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Irrfan Khan, the talented all-rounder Indian cricket never had

 

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Irrfan Khan was selected to play in the CK Nayudu Trophy (Irrfan Khan Facebook page)
Irrfan Khan was selected to play in the CK Nayudu Trophy (Irrfan Khan Facebook page)

Published: Wed 29 Apr 2020, 11:34 PM

Last updated: Thu 30 Apr 2020, 1:41 AM

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Indian captain Virat Kohli, coach Ravi Shastri, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, VVS Laxman paid their tributes to Indian actor Irrfan Khan, who breathed his last in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday.
Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, summed it perfectly when he said: "I know the journey I know the pain and I know he fought till the end some are lucky to survive some don't I'm sure you are in a better place now Irfan Khan my condolence to your family. May his soul Rest In Peace."

The 53-year-old Irrfan Khan was battling cancer and was admitted to hospital for a colon infection, while Yuvraj is a cancer survivor.
Come to think of it, Khan would have been one among them, if not for becoming a celebrated actor. The Padma Shri recipient and National Award winner, who was one of the pathbreakers in bringing parallel cinema into the mainstream, was an aspiring cricketer, back in the day.
Khan, who entertained audiences in India and the world over in films like Salaam Bombay, the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi, Life in a Metro, Mumbai Meri Jaan, D-Day, The Lunchbox, Haider, Piku, Karwaan, Madaari and Hindi Medium, was selected to play in the CK Nayudu Trophy.
The CK Nayudu Trophy is a tournament for Under-23 players and is a stepping stone to first-class cricket. But he couldn't afford 600 Indian rupees to travel from Jaipur to Ajmer at that time and was left to take a life-altering decision between cricket and acting.
"I played cricket. I wanted to become a cricketer. I was an all-rounder and the youngest one in my team in Jaipur. I wanted to make a career out of it. I was selected for the CK Nayudu tournament I think and then I needed money and didn't know who to ask. That day I decided I cannot pursue it. I couldn't have asked for Rs 600 at that time," Khan had revealed to Telegraph India, in an interview.
"The situation in my house was such that I had to lie to go to play and made excuses when asked where we were so it wasn't encouraged to have a career in sports," added Khan, who won critical acclaim for his role in Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Khan did have another connection with sport though, playing the role of Paan Singh Tomar, an Indian soldier and athlete, who later became a Chambal Valley rebel.
Khan was an actor par excellence but what if he had become a cricketer, will remain a mystery.
james@khaleejtimes.com

By James Jose

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