All for one, even at the toss in Dharamsala

“Hungama to bilkul hoga (there will definitely be some crowd reaction),” warned a spectator, Gagan Gaud from Jalandhar. “Kaam chhodke 100 kilometre gaadi chala ke aaye hain yahan match dekhne. (We left work and drove 100 kilometres to attend the match). Ya to match hoga, ya hungama hoga (Either there will be match or unrest).”

It was the likes of Gagan, then, that Dwayne Bravo invoked when the West Indies, much to the relief of the BCCI, the local association and most of all fans, did indeed walk out for the toss. Yes, the entire West Indian team walked out for the toss, in a show of defiance as well as solidarity. Before the coin was flipped, they weren’t practising or warming up like their Indian counterparts on the other side of the ground. The visitors just stood in a close huddle as Bravo seemingly made a speech. Then they clapped.

Bravo call

At the toss, Bravo called it correctly and broke into a celebratory jig, playfully teasing Mahendra Singh Dhoni — it was one battle that he had won. Bravo then hugged the Indian captain and walked up to Ian Bishop for what usually is a mundane toss-time talk. Only it wasn’t.

“My team is standing behind me. It’s been a tough tour for us. We don’t want cricket to suffer and we don’t want fans to suffer. It’s time to make a decision, though. Must give credit to my boys for all the fight they’ve put up,” he said, before revealing the one change in the team.

The line “It’s time to make a decision” was cryptic. What did he mean there? There was little time to think. The West Indian met with the Dalai Lama — a symbolic meeting here, given that he himself is the embodiment of defiance and peaceful struggle.

There was a huge roar as the two Indian batsmen and 11 West Indian players trooped out for the contest. The meaning of Bravo’s word would soon become clear though. It would be the last time the two teams would meet in the series.