“A Day Well Spent With Upcoming stars“. Let’s start from the start. We met an upcoming cricketer “Mayank Pratap” a bowler and now we can proudly say that net bowler who got selected in sunrises Hyderabad camp.
The journey from playing cricket right from the moment he used to play cricket during his village time to getting selected as a net bowler in Sunrises Hyderabad camp is no less than a roller coaster ride.
Everyone’s journey is different and difficult and easy in there own way.
But the interaction I had with him right from when he started playing in his village and then listening to satirical comments about the neighborhood was no less than heart-warming.
But there is a very popular saying that “One who never gives up is the ultimate winner”.
Mayank Hails from Hamirpur near Gajaraula (up). He picked up the sport in his village like everyone does and at that time he was not serious about taking this professionally.
But his schooling “Ops International school” played a very important role to some extent and also the director of the school was impressed with Mayank skills that he actually built the proper nets. In the school ground, they had this facility of a cemented pitch so that proper leather ball cricket can be played. Mayank considers his father as his mentor as his father is a reputed doctor and wanted Mayank to become a “Doctor”.
But He saw the spark and interest of “Mayank” towards fast bowling and cricket in general and changed his mind and started supporting his son towards playing professional cricket. Mayank mother wants his son to play for India
The best part of the interaction was that when he was bowling in the nets he was not just pitching the ball at the right spot but the spark in his eyes was clearly indicating how much he loves fast bowling and desperate he is to join the SRH camp soon as a net bowler.
When I asked this question related to club, coaches and he refused to mention that as he had a different coaches guiding him so refuse to pick one name.
As we say it’s not just parents who sacrifice for there children but if you get good friends in the 21st century you can count yourself as the luckiest person in your life.
He had two friends backing him and supporting him in every way. They were constantly taking his pictures and videos while he was interacting with us.
He initially started playing cricket at a Ghaziabad club and later he joined a club in Delhi. When I asked him about his favorite cricketer he had no answer as his favorite keeps on changing with time.
He took “Bhuvneshwar Kumar” name that he used to be his favorite also when I asked him why did he decided to become fast bowler he said that there is no specific reason why he choose to become fast bowler but he loves bowling fast and he is one the prime fast bowler from the team he plays.
He went for the camp and he was bowling unaware with the fact that there were also selectors of Sunrises Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals around there.
Later he got to know that he is selected as a net bowler in Sunrisers Hyderabad. He will be joining the camp soon in Hyderabad starting from the 1st week of March.
It was a great education to know about the injuries that fast bowlers sustain. Mostly fast bowler faces shoulder and wrist issue which are the most important component of a fast bowler. Also, he told me about the diet that he takes. Mostly he eats boiled food and avoids junk food.
The best part was that he did not have any coach who planned his diet and he himself planned his diet and strictly follows that.
When I was interacting with him and the maturity he was giving answer does not sound like 16 years old he was speaking like a matured cricketer. We observed keenly him on the nets and looked closely at the angle he was hitting the deck hard, wrist positions, releasing the bowl. And had a proper follow-through when he was releasing the bowl was so much to learn. He also explained about all the skills that fast bowler develops was a great learning experience.
As they say “Cricket is a gentlemen’s game” but it is also “Unpredictable game” at the same time.
There are so many people who want to play for the country but very few make it. It is not just they are good and that’s when they get the chance.
But it is also about having firm determination to fight against all odds and making it big for the country.
The purpose of this interview was to present the story of an aspiring sports person so that his struggle can sacrifice can inspire another sportsperson to take up this sport professionally.
To make it big in their sporting carrier. Overall it was a great experience to learn from him and hear his stories so that most people can come up and get inspired and chase his dreams of becoming a professional cricketer.
