Mumbai’s wicket-keeper batsman Eknath Kerkar emerged as the hero for Karnatak Sporting Association on Sunday putting up a swashbuckling display of 169 runs off 161 balls at the 70th Police Invitation Shield Cricket Tournament at the Karnatak Sporting Association Ground. Although the 24-year old sparkled in his innings, he is yet to make a debut for the Ranji team.
Kerkar has been waiting on the bench for an opportunity to make it to the playing eleven of the 41-time Ranji Champions for the past four years. He has been in and out of the squad but is tet to make his Ranji debut. The aggressive batsman says he is not letting the frustration take a toll on him and he is focusing on his game instead. “It became irritating but I realised there is no point in losing my cool so I am just focusing on my game. I hit the gym harder and train for longer at my academy,” says Kerkar, who smashed 13 fours and six sixes on Sunday.
The Mumbai team played their season opener against Madhya Pradesh in Indore where the team was handicapped by the absence of senior players and skipper Aditya Tare, who stayed back with his wife who was due to give birth to their child.
Kerkar had his opportunity to replace Tare but instead of him, it was Sufiyan Shaikh who minded the stumps for Mumbai.
Mumbai will face Odisha from November 1 away from home, for which Kerkar was dropped from the squad.
This does not trouble the wicketkeeper, who considers it as a chance to enjoy first-team cricket at the police shield tournament. “I was not getting any first team time so I think this is good for me to hit back and impress the selectors. I think I can make it to the playing eleven this season if I keep performing like this,” asserts Kerkar, who was recently employed by Bharat Petroleum under the cricket quota.
Kerkar lives with his parents in Santacruz. He credits his family for backing him despite not being strong financially as his father holds a clerical job at a bank. After being hired by Bharat Petroleum, his dependence on his father has diminished.
“They have always had my back even when I was out of the squad. Now that I have a job with BP, I am helping my father money-wise and managing my own expenses as well,” he says.
Till date, he has only managed to play two T20s for Mumbai, debuting at the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy where he scored 53 runs in 45 balls. Kerkar gave his trials for Mumbai Indians two years ago but was not selected due to his immaturity at the domestic level.
“I will keep performing like this and I will wait for my chance, which, I think is not too far,” says a positive Kerkar as he signs off.
