Rising Star Of Mumbai Cricket: Aryan Irani

[otw_shortcode_info_box border_style=”bordered” css_class=”boxed”]Young cricketing prodigy Aryan Irani has worked hard to attain success in this field. This talented fourteen year old, left arm leg spinner and lower order batsman has represented the Mumbai team in the under-14 and 16 levels and trains under the watchfulness of Chandrakant Pandit at the Chandrakant Pandit Cricket Clinic. Parsi Times Sports Reporter Binaisha M. Surti met the dynamic Aryan at the Mumbai Cricket Association where he spoke of his early days, cricketing achievements, coach Chandrakant Pandit, his precious meeting with the great man Erapalli Prasanna and lots more…[/otw_shortcode_info_box]

PT: What made you choose cricket of all sports?
Aryan: I’ve loved sports and knew right from the start that I wanted to make a career here. Being extremely fond of football and cricket, I played both games during my younger days, but later chose cricket. I played at various positions but now focus on being a left arm leg spinner.

PT: What’s your special approach to Cricket?
Aryan: Cricket is special in a lot of ways… it involves physics. I look up to Ashwin even though he is not a left arm spinner. I’ve read keenly how he uses physics to enhance his bowling. There are particular ways and methods that can make the ball drift in the air – the angle of the seam when you are gripping the ball matters. I’ve taken all these factors into account to enhance my bowling too. Either you give everything you have to cricket or you don’t give it anything at all.

PT: Why did you finally decide on becoming a spinner?
Aryan: It all started with Chandrakant Pandit sir thinking that I was fooling around and bowling wrist spin, which was rare. He asked me why I was fooling around. I said I genuinely didn’t know how to bowl a left arm spin. I went through four months of training. Thanks to him, I’m a left arm spinner now!

PT: Walk us through your bowling achievements in the cricketing circuit.
Aryan: Playing the Scorpio Cup in the under-13 age group, I picked up 2 important wickets and then I was picked in the MCA under-14 Summer Camp and the Varroc Cup. I bowled 74 overs and picked up 18 wickets. In the Dronacharya Ramakant Achrekar Cricket Tournament, I scalped 11 wickets. Having played 2 matches in the Giles Shield, I picked up 11 wickets. This tournament was a memorable one as it changed my life in a big way. I scored 65 runs and 72 runs respectively in the 2 innings. Later during my under-16 days, I got 3 wickets in a single game of the Payyade Trophy. While playing in the Kalpesh Kohli Tournament, I grabbed 15 wickets in 3 matches. I even took 10 wickets in a match and was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’, winning the purple cap for my 10 wicket haul.

PT: Who inspired you the most to choose this game?
Aryan: My father Firdos Irani has been my inspiration.

PT: As a bowler, how do you think one step ahead of the batsmen during play?
Aryan: I try and play with the mind of the batsman. I make my bowling hard for them to read – it keeps them guessing about my next delivery! Chandrakant sir always says that cricket is more of a mind game – it is all about being patient and calm all through.

PT: Share with us all about your precious moments with the great cricketer Erapalli Prasanna during a cricket camp?
Aryan: Prasanna Sir told us that a bowler’s job is to always hit the stumps. Every ball that you bowl, you have to think and believe that it will hit the deck.

PT: Who are your current favourites?
Aryan: When it comes to batting, I like Virat Kohli and in the bowling department, I prefer the spin twins of Indian cricket – Ashwin and Jadeja.

PT: What are your immediate goals?
Aryan: My goal is to play well in all the matches I get a chance. My next step would be to get selected in the under-19 Mumbai team. I want to take each day as it comes. I believe in giving my best to the game every time I walk on to the field.