Why Saurabh Netravalkar's father turned down offer to have his son join Rohit Sharma at school

Rohit Sharma facing off against USA left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh and left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar on Wednesday (June 12) in New York must have brought a flood of memories for Dinesh Lad, a Mumbai-based coach who used to play for Western Railways in club competitions.

Lad used to coach at Swami Vivekanand International School in Borivali, a Mumbai locality, where he groomed the India skipper Sharma along with a few others including USA’s Harmeet.

Both Harmeet and Netravalkar have been India under-19 World Cup players – the former in 2012 and the latter in 2010.

But Mumbai and Lad connects them with Rohit Sharma. 

“When he (Saurabh Netravalkar) was in ninth standard, I offered Netravalkar a place in my school since he was a good medium-pacer. I told his father that I want him to play for my school. However, his father refused saying that the boy is good in studies and that he wanted him to continue in academics,” said Lad to www.theflyslip.online.

Netravalkar senior let his son continue at a school in Malad.

“He used to come to my school once in a while, say once in 15 days for practice,” recalls Lad.

Netravalkar then went for higher studies in USA, graduated as computer engineer, before getting an opportunity to play for his adopted country.

The left-arm pacer on June 12 took two early wickets – of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – to reduce India to 10/2 in the third over. He had, earlier, bowled a match-winning Super Over against Pakistan. He has four wickets in the tournament.

Harmeet, a big catch

Lad was, however, lucky with Harmeet as he managed to get him in his school.

“I first saw Harmeet in seventh standard. Sanjay Patil (Mumbai Cricket Association Chairman of selectors), who saw him first, suggested that he should play for my school. So I got him admitted to my school,” adds Lad, whose son Dinesh is also an accomplished first-class player for Mumbai.

“My friend said that he is an avtaar (embodiment) of Bishan Singh Bedi. This opinion was seconded by Dilip Sardesai, who saw him in a match in Giles Shield (the under-14 tournament). Ian Chappell also called him the same during the 2012 under-19 World Cup.”

India, Rohit Sharma, T20 World Cup, USA