Football, a hope and dream for millions around the world and India is not far behind. In a country in love with Cricket, football provides job and food for many families in India as well. Haryana, a state renowned for producing many Olympic champions; is now creating football champions as well.

Alakhpura and Mangali, two small villages in Haryana are now known as the "Mini-Brazil of India" for producing hundreds of women's footballers every year. To have more knowledge on these villages and players from there, Sportz Point got in touch with Ravi Kumar Punia, head coach of HOPS Football Club.

Alakhpura is a village in Bhiwani district and Mangali comes under Hisar district in Haryana state.

HOPS Football Club is one of the main foundation of Women's Football in Delhi and Haryana and is run by HOPS Dharam Foundation, which provides fund and support to the girls playing football in Alakhpura and Mangali.

On a daily basis, nearly 700-800 girls practice football in Alakhpura and Mangali; which is very rare in Indian Football. To surprise you more, girls form the age of 3-4 start playing football there to represent India and wear that blue jersey someday.

To support their journey, it is not only the HOPS Dharam Foundation but the families of those footballers that come up with funds and other necessary things for the players.

"Nearly 700-800 girls play football in this two villages. Along with HOPS Dharam Foundation, it is the villagers who funds the whole process. Alakhpura and Mangali have been hubs for women's football in India and we have some great players from here who are playing for India and across age groups, as well as IWL," said Ravi Kumar Punia.

"We had three players from here who were there in the Asian Games. Four players played in the U-17 Women's World Cup and multiple players are in the State championships and other leagues representing many clubs along with HOPS Football Club," Ravi added.

Sanju Yadav and Ritu Rani from Alakhpura Village were in the Asian Games squad for India along with Renu Rani who is from Mangali village.

Sanju Yadav won the AIFF Player of the Year Award back in 2019-20 season.

Not only in the senior level, players from these two villages represented India in the U-17 Women's World Cup as well. Neha, Kajol, Varshika and Shailja were part of the prestigious FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup back in 2022.

"My father is a farmer. Everything he earns goes into our football. My younger sister is a footballer as well. She also played for India U-17 team. From byuing our shoes to providing us with good nutrition, everything goes into our football. Manisha Kalyan is my idol and I started playing football watching Renu (Rani) di play:" Neha, former India U-17 and HOPS FC footballer

But, what is the reason behind so many women's footballers coming from these two villages? HOPS FC Coach Ravi Punia came up with an honest answer. "Football gives them hope for a better future. Football provides jobs, and runs their families," Ravi told Sportz Point.

"All of these footballers come from very poor families. Most of their fathers are farmers. So, football gives them a chance for a better life. We have 22 girls from Mangali who have got Government jobs playing football along with more than 50 footballers from Alakhpura village."

"And, obviously, who does not want to see their daughters playing for India? That is why more and more families let their daughters play football from a young age in these two villages," Ravi Kumar Punia expressed.

Also Read: IWL 2023-24: HOPS FC hand East Bengal their third defeat of the season

Though all of these things look like a script out of any Bollywood movie, running a football hub like that with players from poor families is easier said than done. From professional coaching, and nutrition to injury prevention; you need to have everything covered. That is when people like Sonika Bijaria come in the rescue.

Sonika, who is the head coach of the Alakhpura FC, does not let any points go unticked. In an interview with Aljazeera in 2018, she said, "We practise twice every day, even on Sundays. And every member of the village makes sure we have things we need in place."

The girls practice once in the the morning before going to school and then pratices again after coming back from school. In these villages, milk, curd and chickpeas are easily available, so the players are highly dependent on this diet.

Along with Sonika, Narendra coaches the girls from Mangali village, who is an AIFF D-License coach.

"Both Sonika and Narendar do a wonderful job in providing everything for the players. From coaching them to guiding them with nutrition, they have been covering everything."

"When it comes to injury prevention and other medical things, we set up physiotherapy camps on regular occasion and HOPS Foundation helps us if anything serious happens to a player," Ravi told Sportz Point.

Also Read: Indian Football News: Chhangte and Manisha Kalyan win the AIFF Player Of the Year award

With the potential, these two villages have, Ravi now wants more support and exposure for the players, especially those who are doing well.

