You set foot on the hallowed turf, and immediately get the feeling that it is a place meant for better things.
Today, a typical day for the Cricket Club of India grounds begins with a handful of early morning joggers. In the afternoon the turf bakes in the hot Mumbai sun. And then it watches the sun set slowly over the Arabian Sea nearby as members unwind with drinks on the lawns.
This idyllic routine will be disrupted for a short while next week when the Australian cricket team takes on Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai in their only side game of their four-Test tour of India.
After two forgettable experiences at the same venue, which set the tone for their previous two series in India, the Brabourne Stadium is not a place the Aussies would like to start their campaign. But it is arguably one of the prettier settings for a cricket match.
The delight at having meaningful cricket at the historic stadium after a rather long gap was evident in CCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur's voice.
"We are really pleased to host the opening game," the former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India said. "When [outgoing BCCI president] Mr [Jagmohan] Dalmiya called me up to ask whether the CCI would like to host the game since the new ground [in Hyderabad] isn't quite ready, we happily accepted."
The time frame may be too short, "but the CCI is always ready beacuse we play the Kanga League games here".
The stadium was bustling with activity today, just a day after the announcement was made. The ground staff has already cordoned the area around the pitch.
"[CCI curator and former India captain] Polly Umrigar is very efficiently taking care of it," Dungarpur said. "He's putting in 7-8 hours every day to ensure a good contest. The only concern is that September 30 is not the best date to play cricket in Mumbai. There is always the possibility of showers."
Recalling the experience of the last two first-class games played at the Brabourne Stadium, he said the CCI was glad to host the Australians when they came acalling in 1998.
Mumbai skipper Sachin Tendulkar had stolen the show back then with a rampant innings of 204, his first double century in first-class cricket, as the Ranji champions demolished the visitors to post a remarkable ten-wicket victory in front of a raucous home crowd.
The crowds had dwindled for the 2001 game, when Tendulkar was not available for his home team and wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe led Mumbai, who were the Ranji champions that year as well. And with Tendulkar looking doubtful for the tour opener this time too, the show may not be as successful.
"The economics of the game may not go for us," Dungarpur admitted. "As Sachin Tendulkar is not playing, the crowds may not come in huge numbers. But we are not really keen on money. What we have to fight is the redundancy of the best cricket pavilion in the world."
Notwithstanding the Australia game, official cricket at the Brabourne may remain an improbability for some time to come. A feud that reached its denouement in the building of the rival Wankhede Stadium 30 years ago still divides the city's cricket officials, with the Mumbai Cricket Association's newer stadium hosting the cream of domestic and international matches.
"We will obviously not get any official matches till the cricket board decides," Dungarpur said. "What we are doing is upgrading the stadium. We will release a tender soon, and the lights should be put up in three to four months."
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