Thursday, 30 January 2025
Thursday, 30 January 2025
In Malikpora of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, a small hamlet between majestic hills and shimmering rivers, a little boy grew up in the turbulent late 1990s and early 2000s with a dream of blowing up the stumps of batters.
And last week, that boy, now a 6-foot 4-inch tall man, dismissed superstar batter and India captain Rohit Sharma, along with Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube, during a Group A Ranji Trophy fixture.
Umar Nazir Mir was all over the internet after his match-winning spells (4/41 and 2/79) in Jammu and Kashmir's five-wicket victory over a star-studded Mumbai at the MCA Bandra Kurla Complex.
Nazir has paid his dues for his time in the sun. Not many cricket players emerge from Pulwama. Not too many cricket players emerge from the Valley, even though Kashmir is known for its willow that makes for high-quality cricket bats.
Nazir bowls right-arm fast with an action reminiscent of Australian great Glenn McGrath. Since debuting in the 2013-14 season, the tall Pulwama speedster has been consistent for Jammu and Kashmir, taking 144 wickets in 58 first-class matches.
Soft-spoken and shy, Nazir is still coming to terms with the fact that he played with superstars Sharma and Rahane.
"The association sent the team to Mumbai 10-15 days in advance to prepare for the match, which helped. Dismissing Rohit was a fan moment for me. I have grown up watching him on television. The fact that I was his fan and I was playing against him was a big thing for me. We all worked hard, and the bowling has been good thanks to the almighty," Nazir told The Telegraph Online.
Learning in different cities
Nazir comes from a middle-class family in Kashmir. His father is a timber businessman and his mother is a homemaker. Nazir idolised a few Kashmiri speedsters while training to bowl in full tilt and was coached by Mansoor Lone.
"There were people like Mohammed Mudhasir and Samiullah Beigh to look up to as role models," he said.
Since Kashmir lacks grounds with state-of-the-art facilities, Nazir keeps travelling to train at different centres throughout the year, including the BCCI's National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
"I have played for Tata in Mumbai, and I occasionally travel to Delhi. Whenever I get the opportunity to practise at a good facility, I take it. In Kashmir, there are open fields, but there aren't many suitable practice wickets. Turf pitches are currently being constructed, and I think the future will be better," said Nazir, who has 54 and 32 wickets in List A and T20 matches respectively.
Cricket over strife
Nazir learnt from his journey that cricket is a great medium to keep negative thoughts away. He runs the Umar Nazir Cricket Academy in Pulwama to inspire the next generation.
"The academy was started by one of my family members. I try my best to spend time with the young players. I practise there and guide them. Overall, cricket has improved in the region. Scouts go to districts to search for players. The selection has become transparent. The new generation of players want to play the IPL and have Test dreams," he said.
He shares his experiences of bowling at the Delhi Capitals nets at the Indian Premier League with the upcoming cricketers to plant the seed of excitement. They look up to Nazir as their hero.
"I have bowled to many top-flight players such as Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, when I was called as a net bowler. You feel good bowling to international players, and it increases your confidence," said Nazir.
The IPL has caused a revolution in the Valley with the success of Abdul Samad, Umran Malik and Rasikh Salam, he said.
"The youth saw these cricketers with IPL franchises and got inspired. There has been a cricket revolution in the Valley after witnessing the success of Samad, Salam and Malik. Now, others feel they also can do it. They love the travel part, plus training in different cities and under good coaches."
The future of Nazir
Parvez Rasool, the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India and Nazir's first captain in the Ranji Trophy, praised the fast bowler.
"He was always a promising bowler,” Rasool said. “He had just played U-19, and we immediately fast-tracked him into the Ranji Trophy, looking at his potential back in the day.
"There are good cricketers at the local level in Pulwama, but it is challenging for those players to get into the mainstream. There was no process earlier to find players from remote villages. Many talented players missed out, but Umar was lucky. He came for the trials and got picked," recalled Rasool.
Nazir feels there is no substitute for hard work and expects a breakthrough, perhaps an IPL deal, soon.
"I believe everything is possible if you work hard,” he said.
“Some people get it early, and some have to wait for even 10 years. The process is in your hands, and if you are honest with your training, you will win.”