"Sometimes the moral support is lacking. We need that for the players who are doing well at various tournaments and leagues. Players who are going out from the villages and getting selected in the various camps and teams, we just want them to play more. So, the request from us would be, give them the chance and exposure, if you feel they are good players," Ravi expressed.

Kanishk Seth, during his U-19 days with Bengal, was seen as a future star. A batchmate of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ishan Porel, and others, Seth quickly made a name for himself with his left-arm pace bowling.

However, fate had different plans for him. Just before the ICC U-19 World Cup, he suffered an injury, which led to Khaleel Ahmed replacing him. Ahmed later went on to represent India. 

Seth was also on the verge of joining the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team in 2022, but a registration issue cost him that opportunity. Harshit Rana took his place and subsequently played for India. 

Throughout his career, Kanishk has encountered several setbacks, some beyond his control and others due to circumstances he could have influenced. In search of stability, he joined Railways for the 2020/21 season, a decision he now considers a mistake. After leaving the Railways and paying a sum of INR 15.75 lakhs, Kanishk has returned to his roots in Bengal.

After a great season with Bengal in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and East Bengal in club cricket, the left-arm pacer allrounder is now looking to go one level up at the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.

In an exclusive interview with Sportz Point before playing his first match for the Adamas Howrah Warriors, Kanishk reflected on his journey. 

Read Also | Exclusive: Advised by Sourav Ganguly, Abishek Porel gets coached by Yuvraj Singh; this is what he learned

Return to Bengal from Railways

He made his T20 debut back in 2015, when he was a rookie in Bengal cricket. Although he had the potential to become one of Bengal's finest players, he had to wait a long time to become a consistent presence on the team.

"I went to the Railways to have some financial security in my life. I feel that was a bad decision, and I should have stayed in Bengal," Kanishk told Sportz Point. 

"Later on, I realised that a kid always had to come to his home to feel better. And, I feel better whenever I play for Bengal. Thanks for C.A.B. the way they took care of me when I wanted to return to Bengal," the left-arm pacer added. 

"I always aimed to return at 200% more than what I was when I left Bengal. I think those years of intensive training really paid off," Kanishk remarked.

Read Also | Exclusive: "I would love to see more sixes, more runs," Shreevats Goswami wants bigger scores in Bengal Pro T20 League 2025

Learnings from CSK

In 2018, Kanishk was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Even though he didn't get to play a game, the experience taught him invaluable lessons that he is now applying in his game. "At CSK, multiple international captains were part of one team, offering a unique learning environment. I am grateful for the experiences and memories from my time there."

"It took me 2-3 years to translate those learnings into my gameplay, but I'm finally seeing the results now."

Throughout those years, his former teammates from U-19 cricket have advanced in their careers. Ishan Porel nearly broke into the Indian team, Abhimanyu Easwaran is on the verge of making his Test debut, and Akash Deep has already represented India. Despite this, Kanishk remains unfazed.

"I don't mind my journey being different. Everyone has their path. I feel happiest when someone from my batch achieves success, whether it's playing for India or the IPL. They all deserve it," he said. 

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

"IPL teams demand clarity and execution"

Currently, Kanishk is focused on reaching the next level and helping his team succeed. After attending numerous IPL trials, he has a clearer understanding of what teams look for in a player and is working on those aspects.

"IPL franchises look for clarity. You should have the skill to bowl six consecutive Yorkers if needed, and you must execute effectively over 80% of the time to play at that level," Kanishk explained.

That is when fellow Bengal players like Shahbaz Ahmed, who is one of the key players in the IPL, help him with information. During the Bengal Pro T20 League 2024, Sportz Point noticed how Shahbaz was sharing how Kanishk's slower ball was getting picked easily.

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"Shahbaz was saying even at the start of the run-up, he was picking that I was going to bowl a slower ball. I worked on that in the off-season and got Hardik (Pandya), Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma out with that slower ball," Kanishk stated. 

Throughout his journey, Kanishk has seen many opportunities slip through his fingers, whether it was playing in the IPL or missing out on the ICC U-19 World Cup. However, he now knows what to do and how to respond to life’s challenges.

