Tracing the early steps

Back home at 5 am, on field at 6 for local match
Ahead of the first Ranji Trophy match of the last season, Saurabh Tiwary felt soreness in his thigh and suffered a back strain. Tiwary had the option of pulling out of his maiden Ranji Trophy game as skipper. But he decided to play and made 136 off 233 balls, a knock that included three sixes.

He ended up with 593 runs in eight innings in the Plate Division. What impressed selectors in Jharkhand was that no situation seemed to rattle the 20-year-old Tiwary. After three years of first class cricket, Tiwary was elevated to captaincy.

Tiwary took over from Shiv Shankar Rao, a medium pacer in his 10th season of Ranji Trophy. No one was sure how Tiwary would handle the added responsibility of captaincy but he revelled; making runs and leading with maturity.

“We knew that Tiwary was cut out for bigger things when he made the 2008 Under-19 World Cup squad. But it wasn’t that we weren’t aware that he was a special talent,” Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) president Amitabh Choudhary said. 

“He is always cool under pressure. He had the right amount of experience to take over as captain. He has proved to be a brilliant choice,” Choudhary added. Tiwary’s success, Choudhary believes, will inspire cricketers from the state to think big.   

“It’s wonderful to see someone like Tiwary enjoy so much success in the IPL. There was an impression that undivided Bihar and now Jharkand never produced quality cricketers. Dhoni proved that it is a fallacy. Tiwary is showing that Dhoni’s emergence isn’t a fluke.”

Kajol Das, the Jharkhand coach, first trained Tiwary before the hard-hitting batsman turned 10. Das recalls how Tiwary made it a point to play all matches and sometimes his passion can border on the extreme. “Once he reached Jamshedpur at 5 am after a first class game and in an hour or so he was at my ground to play an inter-academy match,” Das said.

Players have accepted the youngster as their leader. Das said that the camaraderie within Tiwary’s side is excellent. “I haven’t heard a single dissenting voice. Also I hardly have much work as Tiwary is always looking at ways and means to make the team excel,” Das added. “Woh toh mast kalandar hai. But when it comes to the game he is very serious. He scored three centuries this season in spite of a back strain. That is the kind of dedication he brings to the table,” Das added.

Former first class player Rajesh Verma, who is also the secretary of JSCA is impressed with Tiwary’s energy. “He never wants to miss a game. He is always looking to improve. He has a sharp cricketing mind. Even when games are held away from city centres, like in Palamu, where the accommodation isn’t what elite cricketers are used to, Tiwary has never complained,” Verma said. “Sachin Tendulkar is playing Tiwary up the order in the Mumbai Indians line-up. Imagine the kind of confidence he would have gained now. It’s just a matter of time before Tiwary plays for India,” Verma added.

From half-wicket to facing seniors in three weeks flat
So prodigious was Ambati Rayudu that as a seven-year-old he was batting in the senior nets at the Gymkhana Grounds in Hyderabad. Rayudu’s transition from facing under-arm bowling on a half-wicket to facing medium-pacers twice his age took just about three weeks.

Abdul Azim, the former Hyderabad batsman, was so impressed when he saw a 13-year-old Rayudu in the nets that he immediately went up to senior pro MV Sridhar and asked him if he would make way for the petite youngster in the senior team.

Sridhar, rather sportingly, agreed with a fiat — Rayudu must score runs to back his elevation. Azim recalled that he fast-tracked Rayudu in to the Under-19 side.

“I remember the argument I had with Hyderabad Cricket Association’s Shivlal Yadav to include Rayudu, still playing in the Under-13 team, in the Under-19 squad. Shivlal finally relented and Rayudu got his big break,” Azim recalled.

It was to the Vijay Paul Cricket Academy that Sambasiva Rao, Rayudu’s father, headed when he decided that his son would become a cricketer. Rao was known to be a hard taskmaster.

“Rayudu’s father used to ferry him around on his scooter to the cricket camps and various matches,” Vijay Paul recollected. “Rao used to stand about 50 metres away and watch Rayudu practice day-in and day-out,” Azim said.

Rayudu loved playing his shots. “Often he was advised not to play the big shots when in the 90s. But Rayudu was a cut above in his age group. So he went after the bowlers, played lofted shots and still managed to score centuries. One of his first big outings was the Brijesh Patel Academy tournament in Bangalore. In five games he hit 400-odd runs, including two centuries,” Paul said. 

However, for all his talent, Rayudu hasn’t had a smooth ride at the senior level. Now 24, he is yet to break into the national side. Suresh Raina, his deputy at the Under-19 level, is a regular in the one-day and Twenty20 squad while Rayudu seems to be stuck at the Ranji Trophy level.

His differences with the bigwigs in the HCA are well-documented. Rayudu moved to Andhra but things only got worse when he and Hyderabad skipper Arjun Yadav had a go at each other during an Elite Ranji Trophy game. Rayudu also had a stint with the Indian Cricket League.

“Rayudu was always a very emotional boy. I have advised him to remain cool. His move from Hyderabad to Andhra and then back were in a way wasted years. Now, he seems to have found focus again. Sachin Tendulkar, many years ago, had a one-on-one chat with him. Rayudu never had an idol but Sachin did make an impression on him. I believe playing under Sachin will transform Rayudu,” Paul said.

Azim believes that Rayudu should have played for India at least five years ago. “Now, that things are looking bright for him I hope and pray that Rayudu finally fulfils his potential. He is a special player I tell you. Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and the rest are nothing believe me… Keep faith in Rayudu and he’ll show you how good he is,” Azim declared.