If you did not know too much about cricket and walked into Chepauk on Friday, you could well have been forgiven for thinking that Shane Warne was playing at home.
The Australian leg-spinner not only claimed the world record for most wickets in Test cricket but he also won the hearts of the spectators at the M A Chidambaran stadium in Chennai.
On a day that Warne believes he bowled his best ever spell in India, the Chennai crowd, known as one of the most knowledgeable in the country, proved it was a worthy audience. It gave him a standing ovation when he broke the record early in the morning session, and egged him on right through the day.
Later in the evening, after Virender Sehwag committed hara-kiri, the ace spinner responded by entertaining the crowd, which had sought his attention all day.
He started off by doffing his hat to the boisterous crowd, which promptly chanted: 'Warnie, Warnie'. But the crowd wanted more, and Warne obliged each time he walked down to the boundary by coming up with something new. The doffing of the hat was followed by a thumbs-up sign, which worked the crowd at the Wallajah End into a frenzy.
That did not abate the chanting; instead, the spectators took heart from the fact that the superstar had responded to their chants.
So the next time Warne returned to the third man boundary, he blew kisses to the crowd, which created a huge racket that in normal circumstances is only reserved for Sachin Tendulkar or Virender Sehwag when they are batting at their best. In fact, for a moment, it appeared as if two matches were on simultaneously at the Chepauk; one on the pitch and the other at the boundary line, where Warne was stationed.
Next, with the crowd vociferously behind him, Warne mimicked umpire David Sheperd signaling a six in his inimitable stop-start manner. It had the crowd in splits. The other Aussie players on the field started to turn around, wondering what the fuss was all about. When they realized it was their record-breaking colleague who was responsible for all the noise in the stands, a few of them too joined in the fun.
There are not many who will forget a shattered Warne confessing that Tendulkar's onslaught of his bowling during the 2001 series would haunt him in dreams and give him nightmares.
Warne had said, "I'll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six. He was unstoppable. I don't think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar. He is just an amazing player."
After watching Warne today, one believes what he said. He mimicked Tendulkar in his stance -- adjusted his abdomen guard and his helmet -- to a 'T', then danced out to an imaginary delivery and smacked it for six over the head of long-on. The crowd went absolutely nuts with this act.
Crowds in India are noisy and don't give the players any space. They cheer their team with unbridled passion, but they are also known to love their cricket and salute a great competitor when one comes along. Today, the Chepauk established a new standard for Warne. They not only saluted a great cricketer and competitor, but an entertainer as well!
