The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) held open tryouts between June 10 and June 21 in an exceptional effort to establish a “pace bowling bank,” inviting over 1000 hopeful bowlers to demonstrate their abilities. With the objective of reviving cricketing supremacy in the state, this ambitious project attempted to unlock the unrealized potential of local talent.
The majority of the players lacked experience and had never even handled a leather ball, much less learned the subtleties of grasping. Surprisingly, the PCA selected 93 bowlers for further consideration, many of whom had never left their own communities.
Harbhajan Singh, a former Indian spinner, is the inspiration behind this admirable endeavour. Harbhajan, a Rajya Sabha MP and ardent supporter of the resurrection of Punjab cricket, has played a crucial role in directing the PCA towards reclaiming its former glory. He stresses the significance of effectively using the money given to him by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and envisions the PCA scouting outback villages for undiscovered talent.
“I don’t believe many states have ever conducted open trials as opposed to limiting it to age groups. During a break with his family, Harbhajan explained his goal: “I wanted the PCA to find undiscovered pace bowling talent.”
“Punjab boasts some of the toughest lads, and I refuse to believe that we don’t have boys who can match the speed of Umran Malik or Kuldeep Sen. The idea is to identify them and help them grow into exceptional bowlers. We have already identified around 90 boys between the ages of 16 to 24,” he added.
Over the years, the Punjab stateside has produced medium pacers such as Sidarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, and Baltej Dhanda, whose bowling speeds range from 125 kmph to 135 kmph. However, since the departure of VRV Singh, Punjab has yearned for a fast bowling talent capable of consistently reaching speeds of 140 to 145 kmph. To address this void, the PCA, led by secretary Dilsher Khanna, devised a strategic plan and enlisted the expertise of former national selector Harvinder Singh, along with ex-Indian pacers Manpreet Singh Gony and Gagandeep Singh, to scout talents for both short-term and long-term objectives.
To attract the right candidates, the PCA advertised in local newspapers and made announcements on local cable channels, with a specific condition that only players who had not participated in competitive cricket before would be allowed to take part in the trials.
“It has been an enriching experience to travel across the length and breadth of Punjab, visiting places like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Barnala, and Muktsar Sahib in search of talent,” shared Harvinder, the former Test pacer who is spearheading the project. “During our Amritsar phase of trials, we encountered a boy who stood at an astonishing height of 6 feet 8 inches. We were amazed. He hailed from a remote village and is approximately 19 years old. I must admit, there is work to be done on his technique, but he excites us with his potential.”
So how did they approach planning the trials?
“We didn’t consider anyone under the age of 16 because we wanted boys who were starting to develop muscle mass. For the 16 to 18-year-olds, we focused on their action and checked if they displayed any natural speed that could be honed. However, in this age group, we didn’t place excessive importance on height and weight, as these boys are still growing,” explained Harvinder.
Conversely, in the above-18 category, no one under 5 feet 10 inches was selected.
“Typically, we were looking for the strong and well-built Punjabi munda. We weren’t interested in line and length bowlers. We merely assessed the cleanliness of their action and whether they possessed raw pace or not. It was astonishing to witness the speed displayed by some of these boys from villages who had only played with tennis balls,” Harvinder enthused.
The PCA divided the 20 districts of Punjab into six zones, with three or four districts in each zone, to simplify the procedure. To cut down on travel time, this division was created. For instance, promising bowlers from Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran descended to Amritsar.
14 boys out of 200 were chosen after the Amritsar leg, while five boys out of 125 were chosen from Hoshiarpur. The largest turnout was in Jalandhar, when 250 boys tried out and 34 were chosen.
How many of the 93 bowlers who were chosen in the end are capable of competing at the board level?
“Our strategy is to organise a 15-day camp in Mohali, select 50 players from the group, and divide them into three groups. Based on my experience playing age-group cricket, I think a few guys will be prepared for the BCCI U-19 national championship in four months, providing they have the opportunity to play in at least 15 to 20 legitimate matches.
To help the chosen players reach their full potential, Harbhajan promised that the PCA will pay for all of their costs for the upcoming year, including housing.
“The BCCI provides adequate funding to state units, and in my opinion, this investment ought to go towards cricket players. I’ve explained this to the PCA, and I’m optimistic that Punjab cricket’s heyday will return, giving Indian cricket a fresh crop of outstanding fast bowlers,” Harbhajan said in his conclusion.
(WITH INPUT SOURCE)
