Kohli, Dhoni & a Kind Raina: Why a British Bus Driver Will Never Forget Team India!

The Indian Cricket team is in England and is all set to begin a Test series, come August 1st. Well, aside from the main players, there are also others who serve as support staff—helping and assisting the team in various ways.

One such staff member is Jeff Goodwin, who drives the team bus and has been doing so since the 1999 World Cup. Recently, Mr Goodwin’s wife fell ill, and it was Team India’s Suresh Raina who stepped in to help, reports the Indian Express. Aside from helping Goodwin, Raina also gave him his shirt to auction off.

It is little wonder that Mr Goodwin is all praises for the men, who he calls a ‘bunch of friendly lads,’ who are also very disciplined.

He went on to speak of the way times are changing in cricket and talks about how earlier, teams would end up staying inside the dressing room till 2:00 a.m., and go on a drinking binge, but now that doesn’t happen.

Goodwin is a fan of the Indian team’s professionalism and says that the present team is the best one. He goes on to narrate other interesting anecdotes about the team, including one in which captain Virat Kohli calls Goodwin an “old man.”

Say ? to Mr. Jeff Goodwin.#TeamIndia‘s bus driver gives interesting insights about various cricket teams who have been his passengers all these years. P.S Jeff loves this Indian Cricket team. Find out why…
▶️https://t.co/IQ2LWJK8Jn pic.twitter.com/aRVTbk2L5d

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 21, 2018

You may also like:- Did You Know This Indian Cricket Team Is The Reigning T20 World Champion?

Goodwin is also very proud of the fact, that his son drove the Indian Team around as well. Sachin Tendulkar himself sat next to Goodman’s 21-year-old son during team journeys, and would tell the latter that his father was a big star. Goodman is pleased, as he and his son got an appreciation letter from the Government of India.

He revealed that he was given the name ‘Popeye’, by an Australian cricketer. The nickname stuck and Goodwin actually got the famous cartoon character tattooed on his arm.

The jovial bus-driver also has a good word about Team India’s former Captain Cool, M.S. Dhoni. According to Goodwin, Dhoni is a fantastic wicketkeeper.

India won the T20I series but lost the ODI series. The first test will take place at Edgbaston, from August 1st, and before that, Kohli and the squad will play a 4-day warm-up match against Essex at County Ground, Chelmsford, beginning July 25th.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Featured Image Credit:-BCCI

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: [email protected], or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Found Value in This Story?Pay What You Can to Support Impactful Journalism

If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.

Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-

₹201
₹501
₹1001

By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let’s ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.

Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?