Test match experience at ACA Stadium inspires young cricketers to learn & evolve

Guwahati, Nov 26: They may not be the biggest followers of the longest format but a group of young cricketers could hardly hide their excitement as they soaked in the atmosphere of the ongoing Test match at the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) Stadium.

For Rahul Tamuli, a leg spinner and middle-order batter training at the ACA Academy in Fulung, the experience was something he had only imagined. He bowled in the nets to some of his favourite players.

“It was a great experience for me. I bowled in the nets. Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj batted. I also bowled to Tony de Zorzi of South Africa in the nets. So it was a great experience for me,” Rahul told The Assam Tribune at the stadium.

Most of these youngsters follow the white-ball formats. Yet they admitted that the traditional game tests temperament in a different way.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to watch the game and learn,” the 17-year-old said, as fellow trainees Avinav Choudhury, Nandan Pator and Pranab Gogoi agreed.

Pranab, a medium pacer and middle-order batter, said watching closely helps them understand how professionals approach their craft. “If we focus on the game, we can improve watching, especially how the players prepare, warm up and plan,” he said.

Former Assam cricketer Shankar Datta Lahkar, who also represented the State in table tennis and played football, felt the Test match would leave a lasting impact on the youngsters.

“It will be great for young cricketers to watch the game, observe and learn. We used to learn by watching. If sportspersons are intelligent enough, they will pick things up,” Lahkar said.

He added that witnessing both sides in action would help them understand whom to emulate. “They will obviously follow the South Africa players who have played better cricket,” he remarked.

On Guwahati hosting the Test, Lahkar said it could help build a culture of appreciating the format. “Test cricket is not T20 where you come to watch sixes and fours. You have to understand the game and appreciate the technique of the batters and the endurance of the bowlers. As a spectator, you also need patience to appreciate good things,” he said.

Lahkar, a national table tennis player in the 1960s, recalled how difficult it was for him to balance studies, table tennis and cricket. He participated in the 1967 National TT Championships in Guwahati, but could not leave to play cricket as the TT team did not allow him. He eventually made the Assam Ranji team the next year.

He hoped hosting a Test would broaden the game’s reach. “Established centres already have a culture of watching Tests. You have to develop that culture gradually,” he said.