With the Adamas Howrah Warriors, Kanishk aims to be a valuable contributor—whether it’s bowling at the start or end of an innings, scoring runs, or taking crucial catches. He is determined to make a mark in the Bengal Pro T20 League. 

"Only winners get noticed in cricket. I want to help the team win. That's it. I hope I will be able to do that," he concluded.

Abishek Porel, the Bengal and Delhi Capitals wicket-keeper, had a decent IPL 2025 with the bat in hand. Just like the 2024 season, he was trusted to bat at the top of the order alongside some of the biggest names in world cricket.

But the season did not turn out the way he would have liked. On most occasions, he got out after getting the start. 

Porel averaged only 25.08, a drop from the 2024 season's 32.70. The main reason for that was him getting out on 30-40 after getting a decent start for his team, Delhi Capitals. And, he knows it hurt his own performance and the team as well. 

That is why Sourav Ganguly wanted the youngster to visit Yuvraj Singh and get some valuable learnings ahead of the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025. 

It was Sourav Ganguly who gave the Bengal wicket-keeper a chance to replace Rishabh Pant in IPL 2023. Porel did his part so well as an impact sub that he went on to play all 14 games for Delhi Capitals next season. Not only that, he was also retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction.

Yuvraj Singh, one of the greatest white-ball cricketers of Indian cricket, is known for his performances in the 2011 ICC World Cup, where he emerged as the Player of the tournament, despite going through cancer. Not only that, his six sixes in an over in India's victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup are one of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket's history.

Read Also | India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

After retiring from international cricket, Yuvraj Singh chose not to pursue a career in commentary. Instead, he decided to help young batters excel at the international level. He began working personally with Punjab cricketers such as Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh, Ramandeep Singh, and several others.

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All of these Punjab batters did exceedingly well after getting trained by Yuvraj. Shubman Gill's career graph went up as he became Indian's latest test captain. Meantime, Abhishek Sharma went on to debut for India T20I format.

After a decent season where Porel feels he could have been better, a session with Yuvraj Singh is what he needed to get everything sorted. The youngster thus went for a camp held by Yuvraj Singh in Delhi, where players like Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, and Prabhsimran Singh were also there.

"Sourav (Ganguly) sir wanted me to visit Yuvraj Singh to learn from one of the greatest batters of Indian cricket. It was all about getting to know how to be ready for the international stage," Porel told Sportz Point in an exclusive interview. 

"We worked on a few basic things, and you know if you stay around a man like Yuvraj Singh, you will get to learn more. I will visit the camp again and will learn more things from him," Porel added. 

Abishek is leading the Lux Shyam Kolkata Tigers in the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025. In his state's own league, Porel now wants to rectify all of those mistakes he made in IPL 2025 and work on some individual things while leading the team to success. 

"I would love to get through that 30-40 runs zone and score more runs to help the team. That is the goal. Even Sourav (Ganguly) sir also told me that 30-40s are not enough, and I need to score more and look for hundreds," Porel shared. 

Abdul Monayem is a name that will go down in the history of Kolkata Club Cricket without any doubt. The former fast bowler joined Bhowanipur Club as a coach in 2009-10, when the team had just been promoted to the first division. Since then, he has helped them win three league titles along with multiple trophies.

Not only that, he helped East Bengal win the P.Sen trophy this season and qualify for the league final after nearly ten years. 

Monayem retires from club coaching 

After spending 20 years in club cricket and emerging as one of the most successful club coaches, Abdul Monayem decided to retire from club coaching. 

But why? 

Monayem answered the reason, along with sharing his future goal, in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point, just one day after the announcement via a Facebook post.

"This is a very personal decision. Just woke up that morning and felt like I was not enjoying it anymore. So, decided to leave club coaching," Monayem answered when Sportz Point asked him about the reason for calling it a day at club level. 

"Even after the last season for Bhowanipur, I was thinking about this. But two seasons back, Nitu (Debabrata) Sarkar invited me to take up the challenge to help the East Bengal cricket team become a winning side. So, I took up the challenge," he added. 

Read Also | Bengal Pro T20 League Exclusive: 9 cricketers teams should go after, who did not play or got picked last time

Abdul Monayem won nearly every possible trophy for the Bhowanipur Cricket club, and when he joined East Bengal, the goal was to make them win trophies.

