AT THE CRPF camp in Odisha’s Maoist-affected Rayagada district, nobody knew Ravi Kumar. A handful knew his father, Rajinder Singh, an Assistant Sub Inspector. But Saturday evening modified all of it. Ravi, a left-arm seamer, nabbed three wickets for 14 runs — highlighted by a gap spell of 5-1-5-3 — to arrange India’s five-wicket victory over Bangladesh for a spot within the semifinals of U-19 World Cup in West Indies.
It was India’s sweetest second within the match but, as Bangladesh had overwhelmed them to the trophy within the earlier version.
Today, all of the discuss within the CRPF camp is about Rajinder and Ravi. “Kal tak toh koi Rajinder ko yahan janta nahi tha. Aaj sab saheb jante hai (Until yesterday, no one knew Rajinder here. Today, all the officers know)… Ravi ka papa Rajinder is the talk of our unit here. All the officers have called and congratulated me, I don’t have many words to express my happiness,” an emotional Rajinder informed The Indian Express.
The father-son duo needed to cross a collection of hurdles to savour this present day. The story of Ravi was one that almost didn’t occur. His mom was anxious about her son taking part in cricket on a regular basis, and needed him to concentrate on teachers and earn a level. Ravi, unperturbed, would inform her: “Aaj aap mujhe rok rahi hai, ek din aisa aayega ki aap mujhe TV pe dekhoge (Today, you are stopping me but there will come a day when you will see me on TV).”
Rajinder remembered this line when he watched his son slice the Bangladesh top-order, along with his incisive and slippery bowling, on his smartphone within the camp deep into the evening. He admits that there have been instances when he, too, was anxious about his son’s future. “I don’t have money and resources to make him play for India,” he says.
Ravi Kumar’s father Rajinder Singh
But then, seeing Ravi’s drive and dedication, he informed him: “If you have the ‘dum’, you will play for India.” That, his son did when he was barely 19. But not earlier than overcoming a number of setbacks. Realising that his prospects of progress have been bleak if he stayed in UP, Ravi referred to as his father after choice trials in Kanpur and informed him he had heard speak about bribes for a spot within the state’s U-16 squad.
Rajinder knew that was past his modest wage and financial savings. But the breakthrough second got here when a neighbour, who has a home in Kolkata, informed Rajinder that Ravi may keep there and play. Then simply 13, Ravi had no second ideas and packed his luggage. He began taking part in within the second division earlier than shortly leaping to first division. Misfortunes continued to hang-out him, although, however he by no means informed his mother and father about them. “I was in an U-16 camp but my name was removed after some tests, bone test or something. I was not given a reason and I was out,” says Ravi.
And every time he felt defeated, he sought motivation from his father. “Sometimes there are thoughts that ‘yaar, yeh toh bahut tough hai’ but then I think about my father. Unke job se zyada aur kya tough ho sakta hai (What can be tougher than his job)? Every day, he goes inside the jungle not knowing what is ahead of him. At the same time, he is doing so much for us,” says Ravi, who dreamt of becoming a member of the Air Force and performed cricket “for fun” earlier than native coach Arvind Bharadwaj noticed him.
At instances, he was taunted. “I heard a taunt from my friends that I won’t be able to do much,” says Ravi. Some of them are praising him now, he says. He takes it as a life lesson. “That’s life. One thing I have learnt is that only family stays with you till the end,” he says.
Gradually, fortunes modified. Late final 12 months, he was picked for Bengal’s U-19 crew for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. His success earned him a spot within the Challengers Trophy, a tri-series at house and the Asia Cup. But simply when future appeared to smile on him, he misplaced his uncle in Kolkata as a consequence of Covid.
Ravi has only one want now: “I want people to follow me and say ‘we have to be like him’.” He is aware of although that this dream journey has solely begun, and there’s nonetheless an extended method to go. But for now, the celebrity of Rajnder’s son has travelled far past the partitions of a CRPF unit.
