NITISH RANA ON RETURNING TO KOLKATA - “FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS I WAS MISSING THIS EMOTION
The packed stands.The euphoria in the air.The sea of purple-and-gold. These were regular scenes at the Eden Gardens during the pre-COVID TATA IPL months. The advent of the pandemic forced all sports to be played behind closed doors or at a central hub. The estrangement between the cities and their teams was inevitable, and this estrangement caused a yearning for reunion amongthe players and the fans alike. With the world returning to a sense of normalcy, the TATA IPL is also returning to its original, pre-COVID home-and-away format. Members of two-time TATA IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders have begun arriving in Kolkata, and the joy on their faces, upon returning to the City of Joy, is palpable. Take Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh as examples. Ever since checking out of the NetajiSubhash Chandra Bose International Airport on Sunday (March 19) evening, the star batters have been excited to play in front of the Eden crowd after a three-year hiatus. “After three years I am coming back here. Two years back I played here. Everyone is aware of the atmosphere at the stadium. But somewhere I had forgotten these things,” said Rana after checking into the team hotel with his bosom friend Rinku.