In the past, Vasant Mohite wondered what it was like to stay in a luxury hotel by the sea whenever he passed by Marine Drive. It was a dream beyond his means. However, this IPL season, this dream of the 57-year-old groundsman of Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai has now come true. Confectionery company Cadbury has decided to accommodate the ground staff in a five-star hotel to reward them.
Not only this, she has also been given a uniform designed by celebrity designer and veteran cricketer and actress Neena Gupta’s daughter Masaba. Apart from this, a bus has also been provided for food and hotel to ground and hotel return. All this is a miracle in the eyes of spring. He says that before the start of the season there was a lot of speculation that he would be kept in a 5 star hotel, but he did not have full faith in it.
Vasant recalls, “Then one day, the MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) told us that Cadbury would arrange our stay (for the season). They will give us clothes and food for the next two months of IPL. Dressed in khaki shorts and a crisp white shirt, Vasant says how different and often difficult it was earlier.
They told, ‘IPL Since the matches often end late and their shift ends much later. Because of this he could not return home, so he used to spend the night in a small room under the Vitthal Divecha stand in the stadium, where he could hardly sleep due to mosquitoes.
He told, ‘Mosquitoes used to spoil the mind by biting. We could not go anywhere after the match, as train services were suspended. That’s why we would sleep on the ground in our office. If the match doesn’t happen, we reach the stadium at 9 in the morning and leave at 6 in the evening. But on match days, we come early. Yes, MCA pays double if we work late.
In her new room, Vasant now has a different concern. He says that it was difficult to locate the switch of the lamp. However, he sleeps well now. He says the mattress is a bit soft. His fellow groundsman Nitin Mohite says, “Walking in the dressing room is a different thing now. We have our own bus that drops us. We have no words…. The only thing we can say is thank you.’
Vasant explains how the former cricketer Mohammad Kaif Came over two years ago and hugged him. Kaif had told his fellow commentators, ‘They are helping us from Under-19. Then Vasant was very happy. However, Vasant says that the new generation does not show the same warmth and remains engrossed in their own world.