CricTracker Exclusive - Playing for RCB will be the happiest thing in my life, says Mohammed Azharuddeen

December 17, 1988

The venue – Moti Bagh Stadium, Vadodara. The opponent – New Zealand. Target – 279.

Doesn’t seem too daunting? It shouldn’t now, but 3 decades ago, it was daunting. It was the 4th ODI of the series. In the first 3 ODIs, there was only one 200+ score. 250+? None. Opposition skipper John Wright and Mark Greatbatch had set the stage up for New Zealand.

Even the most optimistic fan of India would have had felt nerves in that match, only that one significant person didn’t. 10 fours. 3 sixes. A century in 62 deliveries. A new world record. The entire narrative changed from a possible Indian collapse to the creation of something special, a spectacle that cricketing world hadn’t seen previously. Four single-digit scores, and India still managed to chase the total down.

The architect? Mohammad Azharuddin.

January 13, 2021

The venue – Wankhede Stadium. One instance where the cliched term ‘fortress’ can be justifiably used, is here. Mumbai’s fortress. Mumbai, for the uninitiated – is one of the most formidable teams in the Indian domestic circuit.

Target – 197. Here again, opposition skipper Suryakumar Yadav, set the platform up, with contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Aditya Tare. The chase looked improbable to many, barring one.

9 fours. 11 sixes. A century in 37 deliveries. Joint third-fastest by an Indian. Fastest by a Kerala player. The era was different, and so the format. The magnitude of the game was different, and so was the competition. One thing, however, remained constant (barring the obvious spelling alterations).

The name. Mohammed Azharuddeen.

The Beginning

‘India is a cricket-crazy nation’ is a phrase you must have heard often. In this nation where cricket is a religion, perhaps the only one not sparking riots, people from two states prefer to kick the ball than to hit it. One being West Bengal, the other is Kerela.

Being a cricketer might sound as a lucrative career option in the majority of Indian states, but in Kerala, a family would rather have their son settled in the Middle East than toiling in the domestic circuit. Mohammed Azharuddeen also heard that. From his neighbours, acquaintances, society at large, but never from his family.

The youngest of 8 children, he always got the most adoration and love. Speaking exclusively to CricTracker, Azharuddeen said, “People told me to go to Dubai and search for work there. My brothers always told me that you don’t have to worry about family responsibilities. I didn’t like to study and also didn’t work to go abroad and work. I had a passion for cricket and was fully following that.”

Azzu, as he is affectionately called, was born in a family where cricket runs in the veins. “I have 7 elder brothers, all of whom played district-level cricket. Also, I grew up in a small village called Thalangara, which had 20-25 cricket teams. So the place and my family is why I started playing cricket,” said the 26-year-old.

He was supposed to be called Ajmal, as his mother liked the name. But his eldest brother, Kamaruddeen, did not give the seal of approval. The Mohammad Azharuddin superfan had aspirations of seeing his brother play like the former Indian skipper. That explains his name.

However, young Azzu never quite understood the significance of the name back then, and even today, when almost every media outlet is calling him the next Azhar, he denies establishing any outlandish connection. In his effervescently humble tone and ever-so-calming smile, he said, “Please don’t compare me with the legendary Azhar sir. He is someone who reached the top and I am just starting out.

“To be very frank, I still don’t know what the significance of my name is. In 1994, when I was born, Azharuddin sir (Mohammad Azharuddin) was one of the greatest cricketers playing. My brothers used to tell me that, but I didn’t realize how great he was. Later on, I googled about him and saw his videos on YouTube to get an idea,” he added.

The Rise

Mohammed Azharuddeen started playing cricket when he was 9. His career graph followed a steady upward curve, but it needed a sharp increase to stand out. That came when he was 15, training at the KCA Cricket Academy. “I started playing cricket at the age of 9. When I was 15, I was selected for the KCA Cricket Academy. Bijumon sir was the coach then (of Kerala). My cricketing career changed after that selection. In 2 years, I represented Kerala,” said Azhar.

The apprentice, for all the limelight he has got in the last few weeks, has not forgotten his master. “Before SMAT20, I worked with him for a month. When I came to Mumbai for the tournament, even then I kept in touch with him,” he added.

The Ups & Downs (& more Ups)

Like every story is worth something, Azhar’s had some ups and downs as well. As for the latter, he faced challenges both on the personal and cricketing front. When he was 16, Azhar lost his mother. Four years later, he had to deal with his father’s demise.

Hardly had he got out of that, his cricketing career was at risk. Dav Whatmore was appointed as the head coach of Kerala, who, seeing his ability to clear the fence with impeccable ease, asked him to bat down the order.

“When Dav Whatmore came in, he wanted me to bat in the middle-order. Obviously, I have to put the team ahead of myself. Because of the team’s need, I came down the batting order, but that position doesn’t suit me,” Mohammed Azharuddeen recollects.

