A wiry 16-year-old left-arm spinner was struggling in his debut first-class match for Mumbai, finding it tough to cope with the challenges of professional cricket. Frequently bowling too short, he was repeatedly punished with boundaries through mid-wicket. "If you bowl short again, you go and fetch the ball yourself," fumed senior pro Ajit Agarkar from mid-on, who had previously retrieved the ball multiple times.
Unfortunately, the young bowler faltered again, delivering another short ball and facing the wrath of Agarkar. Trembling, Harmeet Singh walked to fetch the ball from deep mid-wicket. But a kind teammate, Rohit Sharma, jogged ahead to retrieve it and spared him further embarrassment. Fifteen years later, Harmeet Singh is set to face that same good Samaritan, Rohit Sharma, in a World Cup game in New York.
Reflecting on the past, Harmeet remarked on how surreal it is to play against Rohit after all these years. He recalled their training days at the same academy where Rohit, though less talkative and cheerful with juniors then, was always a solid character. The upcoming India vs. USA game will be a reunion for many players from the Mumbai dressing room, including Harmeet, Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Shivam Dube.
Harmeet expressed his admiration for Suryakumar Yadav's remarkable transformation. He remembered their numerous encounters in age-group, domestic, and club cricket, where Surya often dominated him, though he had his moments of victory too. Harmeet vividly recalled a memorable innings of 70 by Suryakumar on a challenging green pitch on his debut. Suryakumar is eager for another opportunity to make amends after being dismissed cheaply by Harmeet in their last encounter during a Mumbai Premier League match in 2018.
Saurabh Netravalkar shared his first impression of Rohit Sharma, who impressed everyone with a quickfire half-century in his initial match. Saurabh also recounted his deeper connection with Suryakumar, noting his unique personality and recalling a national U17 championship final where Suryakumar scored an unbeaten double century while chasing a target of 450. He also remembered a U-23 game where Suryakumar, as captain, convinced his team they had lost the toss and were batting first, leading them to score over 600 runs and win the match. Only after the victory did they learn he had actually won the toss and chose to bat, cleverly motivating the team.
Milind Kumar, another USA player, once played alongside Rishabh Pant in Delhi. During the India-Pakistan match in New York, Milind confidently predicted Pant's aggressive approach, recalling how Pant had once smashed Pragyan Ojha for three sixes in an over just before a tea break in his debut game. Milind described Pant as wild and unpredictable, always seeking new adventures and causing playful trouble off the field. Despite coming from a modest background without access to top-class equipment, Pant showed immense generosity by sending Milind multiple bats and even nine pairs of Nike shoes after Milind moved to the USA.
Milind also reminisced about his time with Virat Kohli in the Delhi and RCB dressing rooms. He observed two distinct phases in Kohli's personality—one from his early Delhi days and another in 2018 when Kohli exuded a commanding presence and relentless energy. Milind recounted how Kohli explained his balanced approach to life and cricket, emphasising that cricket was just a part of his life and not the entirety. Kohli's competitive spirit was evident when he playfully smirked at Milind after being bested as the team’s best footballer in 2018.
Monank Patel and Axar Patel, who grew up 15 kilometres apart, were roommates during BCCI age-group tournaments. Monank fondly remembered how Axar, known as 'Baglo' to his Gujarat teammates, remained unchanged over the years. After Monank’s victory against Pakistan, he video-called Axar, reminiscing about their shared memories, including a mishap where they overslept and faced punishment by running laps in the scorching Ahmedabad heat. Monank also recalled sledging Sanju Samson in a U19 game, only to watch in horror as Samson raced to a century before lunch.
These stories of shared histories and personal connections illustrate the rich tapestry of experiences that bind cricketers together, transcending national and professional boundaries as they now meet on the world stage.