Gujarat give Gony a new life at 33
CHANDIGARH: He may not admit it but the wheels of time seem to have come full circle for Manpreet Gony, the seamer from Mohali. Gony, who made waves for Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural IPL edition and went on to play for India in ODIs the same year, had been fighting a battle on both personal and cricketing front. On Monday, he may have got a lifeline.
Tears rolled down his cheeks when he learnt that he had been picked by Gujarat Lions for ~60 lakh at the auction in Bengaluru on Monday. More than the money, Gony will feature in the IPL after a gap of three editions. “When a fast bowler crosses 30, he is not taken that seriously. However, Ashish Nehra has defied this and set a different precedent. Hard work and fitness can give great results. I am also working hard and maintaining fitness. I have lost a lot of weight and done strength training. I hope I bowl well in the IPL and make my son’s dream of seeing me again in India jersey come true,” Gony, 33, told HT.
Gony suffered a string of injuries which forced him to miss out on Ranji Trophy action for a few years, and his comeback in the last season was unexpected. He picked up wickets for Punjab and did well even for North Zone in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. “I had appeared for bowling trials for both RCB and Delhi Daredevils and was hoping to maybe get a call from either side. The Gujarat Lions think-thank has surprised me and I am so thrilled to be back in the IPL scene. My personal life has been quite a rollercoaster since 2013 and that reflected on my performance on the field.”
A love marriage with Manpreet Grewal didn’t go well with his mother and he had to leave home after a showdown with his family. Worse happened when he had to separate from his wife and son Ranveer Singh Grewal in 2013. Subsequently, he filed for divorce and moved to Chandigarh from his house in Mohali for almost two years.
Financial problems also hurt Gony and he was forced to go to the US for a few months. “That was the most testing period of my life. I missed my family life… I could not concentrate on cricket. Thankfully, I reunited with my wife and son seven months back. The union helped me regain confidence and I could concentrate on cricket. I am sure I will be able to do justice when I play for Gujarat Lions in IPL-10. Lady luck should work for me.”