So, I went to see cricket for the first time
Cricket in India is insane, too famous for its own good, really. I had always wanted to watch cricket live, but I never knew how. For the longest time, I genuinely believed you needed to know someone, someone who knows someone, to get a ticket. Apparently not, at least not for this World Cup, thanks to the ICC.
I simply opened BookMyShow, selected my seats, paid via UPI, and voila, just like that, I had a confirmed ticket to watch my first ever cricket match at Chepauk. Who was playing? No idea. I just wanted to watch cricket. I only bothered to check the teams after booking. It turned out to be USA vs Namibia.
On match day, I had to dig out my sunglasses, cap and sunscreen. Everything had to be applied in advance because almost nothing is allowed inside the stadium except your phone and wallet. Not even water bottles.
I decided to reach the stadium via MRTS. I got to Velachery MRTS station and bought a second-class ticket for ₹5. The train was already waiting at the platform and, almost dramatically, departed the moment I boarded. The journey took around 35, 40 minutes, definitely faster than driving. Parking near Chepauk would have been a nightmare anyway. I’d probably have had to park somewhere near Marina Beach and walk half a marathon.
I got down at Chepauk MRTS station and walked down the stairs along with a sea of people, all clearly headed for the same reason: cricket. I had no idea which exit to take, there were multiple ones, but for once, that wasn’t stressful. I just followed the crowd.
Soon, I could see the stadium. I could hear the crowd even before I reached it. Excited beyond words, I walked closer, looking for my entry gate. According to my ticket, I needed Gate 16 to access the K-Upper Stand. That’s when I realised I was standing on the exact opposite side of the stadium.
This meant a one kilometre walk via Walajah Road and then Bells Road. As expected, there were no proper walkable footpaths. Pedestrians had to share the road with buses and cars that passed uncomfortably close. I honestly think Chepauk deserves wide, permanent footpaths on all three sides where the gates are. If we can host international matches, we can probably manage sidewalks.
Eventually, I reached Gate 16, scanned my ticket, and started climbing the steep stairs to the K-Upper Stand. These stairs are not elderly friendly. I managed fine, but if you’re planning to bring your parents along, be prepared, it’s a workout unintentionally included with the ticket.
Once I reached the rear of K-Upper and entered the stands, the feeling was hard to describe. The outfield was lush green, the sky was blue, the crowd was massive, and the breeze was cool. It felt perfect. I quickly found my seat, and I still believe K-Upper is the best place to watch cricket at Chepauk. Research was done, and research paid off.
USA batted first and posted exactly 199, setting a target of 200 for Namibia. I hadn’t realised how high scoring Chepauk pitch had become after the revamp. The crowd was surprisingly mature, clapping at the right moments and staying quiet when needed. Except for a few individuals who whistled continuously for no apparent reason. Probably Vijay fans. Nothing against them, just strong lung capacity, questionable timing, and a remarkable knack for annoying others.
TNCA had arranged free water behind the stands, which was genuinely welcome since we weren’t allowed to bring our own. I was mildly concerned about the amount of waste, though, the staff opened packaged water bottles and poured them into paper cups. With nearly 20,000 people in the crowd, and me alone going back four or five times, that is a lot of cups. The food options were all high calorie comfort items, pizza, doughnuts, and similar temptations. I’ve just started a proper diet and gym routine, and there was no way I was breaking it here. I settled for a pista kulfi instead, which cost me about ₹80. Worth it, but still,₹80.
During the innings break, I stepped out to buy a jersey. There were tons of CSK, RCB, Team India, Australia, and New Zealand jerseys, but none for the teams actually playing. I walked around for a while, gave up, and headed back. That’s when I learned an important rule... once you exit the stadium, you cannot reenter with the same ticket. One entry per ticket. I hadn’t known this. Thankfully, I had booked two tickets, one for me and one for my dad, who was originally supposed to come along before deciding to take my mom shopping instead. I used the extra ticket to enter again.
God works in mysterious ways.
As I settled back into my seat, pista kulfi in hand, I realised this was exactly how I wanted my first live cricket experience to be. Slightly chaotic, mildly inconvenient, occasionally absurd, but unmistakably special. The match, the crowd, the walk, the stairs, the rules, and even the mistakes all blended into a memory that felt very Chepauk. I didn’t come for a big team or a historic rivalry. I came to watch cricket, and cricket showed up in full form. And somewhere between the cheers, the whistles, and the long walk back, I knew this wouldn’t be my last visit to Chepauk. Once you watch cricket live, the television just doesn’t hit the same anymore.