The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have seen several youngsters coming to the fore and winning games for the team this season. The likes of Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, and Suyash Sharma have played their parts on different occasions, keeping the 2-time champions valid in the race to playoffs. At the same time, there are certain individuals who are working relentlessly behind the curtains to keep the Knights match-ready. One of those unknown faces is Jinnah Mondal; a young cricketer from Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, now working as a net bowler for KKR.
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Son of a fisherman, Jinnah has always dreamt of playing cricket at the highest level. He grew up in Bibipur village of Basirhat in North 24 Parganas and began his journey playing tennis-ball cricket on the streets. After being spotted by a local cricket enthusiast, Jinnah appeared for the trials at the Sambaran Banerjee Academy in Kolkata. The coaches were impressed with his game and agreed to train him for free.
But travelling from his village to Kolkata city was challenging. But driven by his passion for the game, Jinnah decided to travel those hard yards without giving it a second thought. Every day, he used to get up at 3 in the morning, ride his bicycle to Kakra Mirzanagar station, located 10 km away from his residence, and catch the first train to Kolkata to attend his training. The people of Basirhat aren’t surprised anymore to see a 21-year-old boy riding a bicycle before sunrise. They all know that it’s Jinnah on his way to the railway station.
When asked about his journey to Kolkata and back home, he said, “It’s very troublesome and hectic. I need to cycle from my home to the station for catching the first. Returning after a full day of practice is very tiresome still I want to continue because this is what I love most.”
It wasn’t a prosperous childhood for Jinnah in Bibipur village. His family, consisting of his parents, two brothers, and one sister, has seen the toughest of times but those struggles could never hold the youngster back from pursuing his dreams. After enduring unending obstacles and insults, he got an opportunity as a net bowler in the IPL. Talking about his son, he said with an easy twinkle in his eye,
“He grew up in poverty. We could never afford good shoes and clothes. Still, he continues to play through willpower and hard work. We know we will succeed.”
Jinnah may not have received the publicity yet, but his indomitable tenacity continues to weave through the day. He is moving forward with stubbornness in his heart and a dream in his eyes.
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“I had a passion for cricket but the scope was not there. So I started playing with the tennis ball. An uncle in our area took me to Kolkata to play cricket from there the journey began. I played for district and now I’m playing second division from which I got a chance in IPL as a net bowler,” Jinnah said.
“During 2018 and 2019 I played as a net bowler now also I am continuing to do that with all dedication,” he concluded.
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