Goan pacer looks forward to earning a chance in the Playing XI at the U-19 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka
BASIL SYLVESTER PINTO
Cricket fascinated him from an early age. So much so he knocked at a ball on the walls of his bedroom at his home in Margao. Seeing that he evinced keen interest in the game, his parents fuelled their ward’s interest further by enrolling him at the 21-day summer camp back in 2006 at Margao Cricket Academy.
And this is where Heramb Parab’s passion was harnessed along with potential under the watchful eyes of his mentor and coach Hemant Angle. After finishing the camp, he was absorbed by SAG Borda RCC for daily practice which tapped young Heramb's talent further. Sportsweek CC thereon included him to play for their club for Goa and junior matches.
The protégée from the Angle school of cricket began to steadily shape up with credence by progressing across age levels playing for the State. He was playing the Cooch Behar Trophy when he received a call-up to the India U-19 squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup to take place in Sri Lanka from December 15-23.
Was he expecting the call-up? To which the unassuming youngster replied, that he was initially surprised as he got the call following changes in the initial team selected. But he attributes that his hard-work played its part in getting the call.
Though he went wicketless in his last U-19 game at home against Himachal Pradesh, his earlier three outings against Andhra Pradesh (4), Rajasthan (6) and Mumbai (2) fetched him 12 wickets which served enough notice to the National Junior Selection Committee that the strapping medium pacer deserved an opportunity with the India Colts. He feels that former India right-arm medium pacer, Venkatesh Prasad who saw him bowl in a Cooch Behar Trophy match against Rajasthan in Jaipur may have influenced his selection to becoming only the second Goan after fellow pacer Saurabh Bandekar (former U-19 World Cupper)to make it to the Indian U-19 squad.
Heramb started playing competitively for Bhatikar Model High School, Margao from Std VIIth onwards. At the school level, he reveals his best showing was against Mushtifund High School, Panaji when he scalped six wickets in the Trikannad Trophy while studying in the Std IXth. At the State level, he was initially part of the U-14 State camp.
Though in the first instance he did not make it to the squad, a second calling saw him not only make it beyond the probables but have his first brush with representative National cricket. Moving up to the U-16 grade, his initiation at the level was with aplomb. In his very first game against Tamil Nadu he reaped six wickets and in that tourney itself he snared 12 sticks from four matches. After which he progressed to the State U-19s while he was just 16. But he got his first opportunity with Goa U-19 at 17 against Haryana in which he went wicketless. He vividly remembers a match haul of 11 for 120 odd against Delhi in an away tie in November last year which helped him earn a selection to the U-19 South Zone Camp held at Vijaynagar, Andhra Pradesh this April. He made an impact in the camp which rewarded him with a berth in the South Zone U-19 team. In the two matches that he featured in (against East Zone and West Zone), he picked up three wickets. Thereon, in the U-19 one-day tournament in Hyderabad, he snapped three wickets in four matches. This was followed up with his fairly impressive performance at the Cooch Behar Trophy which helped him to step up to another grade.
Currently putting in the hard yards at the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru, Heramb eagerly looks to up to receiving sound advice from India great, Rahul Dravid, coach of the India U-19 squad.
“I would like to be guided on how I can improve my bowling and learn new things from him," the unassuming Margao-based lad informed The Goan from Bengaluru. Looking at the prospect at playing for India at the U-19s soon, the youngster says that he looks at using his chance to the full extent and try to bowl at his best.
While he is gracious to admit the role of his family and coaches, in reaching to the National radar albeit at the youth level for now, he is the first person to mention the name of Hemant Angle for molding him at a precocious age. “Sir has helped me in everything. He has given me special advise on how to go about my cricket which has helped me in developing my game,” the lanky pacer stated.
