Despite cricket being a game of talent and mind, the players often need something 'extra' to sustain their self-belief. It might not make much sense, but the cricketers do not mind it. Not just the teams, but the countless fans watching the games on television also have their own superstitions. People have their lucky seats, lucky corners. And who can blame them if their idols and teams deliver. After all, they can not be denied of an opportunity to contribute to the success of their favourite team. Many cricketers refuse to shave in the midst of a good run. It is all in their beard, they believe. And some others wear the same trouser for several matches together. Their fear being washing them may end up washing their luck as well.
During a league encounter against Zimbabwe in 1983 World Cup, India were in the spectre of a humiliating defeat before Kapil Dev began the assault that brought a ray of hope in the dressing room. And that prompted the team manager Man Singh to instruct: "Nobody would move from his seat". Srikkanth was standing outside the dressing room on a cold, windy day, with a cup of coffee in his hand. And he had to bear it for the next two hours or so!
One more such incident happened in Sydney in 1985. During the semifinal against New Zealand in the World Championship of Cricket, India were in a spot with the asking-rate getting stiffer. As Dilip Vengsarkar and Kapil Dev pulled out strokes of extraordinary brilliance to fight it out, rest of the team did not budge from their seats in the dressing room, keeping alive the lucky charm. Vengsarkar and Kapil not only won the semifinal for India, but triumphed in the final also.
It was the final of the NatWest Trophy in Lord's in 2002. India, chasing a big total of 324, were in deep trouble with collapse of the top order. But the young duo of Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif had a different agenda. They staged one of the most remarkable recoveries as skipper Sourav Ganguly instructed his team members not to budge from their seats in the dressing room. Ganguly who had kept his leg on the fence of the room, was seen in the same position for hours till India finally ended the drought of a trophy in foreign soil for long.
Indo-Pak cricket in the '80s and '90s was full of superstition. Playing a final on Friday means Pakistan's victory and Saturday suits India. The Indians were supposed to be gentle souls, firmly vegetarian though there wasn't a formal veg/non-veg head-count. They generally ended losers if they had non-veg meals on eve of the matches. Pakistan, on the other hand, were boisterous, ate everything, had factions in their team and more captains than one could count. But they always won.
Many cricketers have their own superstitions. To begin with, K. Srikkanth says he used to look into the sun as he went in, wore his left pad first, and always walked to the right of his partner, while opening the innings. It made him feel comfortable. He had been following them from the beginning of his career and was successful. It stayed that way till the end of his career with only one exception. Gavaskar, before he played his final Test innings against Pakistan, desired a slight change! India were chasing a stiff target, considering the nature of the track. Gavaskar asked Srikkanth: "Chika, can I walk to your right this time?" How could he ever say no to the great batsman. Gavaskar produced a masterly innings on a square turner. By his own admission, one of his best knocks, considering the pressure, the situation, and the pitch.
Neil McKenzie, the 32-year-old South African opener is another example. McKenzie used to believe he could not score runs unless the sporting gods had been brought on-side through various rituals including him decreeing toilet seats be closed before he left the dressing room and taping his bat to the changing room ceiling before each innings. Before the bowler runs in, he likes to look to square leg, to fine leg, and then back at the bowler. But the South African says if he doesn't do that once, he doesn't think something bad is going to happen. He says it's just like a trigger movement.
Sri Lanka's veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya hits his pads with his bat before every ball.Sourav Ganguly has used a number of lucky charms during his long career.
Sachin Tendulkar always wears the right pad first.
Mohinder Amarnath and Steve Waugh always carried a red handkerchief in their pockets.
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