Tushar Deshpande: From ball boy in 2008 to IPL debut in 2020 via Shivaji Park

Mumbai, October 15: From standing in a long selection queue for aspiring batsmen at the iconic Shivaji Park Gymkhana to a ball boy in the inagural IPL and shining on his IPL debut as a pacer, Mumbai rookie Tushar Deshpande has come a long way.

The 25-year-old bowler held his nerve to help fashion a 13-run victory for Delhi Capitals against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday (October 14) night.

Did you know Deshpande was a ball-boy during a Mumbai Indians match at the Wankhede Stadium during the IPL's maiden edition in 2008. The bowler himself revealed that to Sportstar before he left to the United Arab Emirates.

"I remember our full under-13 team was at the IPL and I was overawed to see the likes of Dhawal Kulkarni, Abhishek Nayar, Pinal Shah, Dwayne Bravo, Shaun Pollock and obviously Sachin Tendulkar in action," said Deshpande.

The pacer, who was instrumental in Mumbai winning its first Vijay Hazare Trophy title in more than a decade, also spoke about his early days as an aspiting cricketer.

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"In 2007, I along with three-four boys had gone for selection for BPL loop academy of Shivaji Park Gymkhana from Kalyan. There was a big queue for batsmen, around 40-45 players were lined up and 20-25 batsmen were padded up.

"... And the bowler line had only 15-20 aspirants. It was around 3.30 PM and the selection was till 6-6.30.

"I thought with so many players lined up for batting, I won't get a chance, but at the same time I was not keen to return empty handed and hence I stood in the bowler's line," Deshpande recalled on Marathi chat show 'Coffee, Cricket Aani Barach Kaahi'.

Continuing about the selection trial, he added, "Till then no one had told me that I bowl quicker than the average boys. The bowler line moved fast, and after my number came, I fortunately got the new ball.

"I marked the run-up and bowled a ball. It was a superb banana out-swing and even kicked after landing. Paddy sir (Padmakar Shivalkar) said: 'well bowled, bowl the same ball again'.

"I didn't even know who he was, but I bowled again, bowled 6-7 balls and was shortlisted," he recalled.

Deshpande has been training with his Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer since childhood at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana.

"The same process went on for the second and third day. After Paddy sir and Sandesh Kawle sir gave me confidence, I decided to play for the Gymkhana and become a pacer," he quipped.

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) apex council member Khodadad Yazdegardi remembered how despite suffering a breakdown during a police shield game, Deshpande came back strongly.

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"A year before last he was called for trials with Kings XI Punjab. But in two weeks' time the Ranji season was starting. I got a call from him saying he won't be going for the trails as Ranji was starting and he would like to play the police shield game.

"He played that game, but while bowling broke down, and was out for a month. But he always kept faith in himself that he would recover and play again. He is mentally very strong," Khodadad, who is an office-bearer of Parsee Gymkhana, told PTI.

Deshpande moved to the Parsee Gymkhana in 2016, after playing for Shivaji Park Gymkhana and is now playing in the biggest cricket league of the world. The paceman will hope to learn the trade from the very best like Kagiso Rabada and more.

In fact his first wicket in the IPL was of star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was goin all guns blazing until he fell to the Mumbai lad. And Shikhar Dhawan, the stand-in skipper for Delhi Capitals was all praise for the bowler.

"(Tushar) Despande was amazing, especially under such amount of pressure, we got him in and he responded nicely, he got the crucial wicket of Stokes, he kept his cool, he has been working really hard in the nets, in the last over, he was clear in his plans, really happy to see him do so well," Dhawan said at the post-match conference.

"Till 10th over, both the teams were equal and they were right up there in the chase. We talked about getting positive energy going, we knew if we got wickets at the top of the order, then we can come back in the match," Dhawan added.

The young Deshpande will be raring to go when Delhi Capitals take the field again on Saturday (Ocotber 17) to face Chennai Super Kings.

(With PTI and Agency inputs)