In 2010, Saurabh Netravalkar experienced a crushing defeat against Pakistan in Christchurch’s Under-19 World Cup quarter-final. Among the opposition was Babar Azam, and Pakistan narrowly triumphed over India by two wickets in a rain-impacted match.
Fast forward fourteen years, and Netravalkar found himself in a different scenario, representing his new home, the USA, in a T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan. Assigned the daunting task of bowling in the Super Over, he successfully defended 18 runs, leading the USA to a memorable victory and bolstering their chances of advancing to the Super Eights.
A Potential Historic Advance
With two more matches against Ireland and India remaining, Netravalkar might need to extend his official leave from his day job, set to conclude on June 17, if the USA progresses. His colleagues in America won’t need much explanation; he can simply show them one of the many Instagram reels highlighting this former Indian cricketer’s journey to becoming a part of USA cricket history.
Dreams of Playing for India
At 32, Netravalkar had long dreamed of representing India. He was a promising left-arm fast bowler who once bowled out Yuvraj Singh at the NCA in Bengaluru in 2009 while on Air India’s sports scholarship. This impressive feat earned him a spot in the prestigious BCCI Corporate Trophy.
Suddenly, he was sharing a dressing room with Indian stars like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and Robin Uthappa, facing opponents like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. At just 18, he concluded the tournament as the joint-highest wicket-taker and soon joined the Indian team for the Under-19 World Cup, alongside future stars such as KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Jaydev Unadkat, Mandeep Singh, and Harshal Patel.
A Tough Decision for Education
Participating in that tournament meant missing the first semester exams of his Computer Engineering degree, which he had begun six months earlier. This was the first significant decision he had to make in his cricketing career.
Netravalkar hoped his performance in the World Cup, where he was India’s highest wicket-taker, would secure him a spot in the senior Mumbai team and possibly an IPL contract. However, opportunities in the Mumbai squad were scarce due to the presence of established bowlers like Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Aavishkar Salvi, and a young
Breaking into the Ranji Trophy
Netravalkar eventually made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2013, but only after making another difficult decision months earlier. He left a job as a software testing engineer in Pune to dedicate the next two years entirely to cricket.
Despite his efforts, he found himself in and out of the team, prompting another significant decision when he received an admission offer from Cornell University in New York in August 2015. His strong academic background and passion for cricket, which led him to develop a player-analysis app called CricDecode, earned him a scholarship.
Academic Pursuits and a New Beginning
After completing his graduate studies, Netravalkar was offered a position at Oracle in San Francisco. Without his cricket kit, he began playing recreational cricket on weekends to connect with the Indian community in the USA.
In 2016, he represented the North West Region at the USACA National Championship. He intensified his efforts, seeking every possible opportunity to play when the ICC reduced the residency requirement for eligibility from four years to three.
A standout performance for Southern California Cricket Association XI against a USA XI in a national-team warm-up match in 2017 caught the attention of coach Pubudu Dassanayake. By January 2018, Netravalkar made his List A debut for the USA, taking 2 for 45 against the Leeward Islands, marking a significant milestone in his cricket career.
Thriving in Major League Cricket
Today, Netravalkar is a prominent player in Major League Cricket. Last year, he was the third-highest wicket-taker for Washington Freedom in the league’s inaugural edition, including a remarkable 6 for 9 against the San Francisco Unicorns, which featured stars like Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, and Shadab Khan. He later bowled to Shadab again in the Super Over, clinching the win for the USA.
Renewing Rivalries
Next week, Netravalkar will face Rohit Sharma, who is once his senior in Mumbai cricket, and renew his rivalry with Virat Kohli. He no longer needs to prove his cricketing credentials; videos of him bowling to cricketing legends will speak for themselves.
Netravalkar’s journey from aspiring Indian cricketer to a pivotal player in USA cricket is a testament to his resilience, adaptability, and passion for the game.
Read Also: Ravichandran Ashwin’s Autobiography: A Journey of Cricket and Determination
