Auto driver Juned Khan turns Mumbai pace bowler
An auto driver Juned Khan has turned Mumbai’s fast bowler.
After he impressed everyone while representing PJ Hindu Gymkhana in local tournaments, Juned was picked by the selection committee chaired by Sanjay Patil for the Buchi Babu and KSCA tournaments
With at least a dozen international and Indian Premier League superstars featuring in the Irani Cup tie, each one of them had at least one crazy superfan seeking a selfie or a wave at some point over the last five days.
But the loudest cheer for a player across five days was for a debutant from Mumbai who hails from Kannauj — approximately 120 km west of Lucknow – he is Juned Khan.
His mother could not come down but many of his friends and extended family members from the city that’s renowned as India’s perfume capital or Grasse of the East were present every day to cheer for their son.
And pacer Juned Khan, did not disappoint them as he earned the prize scalp of Rest of India captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in his maiden spell in First Class cricket.
That wicket was a fairytale beginning of a toil of an ordinary Indian who struggles to make ends meet.
An overwhelmed Juned said that he couldn’t sleep at all ever since he was told on the match eve that he will be playing his first match for Mumbai, that too in the Irani Cup and the wicket was a bonus. Just to find himself here is like a dream in itself.
It ‘s a very familiar story of a budding cricketer from U.P. travelling to Mumbai or Kolkata and making it big. But Juned‘s story is different. When he moved to Mumbai from his hometown a decade ago, it wasn’t in quest of realising his dream.
He added that there were problems at home and he had to start working and help the family make ends meet, so he followed into the footsteps of a few elder friends from Kannauj and reached Mumbai.
No sooner he landed in Mumbai, and while sharing a shared accommodation with a group of friends, he first worked in a garment factory before managing to start driving an autorickshaw regardless being a minor.
Amid driving through the suburbs of auto he once landed at the Sanjeevani Cricket Academy run by former Mumbai wicketkeeper Manish Bangera, close to his home. He used to play tennis-ball cricket in Kannauj but ran in and bowled with a cricket ball for the first time.
Bangera asked him to start bowling every day but cricket is an expensive sport. Juned didn’t have money to buy spikes but many people helped him out and they backed him too to keep playing regularly.
The pandemic meant his competitive foray on the Mumbai’s Maidaans got delayed but amidst the lockdown, Abhishek Nayar, India’s assistant coach who was then Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach happened to spot his talent when he was playing for the PJ Hindu Gymkhana in Police Shield.
Adding that he helped him in every possible way so far. Had it not been for him, Juned would have been nowhere near where he is now.
He went on to add that it was Abhishek who told him to give up driving autorickshaw and devote all his time for cricket. Then he started training at his academy. When he asked him to join KKR as a net bowler for the last IPL season, it was the best opportunity for Juned.
About his idol, he says “Mohammed Shami” who also left UP in quest of realising his cricket dream. Would he love to return to UP and play for his home team? “Not really. Mumbai has given him everything and has made him what he is and that he will never ever leave Mumbai.
Juned still shares a room with five other friends, who work odd jobs. If he continues his fairytale, it is rest assured that he will go places and will never have to ride an autorickshaw again! And he will have fans chanting his name not only in Uttar Pradesh but wherever he plays!
News Edit KV Raman
