India’s 2007 T20 World Cup winner Robin Uthappa has opened up about his first cricketing memory, as well as revealed why he had decided to make a career in this sport.
After finding the sport of cricket a bit hard, Uthappa contemplated switching to hockey. But he later decided to make his name in cricket because it was difficult for him to find a place in hockey, and as a result, many talented players were not selected for the team at the junior level.
Speaking on Sharechat's online show CricChat, Robin Uthappa said: “My father was an internationally renowned hockey umpire who also represented Karnataka. Once, when I went for the U16 sub-junior selection, I realized the path is going to be very smooth because everyone loved my father.”
The CSK batter continued, “In fact, during the selection day, there were very talented people who had come there, however they did not get selected. I felt really bad that day that these players were not selected even though they were better than me. I used to play as a full-back and I was selected as a stand-by, but I felt that these players were so talented; however, they did not get selected.
That's when I realized my journey will be easy. I wanted to do something on my own. I loved and enjoyed hockey as it was a game of courage and perseverance but I thought the route would be an easy one and even if I succeed people would believe that has happened because of my father. So I went back to cricket, expecting to become successful through my hard work since my father had no connection with cricket.”
Uthappa signed off by recalling his first cricketing memory, “There are quite a few reasons for the choice made. One of them was when I was two or three years old and I was playing cricket with my mom, she was throwing the ball and I was hitting it with a broken plastic bat. That was my first consciousness of the game that brought me alive as a person.”
