Women outnumber men in Lucknow as fans fall over themselves for Kohli, Gill
Indian cricket fans are eagerly waiting outside a hotel in Lucknow to catch a glimpse of their favorite cricketers, including Shubman Gill, ahead of the India vs England match on October 29. Many fans, particularly young women, are excited to see Gill, who has gained popularity on social media.
What is cricket in India without the legion of fans, fiercely loyal to their cricketing hero? The Indian team is in Lucknow honing their game at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium ahead of its much-awaited clash with England, in the city, on October 29, and fans are leaving no stone unturned to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers before the big day.
While many waited with bated breath for King Kohli, surprisingly, comparative newcomer and India opener Shubman Gill was high on the list of those wanting to see those famed dimples in real life.
During their stay in a five-star hotel in Vibhuti Khand area, hundreds of fans in the city gathered outside the hotel on Thursday evening and Friday morning, times when the team leaves and returns from practise.
“I’m here to see Shubman Gill; I don’t have passes to see him on the pitch, so I’m here to catch a glimpse of him,” said Ajit Mishra, a 23-year-old student outside the hotel. Many of Gill’s fans were young women who had gathered to catch of the tall, well-built batsman.
“Kohli is my favourite but Gill has become my latest crush. I crazily follow him on his Instagram,” said Sanchita Saxena, a Delhi resident who has come to Lucknow and has chosen a hotel close to Vibhuti Khand to try and get a glimpse daily of the 24-year-old cricketer.
Sanchita is not the only one who has made the city her home just to see their idols up close. Pragya Tripathi and her sister Nandani Singh have been coming every day both morning and evening to get a glimpse of Kohli, Shubhman and wicket keeper-batsman Ishan Kishan.
“We came here in the morning at around 8 and now in the evening,” said the sisters. When asked about how they know about the timings, they said, “We follow them on Instagram which helps us get their hotel location and they keep posting photographs on their social media accounts which keep us posted,” they said.
With his athletic build and good looks, the Crown Prince has fast become popular with women, garnering nearly 9 million followers on Instagram in the short time that he has been in the public eye.
