Five cricketers who rose through personal tragedies

Emotional resilience is an art not everyone can master. To be able to come back stronger in life after a rough phase defines a person’s courage, and the field of sports, in particular, is replete with such stories of such courage. Sportspersons display mastery not just over their bodies but also over their minds, which makes them special.

Not many basketball fans can forget Michael Jordan’s decision to quit basketball after his father was murdered in July 1993. Having been very close to his father, Jordan’s decision to call it a day seemed understandable, but it came as a shock to an empire of fans he had built for himself. On realising that life cannot stop at one’s death, Jordan came back to the game that same year. What followed was three successive championships for the Bulls, in all of which Jordan was the architect.

Almost all sports have such inspiring stories to tell. It is these comebacks, not just in the game but in life, which makes sportsmen special. Here we take a look at five cricketers who defied personal tragedies and came back stronger on the 22 yards. While some displayed courage after losing a parent, others did the same after losing a child.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Although it was India’s win in the 1983 World Cup which transcended the sport into a religion in the country, it was Sachin Tendulkar alone who made everyone fall in love with the willow. A demi-god in India, Tendulkar was and continues to remain the country’s greatest pride through his extensive global achievements in cricket and his social work off the field.

But beyond just the statistics, the courage he displayed after his father’s sudden demise had the world in awe of him. India had a poor start to the 1999 edition of the World Cup, having lost to South Africa in their first fixture. On the eve of their second fixture against New Zealand, Sachin was informed that his hale and hearty father had suddenly died of a heart attack. While the bereaved rushed home to take part in his father’s final journey, India succumbed to their second successive defeat in the quadrennial tournament.

Realising that a third defeat would make things difficult for India, Sachin flew back a day before the game against Kenya, in which he scored an unbeaten 140 off 101 balls which helped India post 329 on the board, win the game, and continue having a chance in the tournament. Sachin had later described the knock as a tribute to his late father.

2. Virat Kohli

Having broken several of Sachin Tendulkar’s records already, Indian captain Virat Kohli is widely regarded as the batsman who is likely to invade the Tendulkar dynasty completely in the next few years. One of the best batsmen in the world currently, and also an equally good chaser, Kohli had announced himself in cricket with an emotional story which is told till date.

The 18-year-old Virat Kohli was playing a Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka when his father Prem, 54, succumbed to a heart attack on December 19, 2006. The batsman was batting on 40 overnight and took everyone by surprise when he came out to bat the next morning and scored 90 to save Delhi from a follow-on.

His exemplary courage had already given the world a hint of what he was going to achieve in the coming years. And today, 13 years after losing his father, Kohli is next to none in the world on the cricket pitch.

3. Rishabh Pant

A successful U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, a triple-hundred against Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy, followed by a lucrative IPL contract with the Delhi Daredevils and then a national call-up in January 2017, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant came up through the domestic ranks. Widely considered as MS Dhoni’s successor, Pant is grooming himself for the huge shoes to fill.

It was during IPL 2017 when Pant lost his father to a heart attack. While he rushed home to perform the last rites, he also made sure that he re-joined the team in two days and adhere to his commitments. What followed was a 33-ball half-century in the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and that was just the foundation of the success that lies ahead for the youngster.

Although Delhi lost the game, Pant won several hearts for the kind of knock he constructed only two days after losing his father. The Delhi-based cricketer has made his debut in all three formats of the game, and it only a matter of time until he cements his place in the team after Dhoni’s soon-to-come retirement.

4. Asif Ali

After impressing one and all in Islamabad United’s title-winning campaign in the 2018 edition of the Pakistan Super League, Pakistan batsman Asif Ali made his national debut that same year. Having played 16 ODIs and 20 T20Is for Pakistan since his debut, the middle-order batsman has become a regular in the team.

Unlike the aforementioned stories, Asif was faced with the death of not his parent but his daughter when Pakistan was playing England in an ODI series earlier this month. Ali showed courage not just after losing his daughter, but even when the two-year-old was fighting cancer in the USA. The batsman scored two fifties against England while his daughter was in the hospital.

He lost his daughter right after the completion of the ODI series, travelled home, but returned to England for the World Cup right after the funeral ceremonies.

5. Tushar Deshpande

Not only best batsmen stemmed out from Mumbai, but the economic capital of the country has also produced some quality bowlers, one among whom is uncapped fast-bowler Tushar Deshpande.

Tushar lost his mother to cancer during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019, but only a day later, displayed tremendous courage to play against Karnataka in the group stage. Tushar paid a perfect tribute to his deceased mother by finishing the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament as the third-highest wicket-taker and the highest for Mumbai.

What followed was totally worth of his hard work. The trials with the Delhi Capitals, a call-up to India ‘A’ for the four-day matches against Sri Lanka and an extended contract with Arch Andheri in the Mumbai T20 League. Tushar is one of the few Indian bowlers who has been seen clocking between 140kmph to 145kmph.

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