Unmukt and Virat: Tale of 2 Delhi players
Then the script changed. Unmukt failed to score big, his bat went cold and mismatch between performance and potential triggered a backlash. Unmukt’s fall was as dramatic as his rise. Last season, he temporarily lost his place in Delhi’s Ranji side.
But why is Unmukt, struggling? Some say it’s technical confusion where a young player is unable to adjust to different formats. They point to Unmukt’s repeated failures to convert good starts, ordinary shot selection and tendency to go hard at the bowling when patience is a wiser option.
Others feel Unmukt lacks focus, an unfair charge considering his outstanding work ethic. Maybe, Delhi cricket’s pervasive negativity that erodes the confidence of young players is responsible.
Unmukt’s career is a reminder that cricket is cruel and success comes only when talent is aligned to taqdeer. Millions of kids play cricket in gullies/ grounds/maidaans and stadiums yet, in 85 years, from 1932 to 2017 (from Col CK Nayudu to Hardik Pandya), only 289 players have represented India.
It is also difficult to ignore the similarity and irony surrounding the careers of Virat Kohli and Unmukt. Both are top-order batsmen who came through Delhi’s chaotic club cricket. Both stood out because of their raw talent. Both made the Ranji side when young. Both led India to wins in the under-19 World Cup.
The similarities end there and soon Virat and Unmukt’s career took different trajectories. Virat went straight up after the World Cup moment in 2008 .ODI debut 2008, Test debut 2011, captain of India 2016. Today, he is on a different planet: No 1 batsman in the world with 13,000 international runs and 45 hundreds.
One observer who tracked both players explains the continued rise of the Indian captain. Kohli, he says, is a self-made champion who is sharp and fiercely ambitious. He discarded all doubts, rejected tradition and broke all mounds. Raised fitness levels, defied convention about personal life and had multiple tattoos on his muscled arms.
Unmukt is less flamboyant but a talent. Only 24, he still has time to optimise his gifts, make the second innings count. Their rivalry has stretched 13 years and 37 matches but Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have never met at the US Open, a staggering anomaly which seems certain to be corrected at 2017’s concluding Grand Slam.
Nadal, back on top of the world rankings for the first time in three years, is a two-time winner in New York, his 2010 and 2013 titles forming part of his 15-Slam portfolio which was embellished by a record 10th French Open in June.
Federer, the five-time US champion from 2004-2008, is bidding for a 20th major and third of the year after capturing the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles.
“New York is a completely different event,” said Nadal, who has not got past the fourth round at the US Open since 2013.
“Different ball and in the history of my career in New York I played much better.
UNMUKT IS LESS FLAMBOYANT, BUT A BUT A PRECIOUS TALENT. ONLY 24, HE HAS TIME TO MAKE THE SECOND INNINGS COUNT AND KEEP HIS TRYST WITH CRICKETING DESTINY.