West Indies legend Brian Lara reveals what pulls him to India

A smiling face at every corner an adulation that reminds him of family and to top it all off a spicy delectable plate of chhole bhatureWest Indies legend Brian Lara loves India not for Bollywwod but chhle bhature The former West Indies batsman who is currently doing commentary for the IPL 2024 took time to visit PTI headquarters to have interaction with its editors He opened up about his love for India a country in which cricket is an obsessionIm not a big Bollywood fan I do come from a country with majority Indian populationSo there is a lot of interest in Bollywood Im not even an English movie fan So unfortunatelyHarry Potter and these things I havent really seen he quipped with a wide grin on his face turning on the charm offensiveBut what I do like about India is the unconditional love he quickly addedFor a globally recognised cricketer Brian Lara what makes his love neverending for India is the warmth with which he is welcomedAlso ReadThe Sanju Samson journey Keralas own cult heroI think when you come to India the way how youre treated you know and when you turn any corner theres a smile on someones face just from seeing you I think that is something that is refreshing and you know its also very positive he saidIt has a positive effect on me being in India being loved in a foreign country and the way that theyWalking in Miami on South Beach everybodys pushing you out of the wayBut in India its a whole different story everybody pushing into you he said while trying to explain what makes India so special for himSo I think that from someone who started playing the game for the adulation from my father and from my siblings to having the adulation in India is something that I love but its also the serenity of the people he addedNot all experiences have been good for Brian Lara in India The way his coaching tenure for Sunrisers Hyderabad ended is nothing but bad for Lara But he still picks them as one of his favourite teams to make it to the playoffs His other three picks are Rajasthan Royals Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super KingsI have to make it very clear because sometimes people will think your relationship with SRH was so bad but I would love to see SRH do well I feel it is a continuation of something Lara saidAlso ReadIPL 2024 Will KL Rahul step down from LSG captaincy for last 2 gamesLara referred chole bhature similar to something he used to eat at his homeI like it and its very close to a dish in Trinidad called Doubles Yeah so look it up Trinidad Doubles and look at chhole bhature and its something very very similar he said referring to a popular breakfast option back home And I can tell you when the Indian players come to Trinidad they have our doubles they love it he revealedLara is currently enjoying his commentary stint but its not without its fair share of challenges One of the things the challenges that I have is sort of getting excited and sort of creating excitement for the crowd when I believe something average has happened he said rather candidlySo a guy plays a big cover drive and its inside edge for four and I have to get excited for it its kind of tough he explainedBut then there are moments he enjoys too But to be a part of the IPL and to be a part of a cricket game and say for instance when Shamar Joseph picked up those seven wickets in that Test match in Australia and to be able to call that period is exciting in itself he recalled referring to the sevenwicket burst by Joseph while bowling with a broken toeWhat he truly craves to do however is coach young playersYou know my number one I think experience that I have is coaching I think working with young players and seeing them grow is wonderfulI dont like being too critical of players and I like keeping my opinion sometimes behind closed doors so its a learning experience for me being a commentator he saidWith PTI Inputs