Prakash Bhagat, a former Assam spinner, who once bowled to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), has been forced to sell tea and dal puri from a roadside stall to support his economically poor family.
The 34-year-old is a resident of the Itakhola area in Silchar town, situated in Assam's Cachar district. He sits with his mother every day and sells tea and fast food.
Bhagat took seven wickets, including a hat-trick, against Bihar in the under-17 Vijay Merchant trophy match and also represented Assam in Ranji Trophy. He was then called up at the NCA where the India team was preparing for their 2002/03 tour of New Zealand.
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Ganguly and co. were preparing to face Kiwi spinner Daniel Vettori, for which Bhagat was called in as a net bowler.
"In 2009-10, 2010-11, I played for Assam team in Ranji trophy. In 2007, Silchar became the champion of the Nuruddin trophy inter-district cricket championship and I was the captain of the Silchar district team," he said.
However, tragedy struck when Bhagat had to leave the game of cricket after his father passed away at the age of 65 in 2011. Furthermore, his elder brother’s ill health added to the family’s woes.
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“After the death of my father, all family responsibilities came on my shoulders. At that time, I was under pressure and I had gone a little behind in cricket because I could not give time in my regular practice. It was difficult for me to take care of my family and play cricket at the same time and that was when my downfall started," he said.
"We live in a rented house and are facing a lot of difficulties. Earlier, I was working in a company but I lost my job during the COVID-19 lockdown period. I earned Rs 10,000-12,000 and it gave some relief to my family. But now we are facing many problems. My father was running this stall, now I am continuing this," said Bhagat.
(India Today inputs)
