He’s yet to play a Test in India. But Australian cricketer Brett Lee manages to be the centrepiece at press meets and product launches in the country every few months. ‘‘It’s not just the money’’ that brings him back again and again, ‘‘it’s because I love India’’.
‘‘Namaste,’’ he starts. Then rattles off ‘‘shukriya ... chalo, chalo ...’’ and then for some inexplicable reason, ‘‘khargosh (hare)’’. Then suddenly he’s in full flow. ‘‘I love the culture here,’’ he says. “I love the way people are so warm,’’ when we catch up with him for a tete-a-tete at the launch of the shoe brand New Balance in New Delhi.
Since he’s clearly practising his Hindi on us, we ask if he’s picked up the usual staple of gaalis that every foreigner must. ‘‘No, mate. I haven’t picked up any of those yet,’’ Lee goes, smiles, and then mouths three choice abuses in a cool west Delhi accent.
What is it about Indians that’s got him, outside of the cliched warmth and hospitality? ‘‘When you go to other countries, you most people on the roads. Most of them are frowning and hanging their heads. Here, when you look at people, you immediately get a smile in return. You might be driving down and people in their little scooters and cars take time out to smile at you. I love that,’’ the speed demon says.
While he is a regular at product launches and ad film shoots, does he ever get to see the adverts—usually corny and ill-scripted—he features in? ‘‘Yes I do,’’ he says with a grin. ‘‘They are different to the ads back home in Australia. But I do like them.’’
His band’s working very well, thank you. He’s been doing a few gigs around the country, plans to add a didgeridoo some time, and most important, thinks Kylie Minogue is ‘‘gorgeous’’!
And how’s the cricket going? Oh yes, there’s that too. His next trip to India will be for the October-November Test series