A complete cricketerTKP, 16-Apr-2010
By Pratichya Dulal
In cricketing lore, one always wonders how would Donald Bradman perform in ODIs? It is obviously an impossible question to answer, but given the Don’s vast melange of shots both on the off and the leg sides, he could have been as successful as he was in tests.
Nepal obviously hasn’t produced a Bradman yet, but there are certain cricketers here who are built to be technically-perfect, and one wonders how they would perform if Nepal were a test-playing nation?
Shakti Gauchan is one of those players. His affable nature both on and off the pitch, and his cricketing abilities has made him suitable to the gentleman’s game. Last week’s record of 1,000 international runs is a record that suits Gauchan perfectly, for he is one of those rare players who has the ability to stay at the crease for a long time. And in the era of fast T20 cricket, it is a quality that is increasingly diminishing in today’s cricketers.
Gauchan has the ability to be content even while taking only singles and rotating the strike. All this while, he has stood as the Nepali team’s rock, and despite constant nagging by the Nepali spectator to open up his bat further, he remains nonchalant, his bat pushing the ball into the gaps.
His landmark achievement of the 1,000 runs came in the semi-final of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Trophy against Malaysia, having played 44 innings at an average of 27.95.
The lanky player, who had gone out to bat needing only 17 runs to make history, says he was not worried about the milestone. “I knew I had only a few more runs to add for the personal record but I wasn’t worried about that,” 26-year-old Gauchan says, “We were playing the semi-finals of a prestigious tournament and that was the main worry at the time.” He stitched an 87-run partnership with opener Mahesh Chettri and went on to score 52 runs off 57 balls in that match.
Gauchan is a cricketer with the ability to pace his innings according to the need of the team. When he began his career in 2002, he was the number three batsman, and after eight years in the squad, there is not a single position he hasn’t batted in. He played his first match against Oman where the all-rounder scored 37 runs and took three wickets. Since then, he has scored four half centuries and his maiden century came against Italy in a knock that saw him score 106 not out in the 2005 ICC World Cup qualifier Division II. That’s not all; the leg-spinner also has 62 wickets in his kitty.
Roy Dias, Nepal’s coach, who nurtured Gauchan into one of the finest cricketers today, says he was born ahead of his time. “He has all the quality of a test player. Unfortunately, that will not be recognised here.” According to Dias, Gauchan is that rare all-rounder who can bat in any position and adapt himself to any situation and pace the innings accordingly.
In the age group category, Gauchan has 24 wickets and 600 runs from 26 matches. His best innings came against South Africa when he was captaining the team in the 2006 Youth World Cup. Nepal won that match with Gauchan scoring a valuable 51 not out.
Gauchan grew up in India, where his father worked in the Army there. Neighbourhood cricket could not satisfy his hunger and he joined the Bhosle Cricket Academy. He hasn’t looked back since then.
Apart from his skill and hard work, Gauchan admits luck has played a major part in his career. He always carries the statue of the god Pashupatinath with him, and he never forgets to worship the deity on match days. When he started his career, there were rumours that he worshipped his bat as well; rumours which he now denies.
Then there is the famous red scarf which he ties around his forehand during matches. “I was going through a lean patch and was desperate to get my form,” explained Gauchan, “When I tried the red scarf, I started scoring again.”
Gauchan believes Nepal’s ultimate cricketing goal has to be the World Cup. “But that is a long process and we have to cross one hurdle at a time.” Hence his immediate goal is to triumph in the ICC Division 4, the gateway to the World Cup.
