Sujit Nayak left stranded at 99

On Saturday, Sujit Nayak was a victim of a cruel comedy of errors on the Wankhede pitch in the Mumbai T20 League that made him go on his knees and then smiling as he realised that it was the only thing he could do. He missed out on his century with just a run. And this wasn’t the first time that he is missing out on something in the game of cricket.

With his built and physique, the man  is more than capable of sending the ball out of the stadium with utmost ease. He did the same when his team Sobo Supersonics faced Andheri ARCS, emerging victorious. Today, he cuffed huge sixes, particularly against medium pacer Tushar Deshpande. In the last over, he hit three consecutive sixes that took him from 80 to 98 and then he took a single that got batsman Rohan Raje on the strike and he smashed the ball. “I went to him and told him to go for a boundary if he can,” says Sujit, who stood on the other end at 99 knowing that he missed out on being the first century maker of the league. But what happened next was a real disappointment for him.

Bowler Deshpande was already under great pressure after conceding 20-plus runs in the final over of the innings. To make amends on the last ball, he bowled a no-ball which ignited hope for the hapless Sujit and he ran to the other end only to see that Raje went on the back-foot and took off his own bails.”I went on my knees because when I saw the no ball, it brought back hope so I ran. And then when I saw the keeper missing that ball and it went for four and on top of it Rohan was hit-wicket. That is when I completely lost it knowing that it was not just my day,” says Sujit with a rueful smile.

This wasn’t the first disappointment as a cricketer for the 28-year old, . He has been a part of Indian Premier League franchises Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Daredevils (DD) but never made it to their respective playing elevens. He moved from MI in 2014 after three years because of no playtime but it didn’t change much in Delhi. “Even in the practice games I was doing well but the team combination was not perfect for the coach I guess,” he says, as he talks about his time with MI, where not many domestic Mumbai cricketers have flourished.

A generation of cricketers
His father Surendra ‘Suru’ Nayak had a brief stint with the national side where he featured in two tests. But he was an active domestic cricketer. Suru Nayak is not the only one who inspired his son. It is a family where no discussion takes without cricket. And not just because they are patrons of the sport but also the ones who have made careers in it. Sujit’s uncle and his elder brother have also played in Mumbai for either domestic or club cricket. But for the longest time, he played cricket to run away from the books.

“There’s a huge cricketing culture in my house. I played cricket just to run away from studies but after college I took it seriously.” He joined Dena Bank in the second division of Times Shield Tournament which  helped him go further for the trials of the Mumbai team.

English expedition
Following his father’s footsteps, who used to play league cricket in England, Sujit packed his bags after his IPL contract expired in 2014. Suru Nayak played for South Shields Cricket Club in the 1980s. And after almost 20 years, his son played against the same club. “I was playing for Easington Club and when I played against my dad’s club, I could see how popular he was over there. I saw his pictures in the dressing rooms,” recalls Sujit.

After a couple of stints in the English cricket league in Kent and Durham, where he had a prolific season, he returned to India. Unfortunately, he could not go back following the new immigration rules after the ‘Brexit’.

As the season has now ended, Sujit is not left with many chances but he is eyeing a final return to the IPL next season where he could either redeem himself or repeat his story of misfortune.