The man in the saffron, white and green paint
Akshay Sawai, writing in Open magazine, tells us what it is like to be Sudhir Gautam, the most visible supporter of Team India and Sachin Tendulkar
Nikita Bastian
25-Feb-2013
Akshay Sawai, writing in Open magazine, tells us what it is like to be Sudhir Gautam, the most visible supporter of Team India and Sachin Tendulkar. While Gautam does not have a plan – other than to follow India till there is life left in that body of his – or earn a living, there’s no doubting his passion says Sawai. After all, it’s not often you would come across a fan who has cycled from Bihar to Bangladesh to watch India play the World Cup opener.
He [Sudhir Gautam] says he has told off Sharad Pawar. He has cycled from Bihar to Bangladesh to watch India’s World Cup opener and claimed to have parked the bike at Sourav Ganguly’s house in Kolkata. He has also cycled to Pakistan. He has attended almost every match India have played at home since November 2003, which is when his remarkable story began.
Marriage does not interest him. “How will I travel?” he says. “I have made cricket my life partner.”
Nikita Bastian is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo