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Indian team gets warm reception

Special Correspondent

BCCI presents each player a cheque for Rs. 58 lakh

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

WELL DONE, MATE: Indian captain M.S. Dhoni greets Yuvraj Singh watched by Sachin Tendulkar during the team’s felicitation function in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: A near-packed Kotla accorded the Indian cricketers a warm reception here on Thursday with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) presenting each member a cheque for Rs. 58 lakh for having achieved a tri-series win over Australia in Australia.

The nine-member support staff, including the administrative manager (Bimal Soni) and the cricket manager (Lalchand Rajput), was presented Rs. 10 lakh each.

The team landed at Mumbai on Thursday morning and took a chartered flight to be at the Kotla where more than 35,000 cricket lovers turned up to cheer their heroes.

Too tired

The event itself failed to generate much excitement as the players were too tired to respond and were too happy to take their flights home.

Sachin Tendulkar fittingly was cheered most lustily and local lad Ishant Sharma was the next best on the list of the audience. Interestingly, Tendulkar was missing from the huge banner that stood as the backdrop at the felicitation ceremony.

“The Board’s policy to send a young team to Australia paid dividends. It has been proved that giving a chance to every young player was right. It has been established that the young cricketers will take the team forward,” said the Board President Sharad Pawar.

“It is a big honour for the country to receive the team that is coming after such a fabulous victory. To beat Australia in Australia is a special achievement. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his young team have shown the world how good they are,” Mr. Pawar said.

The team was whisked away from the Delhi airport to a hotel and then driven to the Kotla.

The Board had cancelled an open bus journey from the airport to the city due to security reasons but the function at the Kotla was clearly got over in a hurry because the players were anxious to return home.

Those who could not make it to the function were Irfan Pathan, fielding coach Robin Singh, physio John Gloster and trainer Gregory King.

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Rousing welcome: The Indian cricket team which won the tri-series in Australia returned home on Thursday. M.S. Dhoni’s men were felicitated by the BCCI at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi.

The turn out was on expected lines. The crowd waited more than two hours to cheer the cricket stars. “I thank all the people who have assembled here to felicitate the team,” said Mr. Pawar.

The Board President did not forget to remind the gathering, “Cricket is just a sport. You win some and lose some. When we win you give big receptions but when we lose, I expect the public to show restraint and treat the players with the same passion and dignity.”

Dhoni thanks players

Skipper Dhoni went through his speech in a listless manner. “I thank all of you who have come here to felicitate the team. That is the motivation for us.

“I thank every member of my team for their commitment on and off the field. We will try to repeat it in future.

“I also take this opportunity to congratulate the under-19 team for winning the World Cup.

“They will get a chance to play for India some day. Enjoy the success. Remember that cricket is just a game.”

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) had announced free entry for the spectators and invited some former cricketers for the function.

Honour

Speaking on the occasion, the DDCA President Arun Jaitley, welcoming the gathering, said, “This is the 75th year of the Ferozeshah Kotla. It is an appropriate celebration that the Indian team reached here. It is an honour for us to felicitate the team.”

The DDCA presented Delhi players Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, along with under-19 players Virat Kohli and Pradeep Sangwan, a cheque for Rs 2.5 lakh each.

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