The Ranji Trophy 2021–22 is a semi-final between Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh at the Just Cricket Academy Ground in Bengaluru. It’s been two days’ game. At the end of the second day’s play, Uttar Pradesh had scored 25 runs in the first innings at the loss of 2 wickets in 12 overs. Earlier, Mumbai’s first innings was all out after scoring 393 runs in 140.4 overs. His wicketkeeper Hardik Tamore had a big contribution in taking Mumbai to this score. Everyone is praising Hardik Tamore’s innings. However, there was a time when his game was about to come to a complete stop. That too not because of any outsider, but because of his mother. Hardik’s mother had banned him from playing cricket due to low marks in the examination.
In a conversation with the Indian Express, Hardik’s father Jitu Tamore revealed this secret. Jeet Tamore still remembers when his son’s coach Zakir Shaikh called 12 years ago and requested to meet for a very important issue. Actually, Jeetu Tamore’s wife had decided that Hardik would no longer be allowed to play cricket, as his marks in the fifth standard were below expectations. Mother felt that Hardik’s passion for cricket was the culprit behind the low marks in the examination.
Jeet Tamore said, ‘Hardik’s coach met me and said that your boy plays very well. Don’t stop his cricket. As far as his studies are concerned, we all should talk to him once. The next evening, the Tamore family and the coach sat together to convince Hardik not to ignore education while playing cricket. Hardik understood and his mother gave him permission to play cricket.
Hardik’s coach wanted him to become a wicketkeeper-batsman, but he had to travel 127 km to the metropolis to play for Mumbai. Some of Hardik’s friends used to travel daily by train to Mumbai for practice. Jeetu Tamore also understood that his son would also have to go there daily to play cricket.
“We admitted him to the Elf Academy in Churchgate,” said Jeet Tamore. From there his journey began. His day used to start at 5 in the morning. He used to reach school by 6:15. The school had given him half a day off, so he would catch the train from Boisar at 10:30 am, practice at Churchgate and then come home after 9 pm. This went on for five years.
Jeetu Tamore’s friend Deepak Patil advised him to shift to Mumbai. Deepak Patil was a member of the former Managing Committee of the Mumbai Cricket Association. After this, Jeetu started living in a rented house in Mahim from Boisar. Being a contractor, shifting was not a problem, but despite living in Mumbai, Hardik continued his schooling in Boisar. Jeetu said, ‘Hardik played for Mumbai Under-14. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. The best part was that he did well in studies too.
Hardik Tamore did not find a place in the Mumbai Ranji team despite performing well in local and age-group tournaments. (Source- Instagram)
However, despite performing well in local and age-group tournaments, Hardik Tamore does not find a place in the Mumbai Ranji team. Aditya Tare would have been present in the team as a wicketkeeper-batsman. This continued for years. But Aditya Tare was ruled out of the semi-final against Uttar Pradesh due to injury in the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 quarterfinal against Uttarakhand. After this Hardik Tamore was selected. Hardik Tamore also grabbed the opportunity with both hands by playing an innings of 115 runs.