My Pet Toy: Bowled Over By Cricket

Had he not been in the IT business, he would have been a professional
cricketer. A die-hard fan of former Indian Captains Mohammad Azharuddin and
Sourav Ganguly, Seksaria has been playing cricket since his school days. His
most cherished moments are when he scored 72 runs to bring victory for his
under-16 Bengal team at Eden Garden and he was declared the Man of Match

For Rajendra Seksaria, Director of Kolkata-based Balaji Solutions cricket is
an undying passion. Quite serious about the game since school days, Seksaria
took coaching from one of the leading cricket coaching centers of Kolkata under
the likes of Arun Lal and Amit Hore. “I started playing when I was in fourth
standard,” he informed.

During his eleventh standard, he attended a special coaching camp held in
Ghaziabad under the supervision of cricket stars Madan Lal and Manoj Prabhakar.
His skills and passion for the game helped him become the captain of his school
cricket team.

He played several times for under-16 and under-19 Bengal teams and scored a
number of centuries for his team. But the most treasured moment of his life was
when he was awarded the Man of the Match trophy for his wonderful innings in
Eden Garden. He scored a crucial 72 runs to bring victory for his under-16
Bengal team. Though he has numerous bats; the BDM bat, which helped him score
the big total, is very near to his heart.

“This bat is very dear to me as it was with its help that I made the crucial
runs in the 40 over match against Delhi team. Though this match happened two
decades back, its memories are still fresh in my mind,” he recalled.

Having received his training from the East Calcutta District Sports
Federation, Seksaria always dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer.
Unfortunately, he did not get any support from his father, who never wanted him
to become a player. “This is why I could not continue the sport professionally.
But I still enjoy the game a lot and play whenever I get an opportunity.” He is
also a member of the Computer Association of Eastern India (Compass) cricket
team.

Since he could not become a professional player, he is pushing his daughter
to excel in tennis, the game she loves. “She is already getting professional
coaching in tennis and wins regular medals at school sports. Unlike my father, I
fully support her game and would be extremely happy if she pursues a career in
tennis and achieves what I couldn't,” he mused.

Piyali Guha