As it turns out, the ETSA event was a happening pitstop on their way to watch India take on five-time ICC world champions Australia at the Chepauk stadium.
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Trading in their boardrooms for the bleachers, many of the guests discovered they’d be donning India jerseys on the very same flight. Swiggy’s food marketplace head Rohit Kapoor, for instance, was set to hop over to Chennai for the clash, as he came down south from his office in the National Capital Region. Curefoods founder Ankit Nagori and Scapia founder Anil Goteti joined on the same flight – and it was at the ETSA event that they realised they’d be travelling together. “It’s the opening match for India and against Australia and there is a craze. Exciting time for India also because we are hosting it,” Nagori, a sports enthusiast, said.
Some others decided to make a road trip out of the fixture – like Sujeet Kumar, cofounder of Udaan, who planned to drive down to Chennai with some of his friends.
Ritesh Banglani, partner at early-stage venture capital fund Stellaris Venture Partners and a cricket enthusiast, however, said he would not be going to Chennai. He loves watching test matches with three or four friends during a day at the stadium. The India games, Banglani feels, are great for cricket but not so much for catching up with his pals. So, he’s planning to watch his other favourite teams, England and Pakistan, play – though he regrets that he didn’t manage tickets for that match.
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At the event though, Banglani made a date with Zishaan Hayath, founder of Toppr (now owned by Byju’s), for the England vs Sri Lanka match in Bengaluru on October 26 – and Hayath let slip that he’s already got tickets for the tournament finals.