English bus driver praises Indian cricket team's professionalism

As cricket teams spend a major chunk of the year away from home, touring around to ply their trade, venture away from friends and families, they find familiar faces in people outside of the field. A story has emerged out of England, where the Indian team is set to play a five-Test match series.

Since a lot of English cities are in proximity to each other, hence instead of air travel, as is the practice in the vast stretches of India or Australia, teams are often transported by road. The recurrence of it has led to the bus driver of the Indian cricket team, Jeff Goodwin has become a popular bloke amongst the players.

Speaking in an interview on bcci.tv, Goodwin revealed the amicable relationship he shares with the players. "I like the lads, there are all friendly. They are great to get on with but they are very disciplined. There is a changing way in cricket. In my times, it has changed so much.

"Australia will be drinking all the time after the game and staying inside the changing room till 2 am in the morning, but now, not as much,” he said. Well, as for Australia, it just might be a cheeky dig from the Brit at the rival country by passively referring to their departure from their winning ways of the old days.

For someone who has been driving around cricketers from all over the world ever since England last hosted a cricket world cup, in 1999, he gave the current Indian cricket team a major compliment. “This team, particularly India, have never known a cricket team as professional, come out after the game so fast. This team is the best one," he remarked.

He also revealed how Suresh Raina once gave him his match shirt to auction off to garner money for his wife's illness-treatment and that gesture of humanity has never been forgotten by the grateful Goodwin.

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

He is not the only one in his family who has had a fair amount of brush with the cricketing fraternity, his son has been in the same field of work. Speaking of him, Jeff says, "My son was driving the teams. He drove India and Tendulkar used to sit there (besides the driver) and he used to say your daddy is a big star. By the end of the tour, my son became a big star as well."

Among other quips revealed, one was how once Australian cricketer Darren Lehmann randomly nicknamed him "Popeye" and the name caught on ever since.