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Journalism of Courage
CHANCES are when Parthiv Patel was out there on the pitch last fortnight, grittily wielding the willow in search of a match-saver, the Tank family of Juhu, Mumbai, had their fingers crossed, and an unspoken hope in their hearts. The next time around the cricketing world goes into raptures over an untested youngster, it could well be their 13-year-old Hersh.
Not that either fame or glory are unknown to Hersh. His amazing 329 not out in a 45-over Mumbai school match, including 45 fours and 16 sixes, in November 2001, earned him a mention in Wisden Cricket Asia. 8216;8216;We did have a problem with him playing so much cricket and not focusing on his studies,8217;8217; says Hersh8217;s mother Nandita, a home-maker. 8216;8216;But after he posted such a huge score, we know he8217;s got the talent.8217;8217;
8216;8216;Hersh started playing when he was around four and took the game seriously from the age of 10,8217;8217; says Nandita. 8216;8216;Actually, I used to play a lot of club cricket, Hersh became interested in the game after watching me practise in the nets,8217;8217; joins in Uday. 8216;8216;Even I used to play, but not as much as these two,8217;8217; adds Uday8217;s father Girish. 8216;8216;But my father 8212; Hersh8217;s great-grandfather 8212; captained Kutch, where we hail from.8217;8217;
With such a long family tradition, Hersh8217;s achievements almost seem a matter of course. 8216;8216;That8217;s me with Sachin Tendulkar,8217;8217; Hersh says proudly, turning the pages of a photo album, 8216;8216;that8217;s me with Mohammad Azharuddin8230; with Sanjay Manjrekar8230; Ian Botham8230; Viv Richards8230;.8217;8217; He makes no secret of his ambition of joining the stars.
8216;8216;Have you thought about what you would do if you do not make it as a cricketer?8217;8217; Hersh8217;s mother Nandita asks. The boy chews his thumbnail and slowly shakes his head. 8216;8216;He should study as well as play cricket,8217;8217; states Uday. 8216;8216;Though we never discourage him from playing, we emphasise the importance of his studies. He goes for tuitions before and after school.8217;8217; The grandfather interjects, 8216;8216;I have observed that he concentrates completely on whatever he is doing, whether it8217;s studies or batting.8217;8217;
8216;8216;I don8217;t like studying so much,8217;8217; complains Hersh. 8216;8216;But I know it is important. I do OK in my subjects but I don8217;t like all of them 8212; especially geography.8217;8217;
The same rules don8217;t quite apply when it comes to Hersh8217;s sister Shreya, an 18-year-old reading psychology in college. 8216;8216;I used to play sports, mainly handball, netball and throwball. But you never really get the chance to pursue these things, so one must study.8217;8217; This provokes a snigger from Hersh, clearly unimpressed with the advice.
Uday coaches his son along with other boys, but makes it a point not to be partial towards Hersh. 8216;8216;He shouts only at me,8217;8217; laments Hersh. 8216;8216;After school, we practise together 8212; just me and him. He doesn8217;t shout at me then and I learn more.8217;8217;
About the future, the family is ambivalent. 8216;8216;It is beyond our control, whether he makes it as an international cricketer,8217;8217; says Uday. 8216;8216;But we hope he can pursue his dream. At this stage it is a bit too early to push him. If he can get an office job through cricket, that is fine by us.8217;8217;
The life of a cricketer can be lonely and tiring. Constant travelling can strain family relations, but young Hersh is not deterred. He explains it thus: 8216;8216;I sometimes get nervous though when my parents come to watch me play. But once I am out in the middle I don8217;t see them.8217;8217; And the future is far more clear for him than it is for his elders: 8216;8216;I don8217;t want to play just for Mumbai,8217;8217; he states emphatically. 8216;8216;I want to play for India.8217;8217;
