Mumbai to Uganda due to Covid: Alpesh Ramjani takes off in top-flight cricket

Loss of job during Covid pandemic opened the gates to international cricket for Alpesh Ramjani, the world’s top wicket-taker in T20 Internationals in 2023 and an integral part of Uganda cricket team that have qualified for the upcoming T20 World Cup to be played in the West Indies and USA.

Faced with financial crunch due to the double whammy of being laid off and financial losses to father in business during pandemic, Ramjani decided to shift base.

His friend, Dinesh Nakrani – a left-arm medium pace bowling all-rounder had already made a name for himself in Uganda and acted as an inspiration. Nakrani was the world’s highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket in 2021.

“I used to work for the Future Group in Mumbai, and play corporate matches for them. During Covid, I had to leave my job because they shut the sports department. I had to face a hard time since I didn’t have a job,” says the 29-year-old all-rounder to www.theflyslip.online.

“Dad was into construction business, but suffered financial losses. An uncle of mine -- a family friend -- Leelabhai lived in Uganda, where he ran a business. I thought of going there. My friend Dinesh Nakrani used to play for Uganda. He asked me to give it a try. He said, ‘You never know, you might get selected’,” recalls Ramjani, who was in Mumbai recently (January, 2024) to attend his father’s funeral.

The left-arm spinner and left-handed batsman, who was born in Mumbai and lived in Borivali where his mother still stays, shifted to Uganda around April 2022. He started playing league cricket and in his words, ‘shot two birds with one stone’ (that is, got a job and got to play cricket that he feared would stop following Covid).

“I played league games on Saturday and Sunday for Aziz Damani Club. I still play for them. When I did well in the league, I got the call-up for the Uganda national team. I went to my first official tour, which was Africa Cup (ACA T20 Cup) in 2022,” Ramjani tells www.theflyslip.online.

Aziz Damani are the top club in Uganda. They field two cricket teams in domestic competition and one or the other have won the title over the past few years.

Ramjani played his first Africa T20 Cup in December, 2022, just eight months after moving to Uganda.

He took four wickets on his Africa Cricket Association (ACA) Africa T20 Cup debut, this was against Botswana. That start ensured a regular place in the team. Uganda became the champions of ACA T20 Cup in December, 2023.

While he stays in Kampala, Ramjani keeps shuttling to different places. He has been spending about a month a year in India and travels across Africa and other places with the Uganda team. Currently, he is in Sri Lanka with the national team.

“Like any other kid I was put in an academy during school summer vacations when I was about 12. I went to play at Thakur academy at Thakur ground in Kandivli. I practiced just for fun for two months. I must have been 12 then. Virendra Singh, the coach at the academy, put me in Rizvi School in eighth standard. Raju Pathak was my coach there.”

He remained part of the Rizvi family in school and college – Rizvis run school as well as college and are known for providing good cricket opportunities. He played in the SGFI (School Games Federation of India) competition, also known as school nationals, and also played the Red Bull Cup in college.

Ramjani also represented Mumbai under-16s and under-19s.

“I used to play for Sindh Club in Mumbai league in the A division. Then I joined Tata Sports Club, left Sindh and went to play for CCI (Cricket Club of India),” adds Ramjani, who considers MS Dhoni as his role model, although in bowling he used to follow Daniel Vettori.

He was also part of the T20 Mumbai or the Mumbai Premier League.

Ramjani represented Shivaji Park Lions in the first year and was declared the Emerging Player of the Tournament. The next year, he represented Eagle Thane Strikers.

He then began working and playing for the Future Group before the Covid pandemic unfolded.

Though Uganda may not get to play India in the World Cup, it will be some feeling when he features in the quadrennial tournament where one or two of his former Mumbai colleagues may also play.

“I have played alongside Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube in Mumbai under-16 and under-19 team. I have played with Suryakumar Yadav too. I could never play Ranji Trophy (India’s premier first-class cricket tournament). We all dream of playing Ranji Trophy. But it is a thrilling feeling that I would be playing World Cup where some of my heroes like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma would be present.

“You suddenly get to play at their level, against them. It is a completely different situation, an out-of-the-world feeling.”

Ramjani is grateful to Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for giving him opportunity to play at the age-group level.

“It was a stepping stone. It defined me as a player.”

He is also grateful to Uganda Cricket Association that gave him the opportunity to play international cricket.

“Thanks to Uganda Cricket Association, who gave me opportunity to play. It was a dream come true to play international cricket for Uganda and representing Uganda at the highest cricket level. We had a very good World Cup qualifier. It is an out-of-the-world experience and feeling [especially if we get to play India].”

A good show in the T20 World Cup may just open the doors for various T20 franchise leagues, he feels. 

"This World Cup will be a stepping stone for us. We will get to learn a lot, and get a lot of exposure. If we do well, we will have doors opening to other leagues."

Cricket, Uganda, T20 World Cup, India, Mumbai, Shreyas Iyer, West Indies, USA, Suryakumar Yadav