Back in February 2020, I came across a very flamboyant cricketer while serving as a Cricket Coordinator for the Directorate of Student Affairs during the course of which I was involved in organising a National Level Sports Fest named ‘MILAN Colosseum’ organised by the SRM Group of Institutions in Kattankulathur Campus situated on the outskirts of Chennai.
This batsman was a southpaw and looked very impressive to me and even while officiating as an umpire, from the inside I was enjoying his exquisite drives and the insane ability to get under the ball and loft it for a maximum on the on-side region. He had a high backlift and an unusual elegance about him and with his exquisite strokeplay, he impressed almost everyone present in the ground. Upto that moment, I had no clue about who he was. He was representing Loyola College and his side were literally crushing down their opponents through the course of that tournament and it was not before the knockouts began that I came to know that his name was Tushar Raheja who had been representing the Siechem Madurai Panthers in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) for the past 2 seasons.
Tushar is primarily a left-handed batsman who can also keep wickets if required. He is a crisis man and can bowl right-arm off break if deemed very necessary as he believes that all-round development is the ideal way forward. On whole, he is a four dimensional player who is primarily a batsman who can keep wickets and bowl off break if required apart from being electric in the field.
Tushar has been living in Chennai since long but hails from a North Indian Sindhi family who have a business background. He is just 20 years old and is currently pursuing the final year of his B.Com from Loyola College situated in Chennai.
Tushar is a very young cricketer who has barely crossed his teens and still has that adolescent glow within him but on the mental front he is quite mature. He is a very down to earth person and even if one brushes across him by chance, one won’t be able to make out that he is a celebrity because that’s the way he treats people around him and as a matter of fact, that’s the reason why even I wasn’t able to make out in the beginning that I was witnessing a star bat despite officiating as an umpire in some of his games. During the course of that tournament, I interacted a lot with him and even requested him to face some of my deliveries and being a modest man he was more than happy to do so.
Tushar, like any other budding cricketer across the globe feels that the COVID-19 pandemic hampered his progress as a player as even the TNPL was scrapped off in the year 2020 apart from domestic age group matches being halted as well.
The 2021 edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League is all set to begin on July 19. Tushar has been picked up by a new franchise in iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans this time around and he is eyeing this opportunity as a big platform to take his cricketing career forward. He has been working real hard off-late and the Bouncer Avenue team expects him to put the stage on fire this time around.
The Bouncer Avenue Team were fortunate enough to get hold of him for an exclusive interview despite him being extremely busy preparing for the upcoming TNPL season.
The excerpts of the interview are published below:
Rahul: How did your cricketing journey began? How did you manage it alongside your school and college later on?
Tushar: To start off, I started playing tennis while I was very young. It was during the 2007 T20 World Cup that I started developing love for the Sport of Cricket. I started playing at home with my brother and cousins and then went on to join an academy. It all became serious when I represented the State side at the Under 14 level. It was always a challenge to balance studies along with the Sport but my parents never let me compromise on my education. They always pushed me and went out of their way to help with my studies in every way possible apart from encouraging me to keep playing.
Rahul: Who is your Cricketing idol and why?
Tushar: MS DHONI & VIRAT KOHLI are my cricketing idols. They have been a constant source of inspiration for me ever since my playing days. MS Dhoni for his cool and calm composure and his ability to not panic and remain relaxed even during the toughest of times and Virat Kohli for his hunger of runs and passion towards the sport.
Rahul: How did your journey to the TNPL happen?
Tushar: My journey was actually quite interesting. I had gone to practice somewhere and fortunately in the net right beside me was the captain of the Madurai Panthers. He saw me batting and asked someone to inform me to attend the trials for his team scheduled two days later. I played fairly well in the trials and was subsequently picked up by them in the 2018 draft.
Rahul: You shared the dressing room with Varun Chakravarthy while playing for the Madurai Panthers. How did he approach things differently that made him get success?
Tushar: There was always something special about him. You could witness that he always used to think differently from others and his mind was always pretty pro-active. The one thing I always admired about him was that he always had his priorities straight. On one occasion, he told me that when he goes back to the room, after a certain point in time he would not think of cricket and used to give time to his architecture. I feel this is very important as time off from the game is extremely crucial and helps a person to think more clearly.
Rahul: As a batsman, you must have learned some things from the experienced Arun Karthik. How did he help you grow as a batsman and how was his impact in the dressing room as a senior player of the Madurai Panthers?
Tushar: There are many things that I learned from him of which sharing the dressing room and batting alongside him is something which I considered was no less than a golden opportunity for me. His preparation was always on point and he always used to know what more he required from his game. His sheer focus while batting amused me and it’s a thing that I learned from the other end while batting with him. Another great quality present in him is the way he gels up with the other players in the team as he used to make everyone feel comfortable despite him being a very senior cricketer.
Rahul: How are you feeling after moving to a new franchise in iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans?
Tushar: This year is going to be really exciting. The management is great and the support staff is one of the best in the tournament without a doubt. I am very excited to work with our coach, R.Prasanna who also happens to be the coach of the senior Tamil Nadu side. Our side is one of the youngest in the tournaments and we are all itching to get on the field.
Rahul: How excited were you initially to share the dressing room with a super-experienced senior professional like Dinesh Karthik? What do you aim to learn from him through the course of the season?
Tushar: The thought of him being a part of the team gives a great sense of confidence to the team. I was excited to play alongside him and learn how he goes about his preparation during a tournament. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to join the side for this season but he keeps on checking on the team every now and then and I expect to learn a lot from him virtually during the course of this season.
Rahul: You are just 20 years old and have a lot of potential and promise in you. How do you plan to take your Cricketing career to a greater level in the next few years?
Tushar: The next few years will be very crucial for me which is the scenario with any cricketer of my age. To be a part of a tournament like the TNPL, is in itself a huge blessing for me and I want to make the most of this platform. During the course of the last two years, no Domestic Age Group Cricket or League Cricket in Tamil Nadu was conducted due to which I am even more eager to do well. I aim to get into the Tamil Nadu Under-23 Side by performing well in the TNPL and the 1st Division League. The Under-23 side serves as a great opportunity to get into the senior side. These days the domestic tournaments are widely watched by IPL scouts and the senior selectors. The goal is to get there but before that I have targets like getting into the Under-23 and the senior Tamil Nadu side.
With the help of my coach, Prabhu Balachander and the guidance of my parents, I promise to work hard till the time I get there!
