MUMBAI: At first glance, Bunty Patel comes across as soft-spoken. The sense of self-consciousness when he talks about himself is unmissable. But ask him about what kind of impact cricket has had in his life and his journey in the sport and his eyes lit up.
All-rounder Bunty is currently playing for KVN Bangalore Strikers franchise in the ongoing edition of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), which is being played at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane. The KVN Bangalore Strikers bought him for INR 800,000 during the auction.
Recalling his journey, Bunty said, “Ever since I started watching cricket, I fell in love with the game. In fact, it was Sachin Tendulkar who inspired me to take up the game. I used to be mesmerised seeing him play. After that I told my father to take me to camps where I could hone my skills and it’s been 18 years now. I want to inspire the next generation to take interest in tennis ball cricket.”
“My family has always been supportive of me. My father is also a former cricketer so it was natural that he understood my passion and love for the game,” he added.
The all-rounder who has 41 runs to his name from three innings also shed light on how Indian Street Premier League will revolutionise the game. He expressed, “When I got to know about ISPL, I saw a bright future for the tennis cricketers. There are a lot of people who were struggling in this format of cricket to make a name for themselves but now they have this golden opportunity to showcase their skills on a global platform.”
“Playing in front of thousands of fans is really special. I never thought that so many fans will come to the stadium and enjoy tennis ball cricket. The quality of the matches being played is so high and the players are giving their everything to put up a remarkable show for the audience. I feel that street cricket is getting its recognition and it will only grow on from here,” he signed off.