"When I joined East Bengal two seasons back, the team was already made. This season, I was able to make the team. We won the P.Sen trophy and will play the league final again. Very happy to get them back to winning ways," Monayem shared. 

Will Monayem be there for East Bengal in the league final?

But, with his announcement now, the big question raised is whether he will be able to be there for the East Bengal cricket club during the big league final against Bhowanipur this season? 

Monayem answered, "NO".

Abdul Monayem will travel to France to attend his son's convocation and support him on this important day.

Along with players, coaches, and staff always miss the chance to be there for their families and with their son's one of the biggest days approaching, Monayem does not want to miss the chance to be there for him. 

That is why he had already informed East Bengal that if they reach the final, he will not be there on the sidelines. East Bengal club also respected his decision and accepted the letter from Monayem. 

"I will be visiting France for my son's convocation. My wife and I will both be there. I have missed a lot of things for cricket and coaching. I did not want to miss this."

So, I had sent a letter to East Bengal earlier that if we reach the final, I will not be there for the team. East Bengal also respected my decision and accepted the letter," Monayem shared. 

Read Also | Exclusive: "I would love to see more sixes, more runs," Shreevats Goswami wants bigger scores in Bengal Pro T20 League 2025

Monayem's secret sauce

Throughout his coaching career, Abdul Monayem not only won trophies for his club but also developed players who can contribute to Bengal cricket in the long run. He has helped several accomplished players return to the Bengal team. 

Shib Shankar Paul, Saurasish Lahiri, and Arnab Nandi are just a few of the names who managed to return to the Bengal Ranji team after excelling under Monayem at Bhowanipur Club.

Players like Ravikant Singh, Sumit Mohanta, Sourav Paul, and Agniv Pan made their first-class debuts for Bengal after playing under Monayem.

"Before signing any player, I used to ask them if they only had a dream of playing the Ranji trophy for Bengal, then sign for my club," Monayem answered.

Read Also | Bengal Cricket Exclusive: "If 100 does not work, I will score 150," Sandipan Das doesn't want to leave any stone unturned

"I did not become a coach to earn money"

Monayem, who loves to read and write about cricket and coaching, follows the great P.K. Banerjee's style of coaching, where he tries to develop a one-on-one connection with players more than anything else. 

As per Monayem, knowing the pulse of the players and then instilling faith in them is the main thing of coaching. If any coach can do that, they will win half the battle. 

Since the beginning of Sportz Point, multiple Bengal cricketers have mentioned Abdul Monayem in their interviews, and more than winning any trophies, Monayem feels this is his biggest achievement in his coaching career. 

"I did not become a coach to earn money. I did not do this for money," Abdul Monayem expressed. 

"I became a coach to stay in touch with them. Chitrak Mitra, the former BCCI vice-president, gave me the responsibility at that time and told me that I was good enough to be a coach."

"Since then, my only goal has been to create valuable cricketers and give Bengal a few cricketing stars."

"I have only one regret from club cricket"

Despite all the success, Abdul Monayem has only one regret within himself. He wished to give Bengal cricket an iconic cricketer like Sourav Ganguly, but he feels he failed to do so. 

Monayem, who gave Abishek Porel his first break in the first division cricket and told him that he bats like Brian Lara, believes Porel can be the next big star from Bengal. But, after all of these years, Monayem knows that to find and create the next Sourav Ganguly, he will have to go back to the roots and scout talent from the U-13 level. 

Taking the reference of Mumbai cricket, Monayem said, "You saw how they have stands named after so many players. They keep on creating iconic players season after season. I believe in Bengal we can also do that, given we have the system and infrastructure."

This is why Monayem now wants to scout and find young talents for Bengal, only if the Cricket Association of Bengal finds him worthy enough for that role. 

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

"I want to scout and work with young kids to find and make the next Sourav Ganguly"

At A.S.O.S, Monayem trains 30 kids for free so that Bengal cricket's next generation is in safe hands. Players like Rahul Prasad have emerged from Monayem's A.S.O.S camps. 

