For young trainees at Raju’s Cricket Club’s Triumph Sports Academy in Madhapur, it was a Sunday morning to remember when 1983 World Cup winning team wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani shared his experiences to provide the right dose of inspiration.
“You have to dream big. Don’t say I would become a Sachin Tendulkar. Say, I want to be a better cricketer than him,” remarked a smiling Kirmani at the inauguration of the new wickets at the academy. “There can’t be a better role than the great Sachin in contemporary sport. He is the epitome of honesty, sincerity, hard work and consistency. So, unless you have these basic qualities you cannot even become a good cricketer,” the former India stumper told the young audience.
Reminding the current generation that cricketers of yesteryears till late 80s did not have any modern facilities yet still made it to the national team, Kirmani said it was possible because of the passion and the zeal to graduate from each level.
“You should be a good student in school to be good in life and sport. So, it all depends on how you shape your profile from the early days at the school and in the academies. Respect your coaches, yourself and above all the game. No one is bigger than the sport. Honesty and discipline are as important as possessing talent,” explained the 88-Test veteran.
World Cup winning team manager P. R. Man Singh was present when the former India stumper formally inaugurated the five cement wickets at the academy which also has tennis training facility and run by G. Sudarshan Raju of Raju’s CC.
