I am from Jujumura (Eastern Orissa). I had always been very good in studies, but at the same time I have also been crazy about cricket. I loved playing and watching the game but my father stopped me from doing that as he thought it would hamper my studies. Nevertheless, I kept my interest intact and used to play cricket with my friends without letting my father know about it.
In high school, I joined a local team and my performance with the willow earned me good reputation among the cricket fans in my locality. But it was only when I joined the Ravenshaw College that my dream of playing for a big team seemed to become a reality. To my ill luck, my father too was posted at the same place and I had too withhold my desire unleash my cricketing skills. But my father got transferred the next year and I started staying at the hostel. I started practicing hard once again that bore good results as I played an unbeaten knock of 57 under pressure in final of Inter-class and my performance helped me secure a berth in the University team. The very feeling of playing for my University was simply awesome.
Subrat Pradhan,
University level cricketer,
Ravenshaw, 2011