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Follow UsHe tormented them as long as the match was on but once the game was done and dusted, India-born American medium pacer Saurabh Netravalkar had a happy reunion with his former Mumbai teammates Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.
The software engineer has been nothing short of sensational in the ongoing T20 World Cup and was in his elements on Wednesday too, dismissing both Rohit and Virat Kohli in the group stage match of the T20 World Cup here. But India won by seven wickets in a chase of 111 riding on Suryakumar’s unbeaten half century to enter the Super Eight stage.
Netravalkar has been close to Suryakumar as the two played together for Mumbai. He was seen having a long chat with the swashbuckler and India captain Rohit after the match.
“I met them after more than a decade. It was special. We were remembering old times because we played since childhood in U-15, U-17. It felt like we carried on from where we left off. Jokes from those times, casual conversations, and dressing room banter,” Netravalkar, who returned with brilliant figures of 2/18 on Wednesday night, revealed in a media interaction after the game.
“I did talk to Rohit Sharma, who was my senior in Mumbai. I’ve played with him there. I haven’t played much with Virat, but he acknowledged our efforts after the game. It’s good that they see potential in this team,” he said.
The 32-year-old Oracle employee, who also happens to be a competent Ukelele player and a decent singer, represented India in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup before moving to the US on a scholarship to pursue higher studies in the prestigious Cornell University.
His cricketing journey restarted once here and he is now a key player for the US team, which is an amalgamation of talent primarily from India, Pakistan and the West Indies. At the ongoing World Cup, Netravalkar is quite literally living a dream.
From scripting an incredible Super Over win over Pakistan to dismissing Virat Kohli for a golden duck, the late bloomer said he is still trying to process everything.