My first Break

Even as a school boy, Ajit Agarkar had big dreams. It is no wonder then, that the 20-year-old fast bowler holds the world record for taking 50 wickets in the least number of one-day internationals. But back then in the late-eighties when he was still studying at the Indian Education Society, he realised that cricket was his calling and switched over to Sharadashram School which had earlier groomed the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. quot;After representing my school, I played for the Bombay under-16 and under-19 teams. And my first big break came in the 1996-97 Ranji season when I got selected to play for Bombay against Gujarat,quot; says Agarkar.

After a solid performance against Pakistan as part of the India A8217; team early this year, Agarkar wasn8217;t at all surprised when he was selected to play for India against Australia in Cochi. quot;This was part of the triangular series along with Zimbabwe in April, and Azhar had told me I would play the previous evening itself,quot; he recalls. But while that gave himtime to prepare himself for the big day, it didn8217;t help the butterflies in his stomach. quot;We batted first that day, and that gave me some more time to brace myself. And before I went out to bowl, Sachin spoke to me and that gave me more confidence,quot; he says.

Since then Agarkar8217;s been on a roll 8212; 30 games in seven months and over 50 victims in his bag. Add to that a couple of swashbuckling batting performances, and you have a man who can certainly become a solid all-rounder in months to come. quot;Actually I started off as a batsman. But gradually I got better as a bowler. Now my immediate concern is to try and push myself up the batting order,quot; he says.

But otherwise, Agarkar doesn8217;t set goals 8212; quot;I didn8217;t ever think that I would make the 50-wicket recordquot;. And even as a child, while he admired several cricketers, he never idolised anyone, though he does have his personal favourites. quot;In the bowling department, I8217;ve always liked Kapil Dev and Michael Holding. Viv Richards is perhaps my all-time favouritecricketer, and among contemporary players, it8217;s Sachin Tendulkar,quot; he says.