You might have heard many inspirational stories from across fields about how one didn’t give up and rose high in his/her career through immense determination. However, this is not enough. Sometimes, sheer luck helps in giving a nudge to the journey including a lot of hard work involved.
Just like it did for leg-spinner Pravin Tambe, who got a chance to play in the Indian Premier League at the age of 41 for the first time. Tambe made his professional cricket debut with the IPL in 2013 and represented Rajasthan Royals in the initial stage of his career which apparently happened by chance.
A Twitter user, @RandomCricketP1, compiled Pravin Tambe’s journey of rising as an IPL star in a thread.
Let’s delve into it via these tweets.
‘In early 2013, after having captained DY Patil’s B team for years, Pravin Tambe was asked to also take up the coaching duties.’
THREAD
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
It’s strange how things work, isn’t it? In early 2013, after having captained DY Patil’s B team for years, Pravin Tambe was asked to also take up the coaching duties of the side, which was a nudge for him to think of life beyond cricket. Tambe, in his own admission, was pic.twitter.com/3PHzQdNytb
‘Cricket had meant everything to him since he fell in love with it while watching his father play for Johnson and Johnson as a kind.’
heartbroken. If you have watched Kaun Pravin Tambe?, you’d understand why. Cricket had meant everything to him since he fell in love with it while watching his father play for Johnson and Johnson as a kind. This was supposed to be the end of his mad pursuit.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
But then came the
‘In the invitation T20 tournament that year B team that Tambe was coaching had Rahul Sharma, the Indian leg-spinner who had played 4 ODIs for India.’
twist.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
The invitation T20 tournament that year in which DY Patil Sporting Academy had to feature had several fringe India cricketers also playing and the B team that Tambe was coaching had Rahul Sharma, the Indian leg-spinner who had played 4 ODIs for India. As luck would have
‘Sharma had to pull out because of a last minute injury, leading to Tambe taking the main spinner’s duties for the team.’
it, Sharma had to pull out because of a last minute injury, leading to Tambe taking the main spinner’s duties for the team.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
Remember this is January 2013 and Rajasthan Royals had been thrusted into the search of a leg-spinner who would fill the big boots of Shane Warne who had
Meanwhile, ‘Rajasthan Royals had two finger spinners in Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan but no leg-spinner’
bid adieu to the IPL in 2011. The 2012 season where they finished 6th had left arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg taking 10 wickets from 9 matches, a decent effort but not one that could take them to the top 4. They also had two finger spinners in Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan but no
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
‘The RR scouts were zeroing in on him during the tournament’
leg-spinner. So, the scouts began searching for more spin options and unknown to Tambe, who was busy making the most of the lucky break that he had got because of the injury to Sharma by taking 12 wickets, the RR scouts were zeroing in on him during the tournament.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
‘Once he impressed (Rahul) Dravid and (Paddy) Upton in the trials, Tambe found his way to the RR squad at the age of 41 for IPL 2013.’
Once he impressed Dravid and Upton in the trials, Tambe found his way to the RR squad at the age of 41 for IPL 2013.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
But he only played 3 matches in the tournament, picking up a single wicket. What he did though, as Rahul Dravid mentioned in a speech at the Design for Change
Conference, was to show extreme dedication and work ethic. He would be the first to come to the nets and wouldn’t miss a single gym session. Mind you, courtesy his job with DY Patil, in the years before his stint with RR, Tambe had served as the liaison officer at the venue
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
during the IPL and as part of his job, he had to make sure that the players had everything taken care of while they practiced. In 2013, Tambe was on the other side and was now had liaison officers doing for him at various venues what he had been doing for years.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
But just like in
January of that year, it once again seemed that it would all come to a screeching halt for Tambe when the spot-fixing scandal broke out. Brad Hogg mentions in his autobiography that Tambe broke down fearing that it would all come to an end for him soon. It’s difficult to not
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
sympathise with Tambe at this point. After all, he had just gotten his biggest break at 41 and now it seemed that for no fault of his, it would all come to a very sudden end.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
But just like the January setback, this setback also was to prove to be the beginning and not the end.
