And Ajay Sharma goes on and on…

He literally breathes and lives cricket. His appetite for runs hasn’t dried down and his will to practise at the nets remains even at this late stage in his career: K P Bhaskar

There are very few players who can stay at any kind of wicket for hours and play with total concentration. It’s a pity he hasn’t played many matches for the country: Coach Tarak Sinha.

The way he motivates himself is amazing: W V Raman

About 7,000 runs in 75 Ranji Trophy matches, including a record 30 centuries and seven double hundreds. Seven hundreds in Duleep Trophy as well for a total of 37 first-class hundreds. An aggregate of 1033 runs in a single Ranji season (1997) with five centuries in the same season to boot. About 60 wickets in the national championships.

Any average cricketer would have hung up his boots, more than satisfied with the performances over a period of 15 long years. But not Ajay Sharma. The Delhi skipper’s appetite for runs (rather centuries) at domestic level continue unabated. Ever since making his Ranji debut in 1984-85, he has proved to be the most consistent run-getter in National Championships. His maiden century came in his first season, that, too, in the final against the formidable Bombay (131 at Bombay). In fact, his first first five hundreds came in the knockout stage.

What surprises many who have seen him score heavily is the kind of motivation the 35-year-old still has.

When everyone (including a couple of Delhi selectors) thought that he was over the hill, he silenced them with an unbeaten 200 against Tamil Nadu. “To play for the country again remains a motive to perform. The fire (to get runs) is back after I had some fitness problems (backache and eye operation) earlier in the season. I am fully fit and raring to go all over again,” he says.

“Motivation had never been a problem with me. I was playing well last season when that `ban’ following the pitch-tampering incident took place. As a result, I was removed from captaincy. I am thankful to the DDCA executive for reposing faith in my captaincy again. Now the motivation is to lead by example and win back the Ranji Trophy. And also to score many more Ranji hundreds. May be, I’m waiting for my 300 which has eluded me so far.”

There are critics within the DDCA who think Sharma should make way for youngsters. “Who are the youngsters, those who make 20-30 and get out? Let the youngsters learn from Ajay the art of building one’s innings. If a player makes runs consistently, why bother about age? Wasn’t Raman Lamba making runs for Delhi? What you need is dedication and commitment,” says K P Bhaskar, one who had played with Sharma at club and state-level for more than a decade.

It is a pity that despite his runaway success with the bat on domestic circuit, Ajay Sharma has played just one Test (vs West Indies at Madras in 1987-88), scoring 53 runs in the two innings; and 31 one-dayers (424 runs at an average of 20.19; with three half-centuries (59 not out vs Zimbabwe at Pune in 1993 as highest); 15 wickets with 3-42 vs Australia in the Nehru Cup in 1989-90 as his best effort.

“He was branded a One-Day cricketer whereas he was an ideal player for five-day games, as he has time and again proved on domestic wickets with his patience and concentration. While some cricketers with average talent have played for the country, Ajay hasn’t had his share of luck,” says Bhaskar.

His coach, Tarak Sinha, admires the cricketer’s dedication. “While several of his colleagues have stopped attending nets, he still comes regularly to correct or practise his strokes. That is what makes him different from others,” he says of his product.

“It is for the DDCA management to sit with Ajay and work out a strategy to win the Ranji title. So far, he has done a great job for the team,” says Manoj Prabhakar, who played with him at club, state and national level.

Ajay is eagerly looking forward to the next game against the Railways. “I have played against them three times and on each occasion I scored hundreds (136, 182 and 220 not out). We are keen to qualify for the knockout and win the final. That ultimately will be the aim,” concludes Ajay.

“Performance is the name of the game. I still nurture playing for the country. So many Delhiites are playing for various India teams after good domestic performances. I am also waiting for my chance. I still have a couple of years of good cricket left in me. As long as I am performing for the team, I’ll continue. I haven’t given a thought to quitting the game yet,” he says. Hope the National selectors are listening!