Mumbai cricketing fraternity recalls some of their fond memories with Rajesh Sawant

The Indian cricketing fraternity was shocked to hear the news of the untimely demise of Rajesh Sawant yesterday who was India Under-19 team’s trainer. He passed away in his sleep on Saturday night in the team hotel. away in his sleep on Saturday night in the team hotel. People started searching for him when he didn’t report to the ground in his usual time and was later found dead in his hotel room. Sawant who was just 45 is surrounded by his wife and his daughter. The trainer was even present with the Rest of Indian team during the recently concluded Irani Trophy tie.

Just like the rest of the Mumbai Cricket Community, Sawant’s close friend Subodh Vaidya who is a scorer with MCA was also shocked to hear the news of his friend’s death. It was only on Saturday that Vaidya was cracking jokes with ‘Sawantiya”, as he was fondly known as during the warm-up match at the Wankhede Stadium between India U-19 and England U-19.

“I knew him since my college days. He was playing for Khandu Rangnekar XI in the Sports Star Trophy (U-19 tournament). I met him more frequently in the past five years, since he became a physical trainer, especially when he was at the BCCI batting academy at BKC. We used to have fun together. We used to train at Central maidan in Thane. I used to keep wickets for him at our club in Thane. When I shook hands with him yesterday, I’d no clue that it was the last time I was meeting him. I’m still in a state of shock. How can this happen to a fitness trainer, who would be all the more conscious about his fitness? It’s a big loss for me,” Vaidya was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

Former Mumbai wicket-keeper Sulakshan Kulkarni recalled his fond memories with Sawant who narrowly missed out on playing for Mumbai despite being in the Probables continuously from 1993 to 2000.

Also read: BCCI in shock after Rajesh Sawant’s untimely demise

“He was dear friend of everyone who played for Mumbai in that generation. I remember every moment I spent with him. He missed playing Mumbai by a whisker. He was an extremely likeable, lively, bubbly, humorous and jovial character. He would always keep pulling someone or the other’s leg. He would keep the atmosphere light in the dressing room. He was an example of how a player can be famous despite not being in the XI. There was something different about him.He was one of the most popular figures in Mumbai cricket,” Kulkarni said.

Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar also remembered facing Sawant in the Mumbai nets in the early 90’s. During an interaction with TOI, Tendulkar said, “He came to my home for around seven-ten days to help me do my exercises. He was a fit, disciplined and committed guy. He had the right qualities to be a physical trainer.

Former left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni also recalled some of their fond memories together. Kulkarni was a dear friend of Sawant for more than 25 years.  “We used to travel from Dombivili in train for the BCA Mafatlal bowling scheme. I used to take him out for dinner. All those are just memories now. His only regret was that could never play for Mumbai, despite being in the probables. But I was happy that he was living that dream by being a part of the dressing room by becoming a trainer,” said Kulkarni.

Also read: Team India wears black arm band as mark of respect to Rajesh Sawant