JAMMU, Nov 28: Ross Taylor, the former captain of New Zealand cricket, described Jammu as a “lovely place” and expressed his belief that the Indian Premier League could play at the recently renovated Maulana Azad Stadium in the city centre. After a break of more than thirty years, the cricketer and more than a hundred former greats of the game have returned to Jammu and Kashmir’s winter capital for the second season of the Legends League T20 cricket competition. Under floodlights, the 20,000-seat stadium hosted the first of the four matches on Monday night, drawing a boisterous crowd of supporters from throughout the region, including the Kashmir valley. “I believe you need to add a little extra grass to it.The beauty of cricket is that it is played differently in different parts of India. Similar wickets shouldn’t be found everywhere, and this black dirt was a little low and sluggish. “Clearly, the final over decided the match, and in Twenty20 cricket, that’s what you want,” Taylor remarked. The hitter said as much to reporters during a post-game interview following Southern SuperStars’ exciting five-wicket victory over Manipal Tigers. The Southern SuperStars needed 28 runs in the final two overs to overcome the modest 124 runs that the Manipal Tigers had set, and they did so thanks to Pawan Negi’s valiant innings to end the match in 19.4 overs. Even though Harbhajan Singh of the Manipal Tigers is a bowler, the crowd of cricket enthusiasts was clearly cheering him on with every hit to the fence. The most economical bowler was Singh, who conceded just 10 runs in his four overs and claimed the crucial wicket of Jesse Ryder, the explosive opener. Taylor praised the Legends league’s organisers and stated that it is beneficial for players to continue playing cricket after retirement. It is encouraging to see legends from other nations, including Harbhajan and (Suresh) Raina, come to life. People believe they won’t see them again when they do retire, he said. Spreading the game and visiting unconventional cricketing locations like Jammu and Dehradun, which are presumably off the international calendar, is also a pleasant idea. The New Zealand player, who participated in 112 international tests and crushed 19 tonnes in a 15-year career, said, “People do come out at smaller places and see their heroes which is fantastic.” Taylor, who was from an equally fascinating place, was also convinced about Jammu.This was a really enjoyable place for me. It’s pleasant to be in Jammu. I haven’t played here in the past. This region of the world is quite beautiful. Tuesday was a rest day for players like Kevin Piertersen, Devon Smith, Martin Guptill, and Nikhil Chopra at Jammu Tawi Golf Course. Some players, like Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and S Sreesanth, offered prayers at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills. “The objective of the league is to take cricket where the game has not taken place for a very long time,” said Raman Raheja, co-founder and chief executive officer of Legends League cricket, while thanking the audience for their attendance. In this third leg of the tournament, six teams comprising more than 100 former international players have advanced this far. We’ve played eight matches in Ranchi and Dehradun, and we currently have four in Jammu,” he stated. Bilal Ahmad Mir, a Srinagar resident, was able to witness the players in person for the first time thanks to the series. “I watched a match in a stadium for the first time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Sanjay Kumar, speaking for the locals, said that they are pleased that Jammu is hosting such competitive cricket matches. He also asked for a reduction in the price of tickets for the final three matches.
