The world’s second oldest cricket club inducted Ravi Shastri and Ajit Agarkar as honorary members on November 4, the eve of India’s highly anticipated ICC Mens’ Cricket World Cup clash against South Africa at the Eden Gardens. After a performance by The Urban Monkz, a Kolkata-based band, the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) ushered the former Indian and Mumbai cricketers to the stage and presented them with their honorary memberships.
The Urban Monkz performing at the CC&FC before the induction ceremony
Shastri, the former Indian men’s team coach, had walked into the club, dapper as always, and hung around, listening to the band belt out classics such as Proud Mary by Tina Turner, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen and John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads. After Agarkar, the chief selector of the Indian men’s cricket team, reached the club, the induction ceremony started.
Shastri is now a member of the two oldest cricket clubs in the world
Saurav Chatterjee, the vice president of CC&FC, introduced Shastri and Agarkar, before inviting them on stage individually to receive their membership from the club president, Subrata Das. “I’m now a member of the oldest (Marylebone Cricket Club) and the second oldest cricket clubs in the world and it’s truly an honour. I remember coming here with Virat [Kohli] and the boys (as coach of the Indian men’s team), and every time the cricketers came here, they really enjoyed themselves. This is a lovely club with lovely people. Earlier, during my playing days, we used to train on this ground whenever Eden was unavailable,” said Shastri.
Agarkar, flanked by Subrata Das (left) and Saurav Chatterjee (right), recalled coming to CC&FC for the first time with Sourav Ganguly
Agarkar, for his part, added: “It’s an honour for me, too. Ravi bhai spoke on the history of the club, so I won’t get into that. But I remember coming to the club a number of times over the years. Maybe the first time as a 19-year-old with Dada (Sourav Ganguly). I have many fond memories here and I’m looking forward to frequenting the club on my visits to Kolkata.”
