‘Adrak kam, nimbu zyada,’ MS Dhoni’s Bangladeshi ‘chai dada’ searches for him ahead of Day/Night Test
Dhoni was not the only Indian cricketer who was a fan of Ghosh’s tea. Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan too were regular consumers of his ‘masala chai’ before an India-Bangladesh game.
When the common eyeballs could not look beyond the Eden Gardens pitch, giant pink hoardings, brand new wall graffiti, and busy cricketers trying their best to cope with the pink cousin of the red cricket ball, his eyes longed for someone who was far away from the hustle of the historic Day/Night Test in Kolkata. Sitting somewhere in Ranchi, MS Dhoni perhaps had no idea (Or maybe he did) that he was so badly missed by a certain Bangladeshi friend.
With his bright red hat and Bangladesh’s ODI jersey of old, Bhulu Chandra Ghosh was anyway unmissable among the swarm of reporters, photographers and busy groundstaff at the Eden Gardens, but what made him special was his association with the touring Bangladesh team and his Dhoni connection. It’s not that he isn’t aware that Dhoni has retired from the longest format of the game long time back. He also knows that Dhoni hasn’t played a single official cricket match ever since the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in July this year but there was something that made him believe that he might get a call from his favourite cricketer any moment.
ALSO READ: Early to bed early to rise concept might take a break during Day/Night Test
Ghosh, who has travelled from Dhaka to be a part of India’s first ever Day/Night Test against Bangladesh, is Dhoni’s ‘chai dada’. Apart from being an unofficial part of the Bangladesh team on many tours, Ghosh has a gift of preparing lip-smacking tea. It was one of his special cups of tea that stumped Dhoni back in 2008 when he was leading India in an ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Since then whenever Dhoni’s India squared off against Bangladesh, the wicket-keeper batsman made sure to have tea from his chai dada.
“Ginger kam, lemmon zyada, Dhoni always used to tell me... I don’t exactly know why but he used to love the tea I made,” Ghosh told Hindustan Times. “When we met later in an Asia Cup game, Dhoni jokingly pointed towards me and said, ‘I get great tea from him what will I get from you?’ to a few journalists,” said Ghosh with a great deal of enthusiasm.
Dhoni was not the only Indian cricketer who was a fan of Ghosh’s tea. Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan too were regular consumers of his ‘masala chai’ before an India-Bangladesh game.
Ghosh’s next dream is to make India captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri a fan of his tea. “I’m carrying all the stuff with me. I just need a place to make tea,” said Ghosh, while narrating the process with his hands.
ALSO READ: ‘Looks good’:Ganguly happy with pitch & preparations for day-night Test
Ghosh’s popularity among the Bangladesh cricketers was for everyone to see. Even during the conversation, he was handed a banana and a couple of apples by Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan. The love comes because of his support towards the team and cricket. “I’ve travelled with the Bangladesh team in many places. Wherever I go, I become a part of the team. The players really like the tea I make for them,” added Ghosh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board generally takes care of Ghosh’ expenses as a goodwill gesture. But it’s not only cricket that drives him crazy. He even came to the Salt Lake Stadium for World Cup qualifier football match between India and Bangladesh last month. Then too he tried to get in touch with Dhoni, who has been away from the public eye ever since India’s World Cup exit.
“He won’t come? I think he will for this pink ball Test,” Ghosh said with the hope of seeing his cricketing idol for the first time since meeting him last during the T20 World Cup in Bangalore.
