Mumbai:
Even if his life depended on it - and it did quite literally - Gauresh Swami wouldn't have missed the Mohali mania.
The 67-year-old postponed his angioplasty scheduled for Wednesday so that he could watch the match right from the stands, with wife Kashmira.
His impulsive death-defying decision was received with a mix of reactions: awe and reprimand from doctors, worry and concern from family, and a 'way to go' from fellow cricket crazies.
It was last Friday that Swami, a marble distributor in Thane and grandfather of two, complained of acute chest pain. "He had gone to walk our dog in the night and he just collapsed because of the pain.
Our pet came running home and we went out to see what had happened to dad. He was sitting on the road sweating heavily. We rushed him to Jupiter hospital," said 33-year-old Rajesh, Swami's son.
The doctors performed a detailed cardiac investigation, which revealed that he had critical blockages in two of the three heart vessels.
Dr Vijay Surase, consultant interventional cardiologist at Jupiter hospital, said, "We performed an angiography on him on Saturday and it revealed two critical blockages, owing to which he was getting the acute chest pains.
Thus we advised him to go for an angioplasty because he did not wish to undergo a bypass. I even scheduled one for him on Wednesday."
But Swami was determined to watch the Indo-Pak match. He even had his flight bookings in place. Dr Surase continued, "He didn't seem very willing for the surgery.
He wanted to go watch the match. So I explained to him that the stress caused by watching the match would not be good for his health. But he was adamant."
Though aware of Swami's disinclination for a Wednesday surgery, Dr Surase was still shocked when he got a call from him a day before the surgery.
"Doctor sahib, maaf karna. Permission liye bina bahar aya hoon," he said, adding that he would not be able to make it for the surgery as he was out of station.
"I thought he must have gone out in the city itself. I did not imagine that he would fly to Mohali.
It was only when his son called me up that I learnt that he had gone all the way to Mohali to watch the match. Our entire department was surprised to hear this."
After landing at Chandigarh airport, he rang up Dr Surase to inform him that he would not be coming for the angioplasty.
His son, who unlike his father, is not a cricket fan, said, "My father left for Mohali on Tuesday morning. Even I was surprised by my dad's decision to watch the match instead of going for the angioplasty."
In fact, Dr Surase, seeing his passion for cricket, had earlier advised him to get admitted in the hospital and watch the match from his room which so the medicos could keep a watch on his health.
But the doctor's request fell on deaf ears.
"In his condition, I would never have allowed him to travel so far to watch a match. In my entire career, I have never seen such a patient. He is so enthusiastic about cricket that he has risked his life."
When Dr Surase warned Swami about the potential health risk involved, he was a little amazed with the reply he received.
"Maut aayegi to aye, par Sachin ka itna important match main nahi miss kar sakta," Swami had said to him.
"Swami is intelligent but certainly very careless about his health.
I hope the stress the match caused him does not do any further damage. I am in constant touch with him to check on his health," the concerned doctor said.
While Gauresh and his wife enjoyed the match in Mohali, their family in Thane was worried sick. "It does not matter who wins this match.
I am praying that my father returns home in a healthy state. I am in constant touch with him via messages," said Rajesh.
Currently, Swami is on dual blood thinners, cholesterol lowering drugs, anti-hypertensive drugs and antianginals.
Swami's cricket fervour is deep-seated. He was the captain of his college cricket team when he was studying at JJ School of Arts, CST.
Even after leaving college, Gauresh did not stop playing cricket. He would plan his foreign business trips in a way that he could participate in the matches.
Now he teaches cricket to the boys in his colony and is also invited as a guest at various local tournaments.
Swami has postponed his surgery until next week.
"I think he will watch the World Cup final and only then come to me for surgery," Dr Surase said.