Behind the Scenes: World Cup 2023

Oreos and the evil eye

14th October, after India vs Pakistan, Ahmedabad

Why Sanjay Manjerakar had had to ask that question, Rohit did not know.

But when he asked, "Would you say this is a team that has been blessed?"

"I'm not going to answer that," was Rohit's automatic reply.

His bunch of troublemakers whom he had unconsciously been trying to protect from the evil eye, of course, heard it and had much to comment about it.

There was no peace to be got in his lifetime, Rohit knew.

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"How could you not say yes? How could you not say yes?" Hardik shouted the moment he returned.

"The superstitions these sportspeople get into," drawled Jaddu.

"Eat an Oreo, Rohit bhaiya," shouted Ishan, and he actually produced a packet of Oreos from goodness knew where.

"Why are you eating Oreos?" asked Virat suspiciously. "You should not be eating them during a World Cup."

Rohit sneaked an Oreo from the packet and had taken one bite when it was snatched out of his hand.

"NO ONE SHOULD EAT OREOS DURING THE WORLD CUP," commanded their fitness freak in such a tremendous voice that Kuldeep dropped the bottle he'd been holding.

"Why not, Virat bhai?" Kuldeep asked anxiously, because he'd eaten plenty of Oreos since the World Cup started.

"BECAUSE THEY ARE UNHEALTHY." Virat paused, and realized who had asked the question and lowered his voice to a normal, kind one. "Oh, sorry, Kuliya--you know these awful biscuits are not healthy at all, and foregoing them during the World Cup is the least we can do."

Rohit was in the process of sneaking a second Oreo.

"Don't let him take it, Ishan," Virat ordered.

"Gimme one," Rohit wailed.

Ishan froze, torn between who to obey, and was rescued by Rahul coming up and taking the packet.

"What's going on with Oreos, Virat? We could hear you from the other end of the stadium."

"They are eating Oreos," complained Virat.

"So what?" said Rahul. "Let them."

"Thank you!" Rohit grabbed a bunch and backed away behind Jaddu, where Virat wouldn't be able to reach him.

"I want one for good luck," Jassi put in in a low voice, hoping Virat wouldn't hear.

But of course he did.

"What--what did you say, Jassi?"

"Er," said Jassi. "Nothing."

"Why should an Oreo bring good luck?" asked Virat, astonished. "And why is everyone hung up on luck? There's Rohit, being stupid in the press conference because of superstitions, stealing his amazing team off due credit--"

"And you feel decidedly less amazing because of that, I suppose," said Ashwin drily.

"No, I don't, but the kids might!" Virat looked at Siraj, Shubman and Ishan, who looked back at him, all munching on Oreos and certainly not looking like they thought any the less of themselves from what Rohit had said. "I would have said yes, my team is blessed if it was me, Rohit Sharma."

"You go and attend the conferences from the next match," retorted Rohit. "I'll be glad to be free of the burden."

"I would," said Virat. "But I'm not going to."