It was only when Tinu Yohannan took charge of the proceedings that Azhar rediscovered himself. “During the lockdown, KCA announced that Tinu Yohannan will coach the senior team. The first thing I did was, I called him and said I need to open,” said Azhar.

“He said not to worry about that and told me to focus on batting with the new ball. He assured me of that opening slot. After 3 months of practice, I came to the SMAT20 preparatory camp. In 6 warm-up games, I scored around 330 runs,” he added.

For a wicketkeeper-batsman, getting into the Kerala team is difficult. A certain Sanju Samson, a player who has had the chance to don the national colours, usually does that job for the team from South India. Azhar, however, enjoys the competition to the fullest.

“For me, it is a positive thing. Obviously, I have to compete with Sanju bhai if I have to be in the team. But that helps to get the best out of me. Me and Sanju bhai are playing together since when we were 17. Batting with him only helps me to get better,” he said.

That Mumbai Knock

Throughout all those years of turmoil, Azhar kept his focus on his game. He had the belief that it will only need one special knock to get into the limelight. “I have read many stories where one performance got a cricketer in the limelight. In my heart, I always had the belief that by the grace of the almighty, that innings will come soon. I simply tried to keep working hard till that knock came. Finally, that knock came against Mumbai,” he said.

And boy! What a knock that was. Speaking about that inning, he told us, “I was in my zone. After that innings, I went to my room to watch the highlights on Disney+ Hotstar. I was very relaxed during that innings. I laughed after every boundary and six. I was also chatting with my partner and had no idea I had crossed the nineties. It was Sanju Samson who came up and reminded me that I was batting on 92. He advised me to be a bit careful till I score the century.”

The IPL aspirations

With the IPL auctions knocking at the door, a player would be blatantly lying if he were to say that butterflies haven’t starting going wild in his stomach. Azhar, though, is not the one to lie. “Yes, I am excited for the auctions. However, I am not thinking too much about it, as if something goes wrong, I can’t let my morale go down. If I get a contract, that will be great. Even if it doesn’t happen, it is okay. I know I have to work hard to get into IPL,” he told us.

On being asked about whether he will watch the auctions, he said, “Of course I want to watch it. For the last few years, I have been watching the auctions despite not being a part of it. But our coach Tinu Yohannan has scheduled a practice session on the 18th afternoon. So, if my name comes up in the afternoon, I will not be able to watch.”

The Virat Kohli Superfan

Being a Virat Kohli fan, Mohammed Azharuddeen has no problem in denying that a contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore will make him the happiest. “I started following RCB because of Virat bhai. Playing for RCB will be the happiest thing in my life. Batting alongside Virat Bhai will be so special,” he stated.

He had a chance to meet Virat Kohli, but couldn’ gather to courage to get a picture clicked with him. Reminiscing that incident, he said, “I met Virat bhai in the NCA, when I was training with the under-23 side with Kiran More sir. We clicked pictures with the rest of the players, but couldn’t get a picture with Virat bhai. His body language and the way he walks is so assertive, I couldn’t gather the courage to go to him and ask for a picture.”

Recently, his bucket list started doing rounds on social media. One significant item from that list was to own a house. On being asked about that, he said, “To be frank, I just kept that bucket list beside that bed. I have no clue how it went viral. I have always wanted to have my own house. If everything goes well in the auctions, the first thing I will be looking for is definitely a house.”

On Kerala teammates

While Azharuddeen’s name will go under the hammer on 18th February, S Sreesanth‘s name wouldn’t. However, the comeback he made was commendable nonetheless. Speaking about him, Azhar said, “For Kerala, Sree bhai is an icon. He has played 27 Test matches for India. Off the field, he is a gem of a character. On the field, the aggression he shows is similar to what Virat bhai does for India.”

“Everyone in your team, both juniors and seniors, went up to him and said that Kerala will always be with you, and you will remain as our eternal role model. His confidence and body language made it look like he was playing county cricket for the last 8 years,” he added.

Speaking about his opening partner Robin Uthappa, another vastly experienced player, Azharuddeen said, “He is a very down to earth person who is willing to help you out all the times. Since he is an opener, I had a lot of conversations with him. In the last 2 years, he has helped me a lot.”

Plans for the Future

Like any Indian domestic cricketer, Azharuddeen’s ultimate goal is to represent India. But as of now, he focuses on not letting the nascent fame hamper his game. “I am just keeping my feet on the ground. Even after that match, my entire focus was on the next game against Delhi. Nothing has changed for me at all. I am just focused on working on my mental, physical and technical aspects. I can’t expect anything from one particular game. To represent India, I have to deliver consistently for 2-3 years. I just want to be more consistent.”

While we were about to call curtains to the interview, we casually asked whether he is aware of the reports that some franchises are monitoring him. With his trademark smile, Azhar replied, “I honestly am not aware of the developments. If it is true, that will be very nice. In any case, I have waited 4 years to be a part of IPL. I can easily wait 3 more days to find out.”

With him, entire Kerala will also be watching.