Read Also | From delivering online food to getting selected for India U-19 camp, Rahul Prasad's journey is an inspiring one

"If you want to have iconic players like Sourav Ganguly, who inspired multiple generations of Bengal cricketers, you will have to find them young and make them believe they can rule Indian cricket. I want to do that work for Bengal, if C.A.B. feels I am good enough for that job," Monayem stated. 

Emphasising icons like Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami's roles in Bengal cricket, Monayem added, "Only if we can have global icons like them from Bengal, then only we will be able to secure Bengal cricket's future."

Abdul Monayem's club coaching career

• High Court Club (2004-05 to 2005-06)

  • Marked the start of coaching career after a 20-year playing career.
  • Opportunity provided by Pankaj Mallick and Binay Mishra.
  • Coached under captain Rajiv Dutta (now an NCA Coach).
  • Key players: Sourav Sil, Bunty Gowala.
  • Focused on building a strong team dynamic, laying the foundation for coaching philosophy.

• Mohun Bagan (2006-07 to 2007-08)

  • Joined through Dipankar Hazra and Anjan Mitra.
  • Seasons led by captains Palash Bhowmick, Utpal Chatterjee (2006-07), and Manoj Tiwary (2007-08).
  • Notable players: Chaminda Vass (JC Mukherjee Trophy), Virat Kohli (P Sen Trophy), Wriddhiman Saha, Debabrata Das, Dharmendra Singh, Sabir Ali, Safi Ahmed, Sougata Dutta.
  • Achieved significant success due to team talent and dedication.

• South Eastern Railway Team BNR (2008-09)

  • Coached under captain Soham Ghosh.
  • Brief tenure but enriched with valuable experiences and team spirit.

• Bhawanipore Club (2009-10 to 2022-23)

  • Invited by Chitak Mitra to rebuild a struggling 1st Division team.
  • Coached for 14 seasons, nurturing young Bengali talents and experienced players.
  • Key players included: Shiv Shankar Paul, Sourasish Lahiri, Charanji Singh, Arnab Nandy, Subhajit Banerjee, Aritra Chatterjee, Amit Biswas, Jayojit Basu, Abhishek Das, Writtick Chatterjee, Debopriya Ghosh, Kamal Hassan Mandol, Soumya Pakre, Arunlal Yadav, Dibyendu Chakraborty, Abhishek Choudhury, Partha Sarathi Bhattacharya, Prinann Dutta, Ravikat Singh, Sandipan Das, Agniv Pan, Abhishek Raman, Amir Gani, Kaushik Ghosh, Pradipta Pramanik, Writam Porel, Geet Puri, Prosenjit Das, Sujit Yadav, B. Amit, Nilkantha Das, Ayan Bhattacharya, Alok Pratap Singh, Uddipan Mukherjee, Sryean Chakraborty, Abhishek Porel (2018, now a Bengal and IPL star), Mukesh Kumar (now an Indian pacer).
  • Focused on developing young talent, leading to significant player growth and success.

• East Bengal Club (2023-25)

  • Won the P.Sen Trophy 2024-25 and helped East Bengal reach the league final of 2024-25 season.

The second season of the Bengal Pro T20 League is set to commence on May 16, starting with the women's tournament, while the men's tournament will begin on June 4. Although the first season was relatively successful, the fans were somewhat disappointed by the limited runs scored by the batters. Shreevats Gowasmi, a former Bengal and IPL cricketer, hopes to see more runs this season to attract both scouts and fans.

Goswami, a 2008 ICC U-19 World Cup winner and the recipient of the 2008 IPL Emerging Player of the Year award, shared his insights in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point. 

"Youngsters should focus on performing in state tournaments like BPT20L

The former left-handed top-order batter, who is a commentator and cricket analyst now, emphasised the significance of local state leagues in a recent Instagram post, highlighting the necessity for players to focus on these leagues before aspiring for larger platforms like the Indian Premier League.

"I.P.L. teams are always on the lookout for unknown talents who can surprise opponents. Players like Priyansh Arya, Aniket Verma, Vignesh Puthur, and Digvesh Rathi were relatively unknown before entering the I.P.L. All of them made a significant impact in their first few games. This is what teams are currently seeking," Goswami told Sportz Point.

"Since I.P.L. teams now send scouts to observe performances in state T20 leagues, there's always a possibility of getting noticed through these leagues. Thus, players must concentrate on delivering strong performances in tournaments like the Bengal Pro T20 League," he added.

