On the morning of April 10, 2022, there was a long queue outside Rampal Sen’s small shop located at Sirmaur square in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. Actually, his son Kuldeep Sen had become his star overnight. Kuldeep, 25, made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium, defending 15 runs in the last over against Lucknow Super Giants.
His son’s success game meant that Rampal had an unusually busy start to the week. Cutting his hair, Rampal told The Indian Express, ‘Today I don’t have time to eat. There are many customers. I have been doing this for the last 30 years. I am happy for my son. He has made me proud. I never supported his passion for the game. I scolded and beat him for playing cricket when he was in school, but he never gave up on his dreams.
Rampal has a barber shop. He earns only Rs.8,000 in a month. Kuldeep credited his career to former Madhya Pradesh Under-19 fast bowler Ariel Anthony. Kuldeep is one of Rampal’s 5 children. Low family income meant that Kuldeep did not even have money to buy a cricket kit. Rampal said, “All the credit goes to coach Ariel Anthony. He took care of everything from Kuldeep’s training gear, spikes and diet.
Despite the son’s overnight success, there was no change in the father’s routine. Like every day, Rampal reached his shop from Hariharpur village to Rewa by cycle 6 kms. Kuldeep conceded just one run on the first ball of the last over on Sunday night. He bowled 3 dot balls to Marcus Stoinis of Australia. Marcus Stoinis hit a four and a six in his last two deliveries, but it was in vain as Rajasthan Royals won by 3 runs.
Anthony followed what Australia great Dennis Lillee told him during his stint as a budding pacer at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. Anthony said, “Lillee once said that a talent should not be wasted for non-cricketing reasons. I waived off Kuldeep’s fees. Coach Anthony also made sure that Kuldeep’s career did not get derailed early.
Anthony said, ‘He used to bowl bouncers, but in the process he used to chuck once or twice in an over. That’s why I never let him go to the trial at the district level. One charge would be made and career would be over. It took me 4 years to correct this deficiency. Kuldeep made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2018-19 season with a remodeled action. He took 25 wickets in 8 matches.
Anthony said,Kuldeep Fast but still very crude. He will have to work very hard. It is okay to do well in IPL, but he should continue to do well in red ball cricket as well. 3 months of IPL is good exposure for him. Playing with top Indian and foreign cricketers is a big deal in itself.
Anthony is keeping a watch on whether Kuldeep has returned to his bad fast bowling habits during the IPL. “When he returned after his first-class season, I saw his head falling, his front leg falling in a weird way,” Anthony said. I immediately asked him why he changed his action? To this he replied, Sir bounce is more. I told him one injury and career would be over. Follow your previous action.
Anthony has advised Kuldeep to do the same thing as he used to do when he trained under Lilly in the early 90s. He wants Kuldeep’s mind to absorb all his advice like a sponge when Rajasthan Royals fast bowling coach Lasith Malinga is talking.
Rajasthan Royals Kuldeep’s head coach Kumar Sangakkara has also praised Kuldeep. Sangakkara said after the match, ‘I just want to say how impressed everyone is. In particular I am with him on how Kuldeep Sen handled his first game; How he bowled, how he thinks… He bowled the toughest over under pressure and did a great job for us.