Like many starry-eyed teenaged cricketers, Siddesh Veer too had thought that the world will be at his feet once he played for India Under 19. The transition to seniors, however, is rarely a cakewalk.
At 23, he is finally beginning to find his feet. On Sunday, the left handed batsman from Maharashtra scored his second hundred in first class cricket. It was his first of the season, coming against Jammu and Kashmir. His ton alongwith Ruturaj Gaikwad (86) gave the visitors a semblance of a fight as the team had to chase 519 set by J&K.
The Maharashtra opener has been part of the India under 19 team in 2020 Junior World Cup finals, when they lost to Bangladesh in South Africa. When they returned home, there was appreciation of his anchoring capabilities despite the loss, and he believed he would start pushing for senior cricket spots straight away.
However soon there was a reality check. Veer, now 23, says at that age it’s hard to accept facts of life.
“After under 19, few get a chance to play IPL and then it looks like the Indian cap is near. Then the domestic season starts, we are in a bigger pool on a bigger stage. When things don’t go in our favour, it takes us time to accept it and realise that we need to move on,” Veer says.
Many youngsters, who do well in India under 19 don’t make it to the top but it has been viewed as a ladder to reach success in quick time. Under 19 has in the past given India future stars but most youngsters can’t handle the fame and success bestowed during junior cricket.
Veer now knows what lies ahead in life. He is ready to put in the grind in domestic cricket and wait for his opportunity.
In the past four years, Veer has managed to play only eight first class games and has found himself in and out of the playing eleven.
“What I learnt is that red ball cricket, especially Ranji Trophy tests your character and it tests your patience. I got a good start but I need to score on a consistent basis. I need to improve and stop thinking about selection,” he adds.
Veer’s hundred hasn’t ensured a first innings lead for Maharashtra. At stumps, they were 312 for 6 on the penultimate day. Maharashtra suffered two early wickets of Murtaza Truckwala and Sachin Dhas on the team score of 29. It was then that Veer and skipper Gaikwad added 175 runs for the third wicket before J&K’s Auqib Nabi got the opener out for 127 off 257 balls. His innings had 19 fours. “I wanted to bat for a long time, my aim before the season was to play long innings and bat for longer. I’m happy with the start but it’s long way to go,” he added.
Veer hails from Bhor district near Pune. At one point, his father Ashok Veer was unable to buy a good bat for him. His father sacrificed his career as a lawyer so he could provide the best training facilities and support to his cricketer son. He would cook food, prepare his tiffin, drop and pick him up from school during his early days.
Back in Bhor, his father has prepared an indoor ground on his land. With him progressing ahead in his career, his father has begun to train youngsters back at his indoor facility.
“I discuss with him daily, I still discuss with him especially the mental part. I’m here and he is busy in training other children in my indoor facility,” Siddesh said.