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In addition to providing a platform for players, Goswami believes these leagues can also benefit the states by helping identify the next generation of cricketers. 

"With these leagues comprising 5-7 franchise teams, they offer a pool of players to evaluate. This also aids states in discovering their next wave of talent. So, it works well for both young players and the states," Goswami expressed.

Read Also | Exclusive: Bowls like Malinga, once doubted by her family, Nadia's Sonali Das is set for Bengal Pro T20 League dreams after an 8-wicket haul in School Cricket

"I would love to see more sixes and bigger scores"

To attract fans and impress scouts in a T20 format, significant scores and exhilarating last-ball finishes are crucial. These elements highlight the skills of the batters while challenging bowlers in high-pressure situations similar to those encountered in the I.P.L. 

For example, Priyansh Arya made headlines in the Delhi Premier League by hitting six sixes in an over during his knock of 120 runs off 50 balls. Ashwani Kumar bowled six yorkers in an over in the Sher E Punjab T20 Trophy in 2024. 

Such performances helped both players secure spots in the auction, leading to notable achievements—Arya scored the third-fastest IPL century by an Indian, while Ashwani became the first Indian man in IPL history to take more than three wickets on his debut.

"The only thing I want to see this season in the Bengal Pro T20 League is big sixes and bigger scores. More scores in the range of 180-200, or even greater, will challenge the batters to aim for large hits during chases, while also providing opportunities for bowlers to excel in demanding conditions," Goswami stated. 

"However, given all the I.P.L. matches and club games throughout the season, it may be challenging to secure batting-friendly pitches. Nevertheless, I am confident that the C.A.B. will make an effort to prepare batting-friendly wickets this season," he added.

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

"Batters need to do more open nets"

To achieve high scores and experience impactful performances, Bengal's highest run scorer of Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy feels that batters need to adopt a more fearless approach. As one of Bengal's greatest white-ball batters, he advises players to engage in open net sessions to enhance their hitting skills. 

"I would recommend that young batters spend more time in open nets. See if you can clear the boundaries or not. Aim to hit 100 sixes every day from the centre of the ground. This will help them understand their abilities and better prepare for matches," Goswami shared.

Using the example of a talented 14-year-old, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Shreevats noted, "Look at someone like Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Even at such a young age, his hitting ability rivals that of anyone in the I.P.L. How does he achieve that? First, he has a fearless mindset, and second, he practices hitting big sixes."

"Developing the habit of hitting sixes is essential for success in leagues like the Bengal Pro T20 League."

Read Also | Exclusive: "Do not call him a 'baccha', he will play T20s for India in two years," says Bihar head coach after Vaibhav Suryavanshi's historical IPL ton

"More T20-specific practice is needed"

The last time Bengal won a white-ball tournament was in 2012 when they lifted the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with Shreevats as the opener for the team. Since then, they have struggled to achieve similar success in white-ball cricket. While they have reached a few finals in red-ball formats, their white-ball accomplishments have been elusive.

Read Also | Where Are They Now: Last Time Bengal Men's Cricket Team Won A Trophy

Shreevats believes that to thrive in the white-ball format or T20 cricket, players must engage in more T20-specific practices. Additionally, he feels that academies should provide grounds that allow for more open net sessions. 

"It is quite basic. Batters need to participate in more T20-focused practices. For that, access to open nets at training academies would greatly benefit the players."

But how can Bengal cultivate stars like Vaibhav?

Shreevats, who became a cricketing star even before turning 18, believes that to cultivate more white-ball talents at a young age, guardians need to place greater trust in coaches and allow them to develop the children. Additionally, coaches should engage with the kids to understand their aspirations and then guide them accordingly.

“To develop any cricketer, guardians need to have more confidence in the coach's abilities, and coaches should ask the kids what they want to achieve. After understanding their goals, coaches can guide them in the right direction,” Goswami shared.

Ravi Kumar, the star of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2022 victory for India, has so far played only 5 T20 games for Bengal. Whereas other players from that 2022 batch have gone on to play for their states, IPL teams or even India A, Ravi was not even tried in the first-class arena by the Bengal team management. 

