VISAKHAPATNAM: Just when he left his passion for cricket and continued to concentrate on studies, Darsh received a call from his mother’s friend in the UK informing him about a position opened for an overseas player in Headstone Manor CC, for the Middlesex Cricket County League in London, which made him change his pathway back to cricket.
The 17-year-old leg spinner and all-rounder, Darsh Abhinay dazzled in his first match, with a stunning record of 14.2-1-59-10 in the month of July. He bowled 3 batsmen, caught two, bowled and caught one, trapped four LBW.Darsh achieved a unique record of being the only fourth player next to Jim Laker, Anil Kumble, and Ajaz Patel, who took 10 wickets in an innings in a test match. Darsh has been practising cricket professionally for the past 12 years.
“I almost left cricket when the pandemic hit the world. I grew up playing the sport and could not hold myself back when applying for the position and luckily ended up achieving the feat,” Darsh said. Playing on a foreign pitch for the first time, Darsh took his time in analysing the gameplay of the batters, climatic conditions and pitch during the first three overs, and went on to take a ten-wicket haul in the next 11.2 overs.
“My initial thoughts during the watch were more focused on adjusting to the field and the environment around. But each wicket I took boosted my confidence and instilled a sense of responsibility towards winning the match,” he recalled. With his record breaking feat, Darsh was inducted into the Middlesex County Cricket League Hall of Fame for taking all 10 wickets in an innings. He was also pronounced as the Player of the Week in Middlesex County.
“We had just finished our Amarnath Yatra when we received a call from Darsh. It was an emotional but proud moment for me,” gleamed Darsh’s mother Pratyusha. In the overall tournament, and out of the 11 matches Darsh played, he scored 302 runs, including three fifties, with a highest score of 95, took 24 wickets and 11 catches.
“It was an unbelievable moment when Darsh told us he wanted to take up cricket. We have been with him through thick and thin for the last 12 years. We were little sad for not being present personally, but the moment he broke the news to us, we were out of words,” his father stated proudly. Darsh revealed his future plans to be a part of the Under-19 India team and play the state leagues. “My role models in cricket are Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Sachin Tendulkar for the kind of personality he possesses and Shane Warne for his bowling. Being a leg spinner myself, I always looked up to Shane Warne,” he stated.
His brother Daiwit, who is also into sports, is currently training at a football camp in Spain. Darsh is a native of Vizag with his maternal grandparents residing here, and is currently studying in Hyderabad.He was felicitated by AP Highcourt Judge DVVSS Somayajulu, MP MVV Satyanarayana, Indian writer Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. DVVSS Somayajulu advised Darsh to work hard and maintain discipline to achieve things in life.