Basil Sylvester Pinto
PANAJI
Abhinandan Upadhyay may not be a name that might draw attention to a regular Indian cricket fan. But he has made his strides in the most-followed sport in the country that deserves merit and a few reams of newsprint.
When he walked in to The Goan office casually with a press note on Friday, it came to the fore that the Baroda-origin differently-abled cricketer needs his due and a full-fledged interview was the least we could do.
A middle-order batsman and a left-arm chinaman bowler for the Indian disabled team, Upadhyay plays as a contracted player for Dena Bank in tournaments. Based in Goa for the last five years, he is putting in the hard yards at the GCA Academy Ground, Porvorim on a regular basis.
Recently, Upadhyay was part of the Indian disabled cricket team which toured Bangladesh that won the series at 2-1. “We were supported for the tour through sponsorship by India player MS Dhoni,” he revealed. Taking cognizance of his impressive performance in national matches turning out for Gujarat, whereby he scored 873 and took 44 wickets in 10 matches in the season, he was awarded as the player of the 2016-17 season.
With his performance graph on the uphill, the Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India picked the hard-working all-rounder as captain of the national side for the forthcoming series against Pakistan to be held in August-September. With the Indian cricket team not having toured Pakistan in a very long time, it was intriguing when Upadhyay divulged that the series is to take place in Pakistan.
“We are currently having visa problems. If not playing away, we will play at a neutral venue, either at Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah,” the genial all-rounder mentioned.
Upadhyay, took to playing cricket when 12, playing for his school side in Baroda. He went on to represent Baroda U-19 on merit. “At that time I was a pace bowler, but it was my coach N K Sharma, a SAI coach, who encouraged me to change my bowling action to left-arm chinaman,” the 27-year-old revealed.
Playing premier division tournaments, he recalls having picked three five-wicket hauls with his new action. He earned the best bowler award in a few local tournaments thereon. But it was his 10-wicket haul playing for Baroda in a T20 district match against Mohammed XI in Balasinor, in February 2017 that captured everyone’s imagination. He captured five wickets in his last over, including a hat-trick, with match figures of 4-1-10-10.
His heroics with the ball notwithstanding, he has shown the ability to play the big innings too. In 2012, representing the Gujarat disabled side against their Mumbai counterparts in Ahmedabad, he slammed a double hundred in a one-dayer that announced his arrival on the scene. But it was his impressive run of performances representing Gujarat Refinery that found him a break in the Gujarat disabled team, and after a good run with the State side he was eventually rewarded with an India call-up. He has since been part of the Indian disabled team, playing at the level for the last four years.
To his resume, he has also been part of the developmental squad of Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 4. Talking of his experience with pride, that he has bowled to the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Darren Sammy. With Muttiah Muralitharan part of the unit, he gleaned sound knowledge of his craft by picking the brains of the wily legendary spinner. “He (Murali) taught me how to grip the ball to get more turn and better bounce; how to bowl with a better loop and trajectory, improve upon my googly,” he fondly recounted.
He has not let a deformed right hand with a conjoined index and middle fingers, allow him not to dream big. Upadhyay looks at the biggest stage with hope and determination. “I would like to play for Team India. If I am fit and capable enough, I will make it,” the Porvorim-based cricketer asserted.
