CHENNAI: Samay Shrivastava was already 28 when he decided to shift to Oman and pursue his cricketing dream in the country. More importantly, a legbreak bowler and also a handy right-hand batter from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh didn't even know that Oman was a country when his childhood coach Jyoti Prakash Tyagi suggested him the move.
It took coach Tyagi around two years to convince the cricketer and his family but once Samay moved to the gulf country in 2019 there was no looking back. He made his international debut in 2022 after playing in the domestic circuit for three years and would be up against the country of his birth when Oman take on the mighty India in the ongoing Asia Cup on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
"Firstly I really didn't know that there is a country named Oman when Jyoti sir advised me to shift my base and then my family was worried as I was planning to move to a gulf country," Samay told this daily ahead of his team's match against Pakistan on Friday. Khimji Ramdas, a leading business group in Oman, wanted talented cricketers for their team and Tyagi, who runs Ankur Cricket Academy in Bhopal, sent them videos of Samay.
"Tyagi sir's friend Manjul Ahmad contacted him and he suggested my name. I first got a three-month visiting visa and once I impressed them with my cricketing skills, I got the work visa. I played domestic cricket there for three years as that was the requisite to gain eligibility to play the national team and made my international debut in November 2022 against Saudi Arabia in a T20I. All my inhibitions disappeared once I started playing cricket in Oman as they really have nice facilities and extend all cooperation to cricketers. Manju bhai (Manjul Ahmad) made sure I felt at home there and he still acts as a guiding figure to me," recalled Samay.
It was his father late Rajkumar Shrivastava, who wanted Samay to play for India. However, he passed away in 2013 after fighting a long battle against cancer. Samay was playing division matches in Gwalior when his father left for the heavenly abode. "If I remember correctly, I was vice captain of the West Zone team in the Vizzy Trophy and had to leave for Mumbai in a few days. I decided to skip the event after my dad's demise but my mother Rekha Shrivastava, Tyagi sir and uncle convinced me to play in the tournament saying that my father would have never wanted me to skip any tournament."
Samay played for Oman against India A in the 2024 ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup but the ongoing continental event will be his first against the senior team. "I always wanted to play for India but destiny had something else in store for me. Playing against such world class players will definitely put some pressure on me but it will also give me some additional motivation to perform and prove my credentials. Maybe by doing that I can prove something to those who did not trust my abilities when I was struggling in Madhya Pradesh," said the 34-year-old bowling all-rounder.
While playing for his state in age group competitions, Samay had played against the incumbent India captain Suryakumar Yadav. "We went to Mumbai for practice matches and I remember Surya was in the opposite camp then. I had also played against Kuldeep Yadav. In the Emerging Teams Asia Cup last year, we played against India that had Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma. I would like to give my 200 per cent playing against the T20 world champions." Samay added that his family and friends will support Oman when they take on India.
Meanwhile, coach Tyagi is happy that his ward is finally getting an opportunity to play against India. "He once dreamt of playing for India but unfortunately couldn't achieve it. He hopefully gets to play against them now. It will only make him a better cricketer. A good performance will only add to his reputation and I really wish he makes it count when Oman face off India," said the coach.