Feast of four Delhi boys at Kotla today

Irrespective of whether India bat first or second, Delhiites have a reason to be at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in time for the first ball of Saturday’s ODI against Australia, reports Atreyo Mukhopadhyay.

Irrespective of whether India bat first or second, Delhiites have a reason to be at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in time for the first ball of Saturday’s ODI against Australia.

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Barring an unexpected change in script, local fans are certain to see one of their own in action right from the word go — followed by at least a couple more.

Depending on the toss, it should either be Virender Sehwag facing the new ball or Ashish Nehra hurling it.

With Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma too set to play, it will be a rare case of so many from one city turning out in India colours in a game at their home ground.

It was not an uncommon sight in the heyday of Bombay cricket (now Mumbai), but it is hard to recall the last time four men from the same city played a match at the very venue where they learnt their early lessons in the game.

But that match was in Vadodara. And Delhi is Delhi for Sehwag, Gambhir, Sharma and Nehra.