Digvijay, son of Surinder Amarnath, makes first-class debut in Sri Lanka; wants to carry forward family legacy.
Name: Digvijay Amarnath. Age: 22 years. Grandfather: Lala Amarnath. Father: Surinder Amarnath. Uncles: Mohinder Amarnath and Rajinder Amarnath. Favourite shots: cut, pull and hook. Dream: you know what.
It’s been nearly 24 years since a member of Indian cricket’s most illustrious family represented the country. And Digvijay wants to be the fourth ‘Amarnath’ to don the India jersey. An attacking left-hander much like his father (Mohinder chacha’s words, not ours), he took a small but significant step on February 22 this year. He represented Badureliya Cricket Club in a Sri Lanka’s Premier League Tournament match against Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo.
That fixture was, well, his maiden first-class appearance.
Why Sri Lanka? “I was training with Dennis sir (Lillee) at the MRF Pace Foundation last year. That’s where I met Darshana Gamage, a coach from Sri Lanka. I faced his bowlers with ease and he asked me if I wanted to play in Sri Lanka,” he says.
The lad was among the probables named by the Goa Cricket Association, but he chose to cross the Palk Strait and make his first-class debut in the island nation. “I played four matches for Badureliya,” he says. Digvijay didn’t have a great time with the bat, though. He tallied 138 runs in seven innings with a top score of 62. “People say wickets all over Asia are similar. I realised they are not. The ones in Sri Lanka have pace and bounce,” he says.
“Dadaji used to tell my father and uncles that Digvijay will carry forward the legacy. I was very close to him. I remember he was on his death bed, but he still showed me the correct grip of a batsman and bowler. I will always cherish those memories,” he says.
Another rule of the Amarnath family is that a player have just one coach. And that’s why Mohinder never interferes in Digvijay’s cricket. “He has his father for help,” World Cup winner Mohinder laughs. Father Surinder is also hoping for the best. “Diggy is just like me — an attacking left-hander,” he says.
Digvijay also recalls an incident involving Anura Tenekoon who played in the years before Sri Lanka were granted Test status. He says, “Mr Tenekoon is about 66 now. And he was thrilled to see me. He still remembers my father’s hundred in an unofficial Test match in Hyderabad way back in 1974. He says my father got a raw deal and was unfairly dropped.”
@DAbrahamm
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