Paying tribute to cricket's 4 most lovable super-fans
Cricket has always been a sport that is played with fervor and competitiveness. The contest between bat and ball is a sight to behold, and when two players engage in a duel, it makes the viewing even more dramatic.
The broadcasters utilize the past history between two players or two sides and build up a rivalry. Even before a ball is bowled, the intensity is palpable; this urges the fans to support their favorite sides with an element of patriotism.
They dress up like their cricketing heroes, they shower praise by making flyers, posters and placards etc, and they also show their emotions during milestones, victories and defeats. Sachin Tendulkar's 200th Test match was a great example of this; his farewell became a huge topic of discussion even before the Test series had started, with fans and experts giving their glowing tributes.
People never wanted the great man to go, and were left teary-eyed when Tendulkar gave his emotional farewell speech.
Cricketers have also acknowledged the fans' love and support by giving away their jerseys and other cricket-related memorabilia. Virat Kohli once made a personalized video for Aleem Dar's son and also promised to send him an autographed bat from his personal collection.
MS Dhoni helped a Pakistani fan by the name Basheer Khan (in the center of the picture above) by giving him match tickets to the India versus Pakistan semifinal in 2011. Basheer returned the favor by supporting Dhoni during the 2015 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma once helped a Sri Lankan fan by arranging his air tickets to go and attend to his ailing father.
In all walks of life, appreciation and criticism are two sides of the coin that keep a person going. Cricket is no different, and there are some devotees who have taken their hero worship altogether to a different level.
Here's a look at four 'super-fans' who have enthralled the world with their passion:
#1 Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary - India
Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, also known as Sudhir Gautam, needs no introduction in Indian cricket circles. He's possibly the biggest fan of Sachin Tendulkar and Indian cricket.
Sudhir has done some remarkable things in the past, which even convinced Tendulkar to make a lifetime promise to sponsor his match tickets for every game that India plays. Sudhir returns the favor by giving 1,000 litchis every year to the Indian batting legend.
Sudhir hails from a modest family in Muzzafarpur, Bihar, and had trained to become a teacher before working in a milk company. His craze for Tendulkar was so enormous that he once cycled 1,700 kilometers in 21 days to meet his idol in Mumbai.
Sudhir has gone to the extent of doing ticket-less travel on trains and sleeping on the streets to watch India play. However, he now has public support wherever he goes, and in some marquee events he's been supported by the players themselves.
Sudhir's biggest moment came when Tendulkar called him to celebrate the 2011 World Cup victory in the dressing room. There are numerous photographs of Sudhir and Tendulkar posing with the 2011 World Cup trophy.
Sudhir has become a celebrity of sorts after appearing as one of the three main protagonists in "Beyond the Boundaries". He even played a cameo in "Sachin: A billion dreams".
He usually paints his body with the Indian tricolor and and chants "India...India" during every match. He also blows a conch at the arrival of the Indian cricket team along with waving a huge tri-color flag.