Match Highlights: Lionel Messi To Skip Cricket Match With Virat-Sachin-Dhoni-Rohit? Sports Promoter Behind India Tour, Satadru Dutta Clears Air – Key Moments

oi-Debayan Bhattacharyya

Lionel
Messi’s
much-anticipated
India
tour
this
December
has
stirred
excitement
across
the
country,
with
fans
eagerly
awaiting
the
football
legend’s
arrival.
However,
amid
swirling
rumours
of
the
Argentine
icon
participating
in
a
celebrity
cricket
match
alongside
Indian
stalwarts
like
Virat
Kohli,
Sachin
Tendulkar,
MS
Dhoni,
and
Rohit
Sharma,
the
official
word
is
finally
out:
there
will
be
no
cricket
match.

Satadru
Dutta,
the
sports
promoter
organising
Messi’s
India
tour,
has
firmly
denied
the
speculation
on
his
Facebook
post.
On
August
3,
he
indirectly
addressed
media
reports
suggesting
a
crossover
event
with
Indian
cricket
icons,
urging
fans
not
to
fall
for
“unfounded
rumours.”

“Who
I
am
trying
my
best
to
bring
to
India
(Messi),
apparently
he’s
going
to
play
cricket.
From
what
I
see,
the
Indian
media
seems
to
know
more
than
I
do.
He’s
a
footballer,
so
whatever
I
do
will
be
with
football
in
focus
and
with
respect
to
footballers.
And
yes,
some
notable
people
might
try
to
explain
a
few
things
to
him
about
cricket,
but
there
will
be
no
cricket
match.
So,
don’t
pay
attention
to
rumours.”

In
a
Facebook
Live
session
on
August
5,
Dutta
clarified
again
that
while
the
hype
around
cricket
is
expected
in
India,
Messi’s
visit
will
remain
strictly
football-focused.

“The
main
objective
is
to
promote
football.
People
will
try
to
drag
in
cricket
as
it
is
the
most
popular
sport
in
the
country,
but
that
won’t
change
the
core
agenda,” Dutta
said,
reiterating
his
commitment
to
spotlighting
the
sport
Messi
represents.

Dutta
has
brought
the
likes
of
footballing
legends
like
Diego
Maradona,
Pele,
Cafu
to
India.
Two
years
ago,
he
also
brought
Messi’s
teammate
and
FIFA
World
Cup
winner,
Emi
Martinez
to
Kolkata
as
well.

Despite
a
report
by
The
Indian
Express
quoting
an
unnamed
Mumbai
Cricket
Association
(MCA)
source
suggesting
Messi
“may
play” a
cricket
match
at
Wankhede
Stadium
on
December
14,
no
official
confirmation
has
come
from
either
Messi’s
team
or
the
event
organisers.
The
so-called
match
remains
speculative,
and
Dutta’s
repeated
denials
indicate
it
is
unlikely
to
be
part
of
the
schedule.

For
the
unversed,
Messi
featured
in
a
Herbalife
ad
back
in
2013,
where
he
tried
his
hands
in
cricket.
But
this
time,
it
looks
like
it
won’t
happen
in
front
of
the
Indian
faithful.

Messi’s
India
itinerary
includes
stops
in
Kolkata,
Ahmedabad,
Mumbai,
and
New
Delhi.
His
journey
begins
in
Kolkata
on
December
12,
where
he
will
be
honored
with
a
70-foot
statue
unveiling
and
celebrated
at
Eden
Gardens
with
the
“GOAT
Concert” and
“GOAT
Cup.”
He
will
later
travel
to
Mumbai
and
Delhi,
with
the
highlight
being
a
meeting
with
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
on
December
15.

This
will
mark
Messi’s
first
return
to
India
since
2011,
where
he
made
his
captaincy
debut
with
Argentina
in
Kolkata
against
Venezuela.
Like
always,
he
is
expected
to
inspire
the
next
generation
of
footballers
in
a
country
still
growing
in
its
love
for
the
beautiful
game.

For
now,
fans
can
rest
assured
–
Messi
is
coming,
but
not
with
a
bat
or
a
ball
in
hand.