A signature campaign in support of Sourav Ganguly at Sourav?s on Friday. Picture by Rashbehari Das

They are neither shouting slogans nor burning effigies. But they are showing their solidarity for Sourav Ganguly in their own quiet way ? by spending time in the one public space in town that bears their hero?s name.

At Sourav?s: The Food Pavilion, the footfall has been rising like the flame of fury over Ganguly?s exclusion from the Ahmedabad Test. If over 80 per cent of respondents in every opinion poll have taken sides with Sourav, at his signature restaurant on Park Street the net increase in footfall has been pegged at ?45 per cent?, post-Wednesday afternoon.

?The footfall surged on Wednesday evening and swelled on Thursday. The crowd kept pouring in on Friday. There is a sympathy wave for Sourav running through the city and many think they can show their support by coming to Sourav?s,? says Kanishka Mazumdar, CEO, Sourav?s.

And it?s not just food and fun that is luring them to Sourav?s. Almost everyone is asking after Sourav and wondering if they can catch a glimpse of him and maybe help boost his morale. Many are leaving their stamp of support on a placard specially placed at the entrance.

The messages have a definite range ? pro-Sourav to anti-Chappell. Sample some: We are with you Dada; Don?t lose heart Dada, you?ll make a comeback; Chappell is being paid 1,80,000 dollars to keep Sourav out; Chappell?s message to the team: it?s my way or highway? A few are less polite and therefore unprintable.

The staff at Sourav?s went into protest mode as soon as news from Kotla came in that the ?prince of Calcutta? had been dropped. They have been wearing black badges ever since, but plans of burning an effigy of chief selector Kiran More were scuttled at the last moment under instructions from the ?skipper? himself.

?Sourav sent a message that we should not indulge in any activity that would be embarrassing for him,? says Mazumdar.

Among those dropping in, many are coming in for the first time. Some are just sitting around with a cup of coffee, others are spending time for a full family meal.

For Mamata Bose, a retired teacher of Pratt Memorial, the spread at the lunch table on Friday was secondary. ?As a citizen I have the right to protest the way I want to. After hearing about his exclusion from the squad, I felt that I should come to Sourav?s to express my concern and show my solidarity. His big smiling face at the entrance was some consolation but the thought of his exclusion is still heart wrenching. My grandson is a budding cricketer and he was heart-broken when he heard that his favourite player would not be taking guard in the next Test.?

For a while now, Sourav?s will remain the only link in the food chain between Calcuttans and their favourite cricketer. Caught & Bowled, the eatery at City Centre that Sourav was to have mentored from the last week of December, has decided to ?wait and watch? before opening its innings.