An accident that nearly crushed a dream

I lost hope of playing cricket after being involved in a tragic car accident in July 1990. I was badly inured, but also lost a friend of mine [Vivek Singh, son of singers Jagjit and Chitra Singh]. I had broken my femur, and had a major fracture on my right leg, and needed to have a steel rod inserted in my leg. I also slipped into coma. It was very, very tough.

Somehow I persisted, and my parents' influence helped me. My father Vasant, who played Ranji Trophy for Maharashtra, kept supporting me and believed I could get back to playing cricket. Recovering physically is one thing, then playing cricket is a different thing. One has to be stronger than normal to overcome such an accident, and that's where my parents came in to the scene.

That situation made me a determined player and a person. Every day I would wake up and just wanted to work extremely hard and achieve something. The steel rod was removed a year after my accident as as it used to hurt my glute area, and then I joined BCA-Mafatlal camp headed by coach Frank Tyson. That was a turning point; that camp was where I got my physical fitness levels high and got stronger.

During running and training, my leg used to hurt, but I overcame it. I used to train for about seven hours in a day; we used to have practice in the morning and then later in the evening. In the evening, I used to make the extra effort of going to the gym to get stronger.

The turning point was an Under-19 tournament in Mumbai, where I picked up 19 wickets in three matches, including a seven-wicket haul against Maharashtra Under-19s. Dilip Vengsarkar was impressed, and was very headstrong in making me play for the senior Mumbai team straightaway. By that time, I recall I was picked in the India Under-19 squad against New Zealand as well.

Shishir Hattangadi was my first captain when I joined the Mumbai senior team. I was in Podar college, and Hattangadi was also from Podar college, so it was comforting to have his presence. His encouragement was very helpful.

I was very nervous, and my Ranji Trophy debut didn't sink in till much later. It was surreal to share the dressing room with the same stalwarts who players of my generation grew up watching. We batted first and made 500-plus runs against Gujarat in Surat. Jatin Paranjpe who was also from Podar college, and Vinod [Kambli] hit hundreds. Jatin was my senior at college, and we practiced a lot together. The Podar nets was the best in Matunga, and we were more than happy to make our debuts together for Mumbai.

I knew Vinod from schools cricket. We had played a lot of matches opposite each other. I played for St Xavier's School, and Vinod and Sachin made that famous 664 partnership against our team in the Harris Shield. Then I played together with Vinod on Under-17 and Under-19 tours; he was a tremendous player.

I took four wickets in my first Ranji match, and remember Zubin Bharucha taking a very good catch at mid-off from my bowling. It came off a top edge. Once I got a couple of wickets, I settled down. Gujarat managed to hang on for a draw in the end.

When I sit back right now, I will have to say the Ranji debut was a dream come true.To wear the Mumbai cap, the lion on the Mumbai sleeve is an amazing feeling. So many greats have played for Mumbai. Sometimes you wonder whether you really deserve it, but something in me struck Vengsarkar sir.

God has been kind to me. After that accident, I had a good first-class career, and went onto play for India too. Now, I am able to help youngsters as a coach. I have no regrets at all. It has been an amazing journey.