It will not be an exaggeration to name Anustep Majumdar the ‘Feluda’ of Bengal cricket. The 38-year-old tremendous sleuth has an analogous perspective to the person on and off the sector.
He loves adventures, the world, classical music and naturally cricket – his ardour and occupation for the previous twenty years.
Majumdar’s love affair with Feluda and its creator Satyajit Ray started when his father launched him. Sonar watch, ‘Happiness Baba Felunath’ and ‘ Heat Aside Kathmandutey‘ Throughout his childhood. In these days, when the web was largely remarkable, Majumdar’s world revolved round Ray’s classical works. Detective tales hold him busy for a lot of a day.
And, they are saying, previous habits die laborious. A few years later, you discover previous books of Feluda and Ray within the suitcase of Majumdar – nicknamed ‘Ruku’ (coincidentally the character performed by that baby actor Jeet Bose). (Desta Baba Felunath)– He travels throughout the nation with the Bengal crew through the Ranji Trophy.
“I requested an in depth good friend of mine who knew the Ray household properly to take me to the Bishop Lefroy Street residence after the home season. It was a childhood dream to go to Ray’s residence and I wish to fulfill that dream,” says Majumdar Sports activities star.
Certainly, Majumdar shall be hoping to tick one other field earlier than attaining his childhood dream – profitable the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. “That is the one motivation I’ve proper now. I’m 38 years previous, and I do know I’ll by no means make it to the Indian crew or get an IPL contract, however nonetheless, I’ll proceed to play the game as a result of I wish to win the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. That is what made me go,” he says.
Within the postseason, he bailed the Bengals out of tight spots. This yr was no completely different. After beginning his Ranji Trophy marketing campaign with scores of 1 and 83 towards Uttar Pradesh, Majumdar now follows his 159 towards Himachal Pradesh, adopted by 90 towards Baroda. A number of days in the past, Bengal beat Haryana by an innings and scored 50 runs with a penalty of 145.
Over the previous few years, Majumdar has been constant and has led many locals to carry out catchy chants – “ Sheet grishsho bawrsha, Anustup e bhawrsha…” And Majumdar himself has come throughout such posts on social media, which mainly name him the person of all seasons.
“I’ve seen a few of these posts, and so they’re humorous,” he stated with a smile. “I like to just accept challenges. When the scoreboard reads, say 40 to five, and I do know I’ve to go on the market. I search for moments like that.”
“I really like journey sports activities, and I really like mountaineering. I wish to do many adventures and I feel when I’m within the area, I draw inspiration from the whole lot. “After I visualize the sport state of affairs, I consider that I’ve to avoid wasting the crew in tough conditions and I feel that has helped me loads over time,” says Majumdar.
The appropriate-handed batsman began his journey in 2004, and regardless of the ups and downs, he made his presence felt within the IPL as properly, for the Pune Warriors. These moments had been short-lived however he returned to prominence within the 2019-20 season for 2 essential lots of that took Bengal to their first Ranji closing in 13 years earlier than the crew’s loss to Saurashtra.
“I consider most of my profitable knockouts occurred after I used to be 33. Should you have a look at my work earlier than then, you may discover that I do not usually fail. However with age got here maturity. Now the concern of failure doesn’t have an effect on me. As a toddler, I used to be usually afraid of failure, however I feel I am over that,” he stated.
From 2014-15 to 2015-16, Majumdar needed to play for Railways as he had work to sit up for. Though alternatives not often come, he hangs in there to be protected for the long run. Nevertheless, in 2015-16, he bought a ‘No Objection Certificates’ from the Railways and once more returned to Bengal. However on the finish of the 2017-18 season, Railways known as him again after which he had to decide on between a safe profession and enjoying for his residence state.
Majumdar, a die-hard Christopher Nolan fan, selected the latter. Quitting work at that age was not straightforward. However with the assistance of his spouse Sonali – an IT knowledgeable – Majumdar can comply with his dream.
Trying again on these days, Majumdar believes fatherhood modified him, making him extra disciplined. He has an eight-year-old son, Wealthy – a third-year scholar at MP Birla Basis Faculty in Kolkata. “I’ve a household to guide and I’ve loads of duty. And I feel this duty has helped me play good cricket. I am undecided if one can relate to it, however this duty has undoubtedly helped me loads in my life,” he stated.
Anustup Majumdar together with his son Wealthy. | Photograph credit score: Particular Occasion
“It has introduced self-discipline in my life, as a result of I do know that I must comply with a timeline when it comes to the whole lot – paying my son’s faculty charges on time, taking him to high school or extracurricular actions. Even after marriage, I used to be not disciplined about time, however fatherhood has modified me.
“It’s a must to handle the schedule properly and find time for coaching, gymnasium and different issues with out affecting different household commitments. These issues helped me loads,” he stated.
He begins the day early by dropping Ricky off in school and through the pre-season, he makes it to get a while for coaching. “I am not a heavy coaching individual. However over the previous few years, I have been capable of streamline the method. Particularly within the low season, I make it a degree to coach two hours a day for 5 days. I deal with it like a financial savings account and it is my solely funding and I do know, if I can handle my physique, that I do know the funding will repay for the subsequent six-seven months after the home season begins.
His sensible way of living and the sport has paid off as he can overcome challenges with out having to learn between the traces. “After I was in my mid-20s, I might have been disenchanted to be out of the crew. However I am previous that age, and as an alternative of being upset, I am like, ‘What’s mistaken?’ After I say that, I attempt to look at myself. or ‘Why ought to I depart him?’ I perceive that as an alternative of blaming individuals, you have to have a look at your individual efficiency and work on weak relationships.
Within the yr Regardless of making his debut in 2004, Majumdar was not a part of Bengal’s two Ranji Trophy finals in 2006 and 2007. His solely look within the closing got here towards Saurashtra in 2020. However this time, underneath Manoj Tiwari’s captaincy and Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s teaching, Bengal confirmed hopes of ending the title jinx. And Majumdar additionally desires to contribute.
“For us, it is an honor to put on the Bengals jersey and we all know our duty as seniors. Clearly, in robust instances, the crew appears to the seniors to step up and take over. Clearly, we rely loads on the youthful gamers, however the senior gamers need to step up and lead the crew in robust instances. That is a dialog we now have within the locker room.” ” he explains.
It was this confidence and self-belief that helped Bengal get previous Uttar Pradesh, Baroda and Haryana within the group league video games. In Lahli, just a few days in the past, Majumdar felt a bit down after lacking 150 by simply 5 runs, however he has realized to grasp the larger image.
“I’ve realized to stability issues,” he says with a smile, “however my son, the Pope, has excessive expectations of me. Typically, I really feel dangerous if I lose a century or if I can not change. He made it a degree to name me wherever I used to be and made his intentions clear. These little issues hold me going,” he stated. In flip, it’s Majumdar’s indomitable spirit and never-say-die mentality that retains Bengal going time after time.
