Its August 2025. The month when the U14 selections are likely to happen, and it did. I remember my last year of U14 trials, where I got selected for round robin selections, but unfortunately, I couldn’t proceed to further rounds. I made up my mind. It is the perfect time to show who I am and what skills I have. I remember the one year of freaking hard work that I did to get selected in the Tamilnadu u14 state team 2025 26.
The day has arrived. I was nervous, but I was ready for it. The opportunity comes once a year, and its an do or die situation. You win, or you lose. It was my time to bowl. Unfortunately, due to the rain last night, the groundsmen did not want any players to wear the spike shoes. The spike shoe is really very important for cricket players, especially the fast bowlers. And all the players must wear them as we are aspiring to be professional players. This spike shoe gives you the grip so that you don’t slip and fall, and as we play matches on turf wickets. Fast bowlers cannot enter the ground without it. Spikes is like a lord to fast bowlers. Coming back, unfortunately, we were told to bat and bowl with rubber studs. My friend and I bowled about 15 to 20 balls. And it was tough to bowl without the spikes, so my speed got reduced, and it’s not up to my satisfaction. But the rhythm was not up to its mark, and also the line and length. The selector told me you are not having enough speed. I was furious at myself. How come I have no speed? All these days I have been putting my hundred percent effort and have been working regularly on speed. The selector also told me a correction that is required for a fast bowler to improve my speed. So that’s all the first round of U14 selections was over, and I was anxious about the results. I was more worried about the speed part, even though my bowling accuracy was good. That’s the reason for my anxiety, as I always think of myself as a good fast bowler.
Days went on and on, and I finally got selected to pre round robin matches. I played well in the first game and also bowled economically in the second one. And also proved that I can bat well. I took a good number of wickets and scored sufficient runs for a tailender. Now the call came for round robin matches. We kind of went a long way for that match as the ground is somewhere near Redhills in the Gojan College. I remember the captain giving me the first over and telling me that it was you who are going to bowl the first over of the match. I was very nervous, and I took my run up and was coming with a relaxed run up in good rhythm and good strides as I took my load, and BOOM. I released the ball, and it was a freaking BEAMER. A full toss that has gone above the batsmen’s waist and head alomst finishing off the batsmen’s head. I was once again furious at myself for bowling a ball like that, and I remember the first over going to ten runs. And then I made a comeback by controlling runs and getting the batsmen bowled. My remaining overs were also well controlled, and I could stop the batsmen from scoring runs.
It was time for the second match. The match was a heartbreaker. Four boundaries in an over and not the best bowling figures as well. It made me very angry and furious. Though I controlled runs and bowled well in the rest of the overs and came back to a good economy from the runs’ perspective, I felt bad due to my first over. My few friends were also teasing me as well. I came back that day crying. Breaking things, throwing things, and being completely hopeless. Though I performed better on the overall side, I was nervous due to those overs where I gave off runs. I was concentrating on my mistakes and getting tensed up. So, I prayed to the Lord for one more opportunity. In the meantime, we were invited to a wedding. And it was afternoon. Then the call came from the selectors saying that tomorrow there is a match in Stag ground. And this is for the last round for U14 selections, and I have to play two more matches in this round. I was overwhelmed and started jumping with joy and exitement I was born ready and eagerly waiting for this. The final opportunity to enter the state team. The door is halfway open, and another halfway to go.
We came back from the wedding. The focus is now completely on cricket and nothing else. The day arrived. Our team had won the toss, and we were told to have a bat first. Well, the batting chance for me came in the evening. I played really well. I contributed with 14 runs, smashing three boundaries, but unfortunately getting out on the last ball of the day. The next day it was my time to bowl. Once again, I did not have a great new ball start as I was tired and drenched in sweat. Well, the opportunity came once again in the second spell. And I took two wickets in that spell. And my bowling economy was better when compared to the other fast bowlers in this final round of U14 selections. It was a good start to my final round of selection matches.
The next match came where I will never forget this kind of a match in my life. Well, I bowled a good spell at the start. But in the second spell, the runs were leaking, leaking, and leaking. I somehow managed to get a wicket and was screaming out as loud as possible with total fury and aggression. My friends once again teased me for giving away so many runs. That match was a headache. Now my bowling economy was just average. So I was worried about the performance in the second match. And I completed the U14 selection matches, and now I have to wait for my result. I kept on praying to the god to give me the best news if possible. And I also started checking the statistics of all the matches, and I felt that I was a little above average, but slightly lower than the top bracket of the fast bowlers. So I just started praying to the god only.
Days went by, and I returned to my regular practice. One day, I had my evening practice, and that’s when my life took a turn. I had a good bowling session, which was followed by bating session. I was batting in the nets when I got the news from my dad that I got selected to the Tamilnadu u14 state probables team. I was again a step closer to making it to the state team. The door is waiting to be opened, but I need to find the key to open it. The key will automatically open the door if I give my to effort and perform and bowl well in the nets.
So let’s meet in the next detailed blog about my experience from moving from the state probables team to the state team and how I played my matches in the South Zone tournament. See you soon.
