Like always, the recently held IPL 2022 mega-auction provided financial security to a lot of cricketers. However, it was tennis-ball sensation Ramesh Kumar’s story that caught everyone’s attention.
Ramesh was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 20 Lakh, which ensured that his father doesn't have to make a living as a cobbler and his mother no longer needs to criss-cross villages in Punjab's Fazilka district to sell bangles.
"They have finally agreed to not work anymore. I never wanted them to do this work in the first place but it had to be done out of necessity," Ramesh told PTI in an exclusive chat.
He also plans to use the IPL money for the studies of his younger siblings. His phone has been buzzing constantly ever since KKR made a winning bid for him at the auction.
"Life has not changed yet paaji, life will change when I perform in the IPL. The way I see it, I have finally got the platform I needed," he said.
Ramesh also recalled the time he travelled the country for making Rs 500-1000 a day in tennis ball tournaments.
"You must have seen my videos (on youtube) paaji. I am basically a tennis ball player. Since I could turn the ball away and turn back in, people advised me to play to with leather ball. They would say 'you might make it big'.
"But I didn't have the support that I need to pursue the game professionally. I used to play an odd leather ball game but mainly it was all tennis ball cricket.
"It started with me playing all across Punjab. When I performed, I got calls from other states too. Sometimes I made 500 in a day, sometimes it was 1000. It was just about enough to run the house and manage my travel expenses," he said.
Having got the platform to showcase his talent, Ramesh now feels playing for India is also a possibility though he knows he has a long way to go.
"Paaji I used to bowl with cosco ball which is very light. The leather ball is much heavier and it is harder to make it turn but I am slowly getting better. I am sure the IPL stint will help my game in a big way," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
