Anushka Bidani: How did you get into cricket?
ICT2000S: I started watching cricket because of my mama (uncle). He’s a huge cricket enthusiast, so since 2000, I’ve been watching cricket with him and enjoying the game.
AB: What made you follow these three (Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly) in particular?
ICT2000S: Because I have followed cricket since 2000, it was their era. I was very much impressed by Sourav’s captaincy, Dravid’s match-winning capacity, and Sachin—well, Sachin doesn’t need any reason to be your favorite, I guess.
AB: Do you like them individually or their bond with each other?
ICT2000S: Both. I like them as individuals and their bond with each other as well. I enjoy watching these three together.
AB: What is it like watching cricket today, when these three are not playing?
ICT2000S: Well, you can say I stopped watching cricket after Sachin retired, mainly because I got involved in my career and all, and also because I was not interested in watching cricket without them. Sachin was the last one to hold me into cricket. I didn’t even watch the 2023 World Cup. I watched this T20 because it was Rahul’s last time as a coach, and I wanted to support him for the last time. So, it’s like the essence of cricket ended for me after they retired.
AB: You said the essence of cricket ended for you when they retired. Does this page help you feel closer to cricket in any way?
ICT2000S: Yes, it definitely does. In fact, when younger kids (Gen Z) like my reels and ask me about these legends, or even better, tell me about them—their matches, their qualities, and what they like about them—it makes me so happy and proud. I’m glad I could start this page and fulfill the aim I had in the beginning. It feels like I’m reliving their era when I edit about them.
AB: What made you start a fan page for them? (I also saw that you used to have another page before – @sachinadmirer, was that only focused upon Tendulkar?)
ICT2000S: After I saw some cool edits of Virat and Dhoni, I decided to make a fan page for Tendulkar as he is my favorite cricketer above all. So, as you mentioned, I created @sachinadmirer, and yes, it was mainly for Sachin in the beginning. But then I felt that all the members of the golden era, or Ganguly era, are forgotten. These unsung heroes have done a lot for Indian cricket, and people should know about them, especially Gen Z. So, I started making edits about each one of them.
AB: When these three were at the peak of their career, social media wasn’t as active. Do you think their treatment by media and cricket fans would have been different if they were playing in the internet era?
ICT2000S: Absolutely, I think the media and the internet would have played a significant role in their careers. When we say they’re the unsung heroes, that’s precisely why they stayed unsung. The boys who were nurtured under Dada won the ODI cup with Sachin. So, they are quite well known, as the media and the internet were quite advanced in 2011 compared to 2000. If there had been internet and social media back then, we would have probably seen both positive and negative sides. Positively, every player would have received the recognition and fame they deserved, not just the big names highlighted by biased news channels. Negatively, there would have been fan wars just like today. We would have witnessed Sachin vs. Sourav vs. Rahul debates. I’m not ready for that, to be honest. I’m glad we didn’t have social media back then. It’s better to be an unsung hero than a known villain in someone’s story.
AB: Which cricketer do you think Gen Z like the most?
ICT2000S: Oh! It’s difficult. But based on what I’ve seen, girls are more attracted to Rahul, not just because he’s handsome but also because of the person he is and the cricketer he was. And boys are biased towards Dada. I always say this: Dada is a Gen Z idol. He was born in the wrong era. If he were born in this era, he would have ruled it. That’s why all the youngsters were so attached to him. And Sachin, well, he’s in everyone’s heart. You don’t have to say out loud that he’s your favorite. He is just very easy to love. Watch him bat, and you’ll fall for him.
AB: Any favourites from this era?
ICT2000S: Rohit Sharma. He reminds me of Dada, I mean his captaincy. I don’t know, there are differences, but there’s a similarity as well which I can’t put into words much. But I feel an emotional connection with him. Also, one of the reasons would be his beautiful bond with Rahul Dravid. So, I think Rohit would be my pick.
This interview by Anushka Bidani is part of the series, The Fan Page Project.