Around two decades ago, Hashim Amla, a name synonymous with cricketing excellence in the modern era, stepped onto the hallowed turf of Eden Gardens in Kolkata for his inaugural Test match. The former South African captain recently shared his indelible memories of that momentous occasion.
“I distinctly remember that Test,” Amla recounted on the ‘Beard Before Cricket’ podcast, a spark of nostalgia in his eyes. “I felt completely at ease, filled with pure enjoyment. It was a surreal feeling, not just being part of the South African squad, but playing alongside legends like Kallis and Pollock, and then facing off against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman—the very players we had grown up idolizing for years. It truly was an utterly enjoyable experience.”
Despite a stellar career that saw him accumulate 9,282 runs in 124 Tests and 8,113 runs in 181 One Day Internationals, Amla’s debut match scores were a modest 24 and 2. He humorously recalled his dismissals:
“In the first innings, Irfan Pathan delivered an absolute peach of a delivery. The ball was reverse-swinging and snuck past my legs. For the second innings, I was given out off Harbhajan’s bowling. Honestly, if DRS had existed back then, I would have definitely reviewed it!” he quipped, adding, “Back in those days, the umpire’s appeal was everything.”
Amla also painted a vivid picture of the charged atmosphere at Eden Gardens, especially when the ‘Little Master’ entered the field.
“It was an incredible experience. The stadium was packed, absolutely buzzing with energy. I remember standing about 15 to 20 meters away at covers, and the roar was so deafening that I couldn’t even hear what our mid-off fielder was saying. That’s how loud it was.”
He continued, “Then Sachin walked out to bat, and the chant began—’Sachin, Sachin!’—the entire stadium was vibrating. The noise was simply deafening. I hold immense respect for Indian cricketers because they’ve had to play with that kind of intense ambience for almost their entire careers. That kind of crowd energy truly elevates the game’s intensity.”