Round 21 years in the past, Hashim Amla, one of many modern-day greats, made his Take a look at debut on the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.The previous South Africa captain vividly remembered his expertise of taking part in his first Take a look at.“I do not forget that Take a look at,” Amla stated on the Beard Earlier than Cricket podcast with a glint in his eyes.“I used to be fully relaxed. It was simply enjoyment and a surreal feeling of being with the South African crew. Enjoying with Kallis, Pollock, and who you have been taking part in in opposition to… Sachin (Tendulkar), Sehwag (Virender), Ganguly (Sourav), Laxman (VVS), you’re taking part in in opposition to some loopy gamers, the fellows who we had grown up anticipating ten years. It was a completely pleasing expertise,” he recollected.Amla, who went on to play 124 Assessments for South Africa, scoring 9,282 runs, and 181 ODIs with 8,113 runs, managed solely 24 and a couple of on his Take a look at debut.“I received 24 within the first innings. Irfan Pathan received me with a fairly good nut. The ball was reverse swinging and it sort of went beside my legs. Within the second innings, Harbhajan received me out. Sorry, I used to be adjudged out; if there had been a DRS, I might have gone upstairs (laughs). Again then, attraction was every little thing,” he stated.Moreover this, the South African legend additionally shared his expertise of taking part in in entrance of a packed crowd when Sachin Tendulkar walked out to bat.“It was a fantastic expertise. Packed crowd at Eden Gardens as nicely. Actually buzzing. I keep in mind being 15 to twenty metres away from mid-off. I used to be at covers, and also you could not hear a phrase mid-off was saying. That is how loud it was.

“That is when Sachin comes out to bat — Sachin, Sachin … the entire stadium was vibrating. The noise was simply deafening.“I’ve an enormous respect for the Indian cricketers as a result of they’ve performed with that for so long as possible cricket has been there. That kind of atmosphere within the stadium simply makes the sport a lot extra intense,” he stated.