Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, opened up on post-match parties in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). He did not play a single game in the 2021 season, which was also his last IPL stint as well. During a recent appearance on ‘Cheeky Singles’, Pujara recalled how post-match parties would start very late in the night. However, he would not spend much time at the parties as he was punctual. He also revealed that he would get up early for breakfast and think all players did the same, only to realise they never slept due to the late-night parties as well.
“My dad started coaching me when I was eight. He had taught me to get up early and go for practice every day. In IPL, there are day-night matches, and after matches, there are parties as well. The party starts at 1:30 or 2 AM. I would reach first as I am punctual, but no one would be there, and everyone would come by 3. I would stay for a while and leave. I had the habit of getting up early, so I would be up by 7:30. I went for breakfast, and a lot of players came. I thought I was not the only one who got up early in the morning for breakfast. Then I realised none of them even slept [the whole night] and came directly for breakfast and would sleep after that,” he said.
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“I think every player has a fanboy moment. I started with KKR and SRK was the owner, so when I met him, definitely I had the fanboy moment. But when you think of cricket, you can’t think of being there because he is the owner. You want to be there because of the environment. I wanted to stay there because of that. But you can’t deny the fanboy moment.”
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also shared an interesting story involving his first IPL franchise, Punjab Kings (PBKS), and co-owner Preity Zinta. He shared how the team had lost a few games on the trot, and an interesting motivation was given to them by the Bollywood star to win the next game as well.
“The first reason for me to join Punjab was that I loved parathas. When we went to South Africa, we lost a few games at the start, and everyone was troubled. Our boss, Preity Zinta, came and told all the team members that if you win the next game, all will get an Indian food party and I will make aloo parathas for you all. She arranged everything and we won the game. She fulfilled her promise. It’s our job to play, we did nothing else, but she is such a lovely lady and so warm. Even when we have lost consistently and she is upset, she will come to the meeting, talk to us, but never lose her cool,” he concluded.
