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'Married to cricket' is this die-hard fan
He is one fan that many Indian players cannot do without while others in the team ensure he is pardoned for showing his over enthusiasm.
He is one fan that many Indian cricket players cannot do without while others in the team ensure he is pardoned for showing his over enthusiasm.
Meet 54-year-old Vijay Jairam Gaundalkar from Mumbai.
He has been cheering the Indian cricket team for the past 35 years, be it in the one-dayers or the Test matches.
"Married to cricket" is how he introduces himself.
And from thereon you are charmed as this man, shabbily dressed and bare-footed, goes on to tell more about himself in fluent English.
Gaundalkar makes it a point to be present in almost every match which India plays back home. He had to be taken away by the police yesterday when he managed to breach the security cordon and invade the field to congratulate Virender Sehwag on his scoring a ton in the ongoing Test match here.
Even being temporarily detained by Punjab Police has not deterred his spirits, for, Turbanator Harbhajan Singh was seen pleading his case.
Gaundalkar was back in the stadium today to cheer for his team.
"Every player in the team knows me well. They care for me," he says flashing a big smile.
Asked if it was habit with him to walk bare-footed, he replies in the negative. "I have a slight infection in the fingers of my right feet" and before he completes the information, points out to his jersey saying it was given to him by Ajit Agarkar.
Claiming to be a post-graduate in Mathematics from Mumbai University, he said he he was not employed but managed to sustain his passion for cricket with the support of some people and a couple of cricketers.
"Mumbai cricketers Jatin Vasu and Paras Mambray have been supporting me for the past ten years.
Before that my late father, who worked for the Bank of India, used to give me some money," he says.
Gaundalkar, who lives near Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, claims that Sachin Tendular has promised to arrange his stay in the West Indies for the Cricket World Cup 2007.
"He (Tendulkar) told me that if I can arrange my air ticket he will help arrange my stay during the tournament."
Gaundalkar, however, would not be able to watch the game any more here as he is being sent back to Mumbai today by the authorities who are worried that the infection in the foot might become worse.
But the avid fan is unperturbed and says he is confident of making it to Chennai to cheer his team in the opening triseries one-dayer between India and New Zealand.