On account of finishing third in the tournament that year, Rajasthan made it to the Champions League that year to be held in South Africa. Now, because among the three men arrested for alleged spot-fixing, two were spinners – Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – Rajasthan were left
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
with only Tambe as the specialist spinner in their squad for the Champions League. So what could Tambe do against the best of the world at the age of 42 with an experience of just 3 IPL matches in his kitty? Tambe answered that question in the most emphatic of
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
styles. He bowled 19 overs in five matches and not only did he end up with mind boggling numbers of 12 wickets at an average of 6.5 (Yes, you read that right!), he didn’t concede a single six throughout the tournament. By the time IPL 2014 came, there was no doubt in the minds of
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
anyone who about who would be RR’s first choice spinner.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
There’s also a beautiful little story about Tambe’s exploits in the Champions League. When he received the Man of the Match award for his performance against Highveld Lions, Tambe was given the customary oversized dummy
cheque. Since it was his first Man of the Match at this level, Tambe wanted to keep this as souvenir and when the organizers came to take it back (because they use this dummy cheque for all the matches at the venue), Tambe refused. It took some convincing by his team members for
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
him to let go of the dummy cheque. But Tambe, being the stubborn man that he has proved to be with his career journey, kept his date with that dummy cheque. The 1st semi-final of the tournament was to be played at Jaipur and it was the last match to be held there. But it was
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
against Chennai Super Kings. So what, said Tambe. He picked the wickets of Raina, Badrinath and Bravo to break the back of CSK’s middle order in their chase and won Rajasthan the match. And as a result of that, he pocketed the Man of the Match award, and this time he did take the
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
dummy cheque with him too, which the organizers had no qualm parting with since it was the last match of the tournament at the venue.
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
Just few of the many instances where it seemed at first that Tambe wouldn’t get what he wanted. Also, just few of the many instances where Tambe
with a little help of luck and a lot of hard work, did end up getting what he wanted despite the initial setback. What a man. What a story!
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 21, 2022
Netizens are loving this fascinating thread about Tambe’s career:
Inspiring true story. https://t.co/bZS6xspM7G
— Mangesh (@mjborse) June 22, 2022
Tambe bhau 💕 https://t.co/bhdZwG9227
— Srizzler (@srizzler) June 22, 2022
Being in the right place at the right time is all about success.
-@SundSara
Beautiful read.
— Chet (@chet_ag) June 22, 2022
Hope we discover many more Pravin Tambe’s https://t.co/zDOAmK3ye7
What a lovely story 🙂 https://t.co/8NBuyRqtdy
— GyaaniBabaSam (@sameer_joshi) June 22, 2022
Pravin Tambe’s story is definitely a happy ending, when looked at it as a biography. And it is inspiring, all due to his hardwork and grit. But there are and will be 1000s Pravin Tambe who never got the chance they deserved. I know I’m being pessimistic but that’s the reality.
-@IndianKopite
Brikliant story (watch the movie if you haven't) of perseverance and an equally enjoyable thread! https://t.co/DUfpzej9cb
— Manas Barpande (@Manas_BookThief) June 22, 2022
Incredible story of Pravin Tambe's Rise as IPL star https://t.co/8slyMPR3qY
— Reju (@ANT_i_NCUMBENT) June 22, 2022
Heartwarming story about the grit of someone who just never gives up.. Beautifully articulated too.. Awesome.. https://t.co/iyJLCraSaH
— Karthik P (@signonpk) June 22, 2022
In case you wish to know more about his story, watch Kaun Pravin Tambe?, a biographical sports drama film based on his life. Actor Shreyas Talpade played the titular role in the movie that released in April this year. It is available on Disney+Hotstar.
What a journey, Pravin Tambe!
