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Xtra Time Web Desk: Cricketers all over the world have a lot of love hate relationship with the fans. Most cricketers consider a particular stadium as their favourite because of their success in that venue. Mohammad Azharuddin always loved playing at the Eden Gardens, a ground which has never returned him with empty hands. But at the same time during that dreaded World Cup semi final match in 1996, fans booed him for letting the team down. Little Master Sunil Gavaskar too shared a love & hate relationship with the Eden Gardens. The Eden crowd once bayed for Gavaskar’s blood and threw rotten vegetables at him. Remember, the same man when he played his first test at the iconic venue against England in 1972-73, the Kolkata crowds welcomed him with both arms. India won a thrilling low scoring match by 28 runs and the enthusiasm of the spectators knew no bounds. Gavaskar himself aptly catches the mood in ``Sunny days’’ where he wrote: ``as we sprinted to the pavilion we were engulfed by the crowd which was delirious with joy. Some hoisted us on their shoulders. Long after the game was over huge crowds were waiting outside our hotel to catch a glimpse of the players. Calcutta crowds are terrific and the players are treated like heroes. True, the enthusiasm can be a little too much but it is well meant. The enthusiasm of the Calcutta crowd is terrific and I for one would rather play before a Calcutta crowd than at Lord’s where the applause is strictly limited to three or four claps.’’ Read More | Kapil Dev’s lockdown look leaves fans in awe Talking about the 1984 test match against England at the Eden Gardens, Gavaskar was projected as a villain for axing Kapil. The Haryana Hurricane was unceremoniously dropped from the Kolkata test for playing a rash shot in the last test match at Delhi. India won the first test of the series against England at Wankhede and went 1-0 ahead. The second test at Kotla was headed for a draw until hara-kiri on the final session wherein the hosts lost six wickets for just 28 runs to help the visitors level the series. Sandip Patil and Kapil Dev played irresponsible shots and threw away their wickets which triggered the collapse. Gavaskar was livid with Kapil and Patil and ensured they were not picked for the third and final test match at Kolkata. The selection committee headed by Chandu Borde dropped both Kapil and Patil from the third test match. On coming to know of the same, Kapil apparently alleged Gavaskar was responsible for his omission. The skipper, on the other hand, claimed he had been late for the selection committee meeting and did not say a word. In the aftermath of the controversy, then BCCI President, NKP Salve, asked both players to resolve their differences. The crowd at Kolkata clearly wasn’t happy with Kapil’s axing, and chanted ‘No Kapil, No Test’ and even pelted Gavaskar with rotten vegetables and fruits. Gavaskar vowed he would never play at the Eden Gardens, and kept his words by pulling off from the test match against Pakistan in 1986-87. With the passage of time the two superstars of Indian cricket have buried the hatchet, and have only praise for each other these days. Gavaskar has been received with due respect whenever he has visited Kolkata either in a personal capacity, for an official function or when he is at the Eden Gardens commenting on the matches. Time as they say is a great healer.