Crackers for Indians, puja for Kiwis

Nov 07, 2010 |

Correspondent

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Away from home and engaged in a Test match isn’t exactly how Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have planned his first Diwali with wife Sakshi — but he made do with what he could.

The couple and a few members of the India team after finishing off with the day’s play on Friday made a quick dash to the team hotel to drop off their cricket gear before heading straight to the residence of Gujarat Ranji skipper and India wicketkeeper-batsman of a few years ago, Pathiv Patel.

There they celebrated the festival of lights by gorging on sweets and bursting crackers.

Dhoni and Sakshi, along with Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina and V.V.S. Laxman among others were seen on the terrace with sparklers, enjoying the Patel family’s company.

Dhoni’s association with Parthiv goes back a long way — the latter was a regular opener for Dhoni’s IPL team Chennai Super Kings for the first two seasons, before India reserve opener Murali Vijay of Tamil Nadu replaced him.

The Kiwis had a relatively sedate Diwali in contrast. They visited a decked-up Akshardham Mandir in Gandhinagar near here with cricket commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Arun Lal, before partaking in festivities organised by the team hotel staff.

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