He dismissed Rest of India captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in just his third over of the game on his First Class debut.
Cricket probably has the most beautiful stories that emerge from time to time. Take for example any young cricketer rising through the ranks or one established at the peak of his power, they all have a similar story of struggles.
The latest entrant on the list is an autorickshaw driver-turned-pacer who has seen a meteoric rise in his young career. It is Kannauj’s right-arm pacer Juned Khan.
Juned left his city Kannauj and traveled to Mumbai to help his family financially. Initially, he lived in a small room with his friends while working at a clothing factory in the City of Dreams.
He later became an autorickshaw driver and started driving at a very young age. He was a minor when he started working in Mumbai as his family’s condition was not stable.
“There were problems at home and I had to start working and help the family make ends meet, so I followed the footsteps of some older friends from Kannauj and came to Mumbai,” says Juned.
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He once came to the Sanjeevani Cricket Academy from Manish Bangera, a former Mumbai wicket-keeper batsman. Seeing Juned’s obvious talent, Bangera asked him to take bowling more seriously and his friends helped him buy the necessary equipment, encouraging him to pursue his dream.
His greatest moment came when Abhishek Nayar, who was then acting as assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), saw his skills during the lockdown. He participated in the PJ Hindu Gymkhana in Police Shield.
Juned revealed that Abhishek asked him to stop driving his autorickshaw and devote all his time to honing his skills. He was also with KKR as a net bowler in the previous edition.
“He (Abhishek) has helped me in every way possible so far. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have been anywhere near where I am now. It was he who told me to stop driving autorickshaw and devote all my time to cricket. Then I started training at his academy. When he asked me to join KKR as a net bowler during the last IPL season, it was the best opportunity for me.”
After performing exceptionally well in the Police Shield tournament, Juned was given opportunities in the Buchi Babu and KSCA competitions. He finally made his First Class debut for Mumbai during the 2024 Iranian Cup and impressed immediately.
He dismissed Rest of India captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in just his third over of the game on his First Class debut. While he couldn’t add more to his tally, Juned did enough to showcase his superior skills and enormous potential.
He idolizes Mohammed Shami, who has a similar history of struggles. It’s just the beginning for Juned Khan; the future is definitely bright.
(Credit: sports star)
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