My Parents Have Finally Agreed To Stop Working - KKR’s New Recruit Ramesh Kumar After Getting INR 20 Lakh Bid In IPL 2022 Auction

Punjab’s tennis ball sensation Ramesh Kumar aka ‘Narine Jalalabad’ experienced a life-changing moment when Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) picked him for INR 20 lakhs in the recent IPL 2022 mega auction which was held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

The 23-year-old from Jalalabad in Punjab impressed the KKR with his big-hitting abilities and for being able to spin the ball both ways while bowling left-handed, which earned him the name Narine Jalalabadi.

He used to ply his trade in tennis-ball tournaments across India for seven years but it was only last year he got a taste of ‘leather’ ball. Ramesh impressed in Punjab Cricket Association’s district-level tournament following which he was called for the Ranji Trophy camp.

He is extremely happy that an IPL deal has finally convinced his aging parents that their son can have a future in the game and they need not slog. His father worked as a cobbler while his mother sold bangles to criss-cross villages in Punjab’s Fazilka district.

“They have finally agreed to not work anymore. I never wanted them to do this work in the first place but it had to be done out of necessity,” Ramesh, who once blasted a 10-ball 50 in a local tournament, told PTI.

He also plans to use the IPL money for the education of his younger brothers.

Life Will Change Once I Perform In The IPL: Ramesh Kumar

He owes his career to senior Punjab batter and IPL regular Gurkeerat Mann who helped him reach the KKR trials in Mumbai. KKR assistant coach and former India all-rounder Abhishek Nayar was also convinced about his rare talent at the trials which eventually led to Ramesh’s signing at his base price.

“Life has not changed yet paaji, life will change when I perform in the IPL. The way I see it, I have finally got the platform I needed,” he said.

Despite not having proper training with a leather ball and not playing proper cricket at any level, it remains to be seen if Ramesh will be ready for his big break at the IPL. However, he remains confident of doing well and cited the example of Tamil Nadu’s T Natarajan, who played for India, after making his name in tennis ball cricket.

“You must have seen my videos (on youtube) paaji. I am basically a tennis ball player. Since I could turn the ball away and turn back in, people advised me to play with a leather ball. They would say ‘you might make it big. But I didn’t have the support that I needed to pursue the game professionally. I used to play an odd leather ball game but mainly it was all tennis ball cricket.

“It started with me playing all across Punjab, when I performed I got calls from other states too. Sometimes I made 500 in a day, sometimes it was 1000. It was just about enough to run the house and manage my travel expenses,” he said.

He says that he is getting used to bowling with a heavy leather ball and is getting better at it. He feels a good stint in the IPL, will help him get better at proper cricket.

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