallis, the lone survivor in South Africa's 1996 squad, said.
"It's fantastic for the game that people are still enjoying the 50-over format. The sub-continent is a great place to play cricket, and the players are going to have one big party," he added.
So, has IPL helped international cricketers feel more at home in India?
"Definitely, the IPL has changed the way players see each other. It has helped us make a lot more friends.
However, it's a World Cup, and all those friendships go out of the window when we put our foot across the line," Kallis said.
"It is war, a battle between countries. Sure, we'll have a beer or two with them (opposition players) after the game, but those friendships don't matter when it comes down to this, the biggest stage."
The talismanic all-rounder sent out a warning to India as well, ahead of their encounter in Nagpur on March 12.
"Nobody stands as favourites in this tournament. Everyone is saying India is the favourite, but, trust me, we know the pressure of playing a World Cup at home (in 2003). It negates the home advantage. I strongly believe all teams are evenly matched," the 36-year old said.
