Mystery of the GCA Rooster

The mystery behind Gujarat Cricket Association’s mascot

The mascot of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), which hosted the first India-England Test in Ahmedabad, is a cockerel. You see large images of the bird at many places on the ground, including the nets. This never fails to amuse and/or intrigue visitors. During lunch on the final day, Ashok Saheba, GCA’s joint honorary secretary, solved the mystery of the omnipresent rooster. “In the old days the British would pass time by playing cricket with teams from different regions,” Saheba said, one hand holding a bowl of vegetarian manchow soup. “Districts were suggested symbols based on their culture or preference. Baroda had kings, so they picked an elephant. Gujarat got the rooster because Bahuchara Mata, one of the most worshipped deities in Gujarat, is always depicted astride a rooster.”

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Akshay Sawai