Do you know that Ravi missed the IPL 2022 Auction because he had not featured for Bengal in any senior game before the auction? 

Read more about that - IPL 2022 Mega Auction: 8 U19 Players ineligible for the auction, here's the reason

Despite taking 45 wickets last season for Bhowanipur Club, the most by any pacer in C.A.B. First Division Cricket, Ravi was heartbroken not to get a first-class cap for Bengal. Not only that, he was also part of the team which won every single possible trophy in the Kolkata Club Cricket last season. 

After another stunning performance, on one of the flattest pitches of the season, where more than 700 runs were scored, Sportz Point sat with Ravi Kumar for an exclusive interview.

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"Performing well on flat pitches gives you added confidence"

Ravi showed his skill and class in the Kalighat vs Bhowanipur C.A.B. First Division League semi-final with a 4-wicket haul that helped Bhowanipur enter the final for consecutive seasons. On a pitch where getting a dot ball was tough, Ravi made sure he stuck to his strength of bowling good length to take wickets. 

"It gives you added confidence when you do well on those kinds of pitches. It was flat. So, I had to be patient with my line and length to achieve success. Getting the first wicket in the first over itself was an advantage as well," Ravi told Sportz Point. 

"Whenever you have more than 500 or 600 on the board, you get that extra cushion as a bowling unit. But, when you have someone like Anustup Majumdar in the opponent lineup, you need to be accurate with every ball," the 21-year-old pacer added.

Read Also | Exclusive: Bowls like Malinga, once doubted by her family, Nadia's Sonali Das is set for Bengal Pro T20 League dreams after 8-wicket haul in School Cricket

Length and discipline = Success

This was not the first time Ravi got wickets and success in the hot Kolkata weather in a pressure game. He has been doing this for the past few seasons. What has been his secret to bowling well on pitches where there is less support for the bowlers?

For Ravi, it is his length and discipline.

"You need to be disciplined on a wicket like this. In this hot weather, you need to make sure you are not wasting your energy on bad balls. Hitting the lengths and not giving away anything is the only way you can get success on this kind of wicket," Ravi shared.

Ravi's ability to hit a length from both over and around the wicket has given him lots of success in the last two seasons. In fact, in a champion team like Bhowanipur, he has been their go-to man whenever they are in trouble. And, Ravi loves the responsibility of doing well in a crunch situation for his team.

"I am fortunate that the team looks at me whenever they need something to happen. Luckily, I have also delivered in those crunch situations for the team," the left-arm pacer stated.

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45 wickets but yet no call from selectors

Last season, Bhowanipur won the treble of Kolkata Club Cricket by winning the League, ODI and T20 Championship. Ravi Kumar was one of their standout performers in that extraordinary season. Ravi returned with 45 wickets, the most among the pacers in the Kolkata first division. 

Though he was hoping for his ultimate goal of playing first-class after the end of a great season, Ravi was heartbroken not to see him on that Bengal squad for the Ranji Trophy. 

"I was heartbroken. I took 45 wickets last season and hoped to get into the Ranji Trophy team. But, do not know why I was not given a chance. But, that has made me stronger in mind that I have to keep doing well to earn that cap," Ravi expressed.

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That ankle injury and the toughest phase of Ravi's career so far

Meanwhile, Ravi also suffered a career-threatening ankle injury and then returned to action stronger than ever. Post recovering from his injury, Ravi did not miss a single game for U-23 Bengal and even prioritised club games more than a few IPL trials to get his chance to play for senior Bengal. 

However, the young pacer was hurt to see the lack of support from everyone during his toughest time. 

"Injuries are the toughest time for any bowler. It was a tough period for me. Sadly, I did not get the support I was looking for during that time. But, I came back stronger and played all the games at the U-23 level and club level," Ravi said.

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"I know my body better now"

But Ravi has moved on without resentment from those sad times and is only looking to focus on his process as an athlete. 

"Post the injury, I have known my body better. I now know the amount of workload my body can take. I am working on my skills every day, and  I am sure I will be able to impress the selectors with more crucial performances," Ravi stated. 

Ravi will be eyeing his back-to-back C.A.B. First-Division League title for Bhowanipur in the final against East Bengal.