Batman of Kochi

TNIE lensman A Sanesh spends a day with scoop bat ace Abbas P S
Abbas scooping a bat at his workshop in Edappally. The final product comes out after careful chiselling and polishing
Abbas scooping a bat at his workshop in Edappally. The final product comes out after careful chiselling and polishing Photo credit | A Sanesh
Updated on
2 min read

KOCHI: It all began from Viru’s bat. For cricket-crazy Abbas P S there is no better sight than watching Virender Sehwag smash sixes with ease.

“My love for cricket began when I was six years old,” he says. “But I became passionate after watching Sehwag.”

Besides the explosive batsman’s swag, there was something else that hooked him. “I learnt that he played with bats specially made for him. I dreamt of playing with one custom-made for me. After all, as a child, I was a specialist in shaping bats out of coconut frond stalks,” laughs Abbas, 29.

Today, Abbas is a sought-after bat specialist in Kochi. He is an ace at making what’s called the scoop bat, a lightweight version used primarily for tennis-ball cricket. While normal bats weigh up to 1.4kg, scoop bats start at 950g.

Abbas, who is a club cricketer, uses a chisel-and-polishing technique known as scooping. “The proportions of the bat are reduced to suit the player’s preferences,” he explains.

At his bat factory in Edappally, Abbas personally chisels each bat. “These are easy to handle and ideal for short matches, where players need to hit big, swing with ease,” he says.

His clientele includes local club players, and also players (mostly NRKs) in the Gulf, US and Canada. There are months when he sells up to 100 bats.

Abbas’s journey into the business began at 21. Initially, he sold scoop bats sourced from manufacturers. “I once saw a player using a scoop bat during a game and was fascinated by how easy it was to handle. But at `2,000 per bat, I couldn’t afford one back then,” he recalls.

Abbas researched scoop bats and discovered the willow primarily came from Kashmir. He purchased three bats for Rs 2,000. He kept one for himself and sold the other two, thus starting his entrepreneurial journey.

Later, to procure quality scoop bats, Abbas used to travel to Maharashtra and Gujarat — regions renowned for bat manufacturing. “During a visit to a factory in Gujarat, I was captivated by the craft of scooping, and decided to learn the trade. The challenge was to master the scoop machine,” he says.

In 2021, Abbas launched his brand and outlet under the name A6, combining the first letter of his name and jersey no. ‘6’ from his early cricket days. “I never thought I would be making bats,” he says. Earlier, I had to briefly give up cricket, as I had to take up a job to support my family. Now, I can continue with the tournaments and play with the bats I make. That’s the best part of this business.”

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com