Mumbai, March 11 Shivam Dube, whose explosive batting added 24 runs to India's total in the last over of the T20 World Cup final, quietly travelled by train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, railway officials said on Wednesday.
A senior railway official said they learned from media reports that, with all flights to Mumbai fully booked, Dube chose to travel by train so he could reach the city as early as possible to be with his two young children, despite the risk of being mobbed by cricket fans.
The star all-rounder boarded the Mumbai-bound Sayaji Nagari Express from Ahmedabad in the early hours of Monday, along with his wife Anjum and a friend, hours after he and his teammates lifted the World Cup, he said.
The official said that after noticing his name on the train reservation chart, a ticket checker wondered if he was the cricketer Dube. However, his wife deftly handled the situation, saying why the cricketer would travel by train.
To avoid being recognised by co-passengers, Dube reportedly wore a cap, mask, and a full-sleeved T-shirt as he boarded the train at 5:10 am and climbed onto his upper berth after entering an AC three-tier coach, the official said.
The train journey takes at least eight hours, and he was resting on the berth after the hectic tournament and celebrations, the official said, adding that Dube was more concerned about getting down at Mumbai's Borivali station in daylight (after 1 pm), fearing fans might recognise him.
A Government Railway Police official said that before the train reached Borivali, Dube sought police assistance to ensure his exit was as discreet as it had been in Ahmedabad.
Policemen in plain clothes were sent to escort the cricketer to his vehicle outside the station to avoid drawing public attention, the official added.