Why USA captain Monank Patel prepared for T20 World Cup in Anand, Gujarat

Gujarat’s Anand district, popular due to the presence of iconic Amul dairy, is also known as the NRI district because most of the residents, enterprising as they are, move abroad, including to the United States of America for better prospects.

“You’ll find villages empty, devoid of population because they all shift abroad. The people from this region are known as Charotar Patels as the region is also known as Charotar. Most Gujaratis you’ll find abroad are Charotar Patels (Charotar na Patel),” says Swetal Patel, the secretary of the Anand District Cricket Association to www.theflyslip.online.

One of the kids that he saw grow – his friend’s son -- did the same, moving to the United States about a decade ago.

That boy, Monank Patel, is now leading United States of America (USA) in the ongoing T20 World Cup and was the Player of the Match in the shock win over Pakistan, with a half-century.

“It is natural he would take to cricket. His grandfather used to play cricket, then his father, Dilip Patel, also used to play cricket for our district; he was a great wicketkeeper-batsman. Chintan Patel, Munank’s paternal uncle was a good all-rounder for our district,” says Swetal.

Monank’s family originally hails from Mehlav village before years ago moving to Vallabh Vidyanagar, just one kilometre away from Anand city.

Monank Patel (right) receives cash prize from the then President of Gujarat Cricket Association and now Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi

Monank Patel with Sachin Tendulkar

“His father, who owns a tobacco business, and paternal uncle have gone to USA to watch the World Cup. I have seen him since childhood. He was talented since childhood. Most kids then used to like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid or other Indian stars. But when we used to ask him about his favourite player, he used to say Damien Martyn. Maybe, because he liked his shots.”

Monank played for under-15, under-17, under-19 and senior teams for Anand district. He captained all of those sides, which is probably why he was ready captaincy material for USA and proved his skills the other day.

“In 2006, when Anshuman Gaekwad was our GCA head coach, he saw Monank Patel and Manoj Marwari from our district and picked them in the Gujarat under-15 probables,” adds Swetal. 

Monank scored 144 against Surat and 166 against Bharuch in the under-15 inter-district tournament.

“Then he got picked for Gujarat under-15. It was the age-group team. He was captain of the district in u-15s, u-17s, u-19s and seniors.”

When USA play India on Wednesday (June 12), Monank will be up against his former teammates – Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, with whom he played for Gujarat under-19s in the early years of last decade. Importantly, he will be wearing the logo of Amul, as the dairy is sponsoring USA at the World Cup.

Monank Patel bats when he was a child. He had a picture of Sachin Tendulkar on his wall.

“He got a chance to play for Gujarat under-19s. His teammates were Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel. Smit Patel, who played India under-19 [in the 2012 World Cup team], was also his teammate.”

The 31-year-old Monank keeps coming to India regularly.

He was here in December and returned again in March-April to practice at the Anand District Cricket Association ground. 

“He was in Anand in March-April and practiced here only. The weather in USA was not good. He came to Anand in December, then went to Dubai with New York Mumbai Indians and then came here for two months in March-April. We have 450-500 trainees in Anand. The players of our district bowled to him. He did this preparation for World Cup. He used to pay attention to his fitness and batting. He used to teach our kids too.”

Around 2013-14, he decided to move to USA. That was also the time he realised that he wouldn’t play for Gujarat senior state team.

In US, he opened a restaurant before shutting it following losses. But he found an outlet in cricket and kept building on it. 

“We will honour him when he comes here. Our president Vijay Patel has said that when he comes back, we will arrange a programme. Our district has 450-500 players who come for coaching. We will make him meet the players,” signs off Swetal.

Monank Patel, T20 World Cup, USA, Anand, Gujarat, Pakistan