By Vipul Kashyap
Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 10 : Oman leg-spinner Samay Shrivastava, who couldn't make it big for India in the cricket glitterati due to various circumstances, emphasised the significance of playing against his home country and enjoying a fanboy moment with the T20 World Champions' revered stars.
Even though India boasts a constellation of talented players in its roster across the globe, a constant theme continues to echo across their camp: the absence of former batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The Indian batting wizards bid adieu to the shortest format of cricket after lifting the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year.
"Since the day we landed here, it has been said that it would have been more fun if Virat Rohit were in this team," Samay said while speaking to ANI, with a smile on his face.
India and Oman have never met each other on the field in a competitive match. Samay sees the contest on September 19 as an opportunity to learn, but playing and performing against India remains the highlight for him. Apart from the air of competitiveness around the fixture, meeting India captain Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah will be a fanboy moment for Samay.
"The match is going to be watched by the whole world. This is a big thing for Oman cricket. This is the first time we are playing against India and Pakistan. These are two of the best teams in the world. Playing against them and performing against them will be a big thing for us. Whatever the level of the match is, you will learn a lot from this match," he said.
"Definitely. For the Indian players in our team, Hardik Pandya, Surya, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak (Verma), Rinku Singh, and Bhumrah. Meeting them is a different thing. But playing on the same ground is a different feeling," he added.
Samay's journey in the world of cricket began in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, where he played state-level cricket, but failed to make it to the grand galore of the international circuit. He moved to Oman with the help of his coach and turned a fresh chapter on September 9, 2019. Even though he had to relinquish his dream of representing India, it still remains a "proud" moment for him to play against his home nation.
"I am from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. I have played cricket for Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh. I have played for the age group. But there were no proper chances. So, I switched to Oman in 2019. The person who brought me here in 2019 is Ahmed Bhai Manju Bhai. He lives in Oman. He is from Bhopal only. My coach, Jyoti Prakash Tyagi, was his friend. He helped me connect with him. My journey started from Oman on September 9, 2019," he said.
"Every cricketer dreams of playing for his country. I also had a dream to play for India. But some circumstances didn't allow me to do that. Playing against India is a proud moment for me. I am playing against a country where I didn't get a chance to play. I can play there and give my performance. Secondly, it will be fun," he added.
Tournaments like the Asia Cup serve as the ideal platform for scouts of different franchises to identify new talent for the Indian Premier League. If the opportunity arises for Samay, he would join 'Chase Master' Virat at the drop of a hat and said, "I am a die-hard fan of RCB. Virat is an idol there. So my first preference will be RCB. Second is the Mumbai Indians."