Mumbai Indians star Rasikh Salam Dar: Rise of bowler from 'Rice Bowl’ of Kashmir
CHENNAI: Abdul Salam has just got back from school. A teacher in Ashmuji in Kulgam district, he has plenty of guests at his residence. It has been like that since the evening of March 24, when his 17-year-old son Rasikh Salam Dar became the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to feature in IPL.
Kulgam, called the ‘Rice Bowl’ of Kashmir, is one of the most scenic places in the valley. Like other places in the region, tension is often high out there. More often than not, it hits headlines for wrong reasons. Thanks to Rasikh, Kulgam is on the cricket map.
“This is more than a dream,” says Salam senior about the past few months. In December, Rasikh was bought at the auction by Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 20 lakh. At first, they were happy that he got a place in one of the most successful IPL franchises. All that they expected was Rasikh would rub shoulders with legends, learn a thing or two and develop his game. Actual game time was not on their minds when Rasikh left for IPL.
“You know, how much it means to the people in this village?” says the bowler’s father. “Everyday in school and in the neighbourhood, some kid is roaming around with a bat or ball in hand wanting to become Rasikh. As a teacher, I always tell them to push their limits. But for my son to show them the way makes me proud.”
Despite being born to a teacher, Rasikh was never dissuaded from playing. In fact, Abdul used to take his son and nephew Saqib Amin to a ground nearby to play cricket.
“Since I wanted to become a cricketer and couldn’t, I never told them not to play. I only taught him the basics, because there are not many here who teach good basics. I use to watch television, pick up bits and pass them on. But Rasikh had this god-given talent. It was my duty to ensure he made most of it. Most parents want children kid to be doctors, government staff, but all I wanted was they should be on the right side,” Abdul adds.
But there was a time when even Abdul thought doing something else would be a better idea. “We used to attend age-group trials, but nobody picked him. I’d almost given up and sent him to trial one final time. Because he was about to graduate from school this year, had he not made it, I was planning to ask him to concentrate on studies,” Abdul says.
In the trials, Rasikh bowled only three deliveries before former India star Irfan Pathan, who was there to select players for J&K’s first-ever inter-district tournament, spotted him.
“I saw 700 boys. He was not the tallest or bulkiest, but had the best action,” says Pathan. “When he bowled the first ball, the way it came out of his hand, the seam movement... It was a left-hander, the first ball went away from him. The second had more zip and pace that convinced me he had something.
“I made him play with the Ranji Trophy side and what surprised me the most was, he had never made it to any age-group side. The world will see more of him. The more he bowls, the better he will get.”
Pathan realises that Rasikh, who grew up idolising Shoaib Akhtar, needs to be monitored rather than being just one-season wonder. He is not a major yet and money and fame can lead to bad habits.
Even in the off-season, J&K’s mentor-cum-player has been in touch with Rasikh. “With regards to his career, it will only go up from here. He just needs to do the right things, be calm and continue to work hard and not let any of it consume him. I’m mentoring him all the time. I keep it simple and just ensure his confidence is up.”
For now, there will be no dearth of neighbours pouring into Abdul Salam’s house when Mumbai Indians take the field.