Goa, 14 Oct : Ravi Shirodkar is 14 years old boy from the ponda taluka in Goa. His father has been an average volleyball and cricket player during his playing days. Ravi dream of becoming footballer in his early day and his father strive hard to fullfil his dream but today he wants to be a cricketer like Swapnil Asnodkar who became star in IPL cricket this year.
Yes, the giddu structure of Rajasthan Royals, winners of the first Indian Premier League Twenty20 title, has fired many an ambition among the sports enthusiast in this football-crazy Goa state.
When the first ball was bowled in the inaugural match between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Kolkatta Knight Riders, cricket scholars had no hint of the hidden talent of Swapnil from Goa which hit the IPL like a fires……..
The opener, who has drawn comparison with another batsman from india, Viredra Sehvag was an unknown face even in his home state in Goa until his heroics knocks in the IPL.
But gutsy Swapnil Asnodkar, who hails from Porvorim in North Goa near to capital of goa took on the world’s best bowlers in the Twenty20 format of the game and is now a household name, not only in Goa but the rest of India and the other cricket-playing nations. The praise and support of Shane Warne made him the true hero in the shorter version of cricket.
The flying starts he gave to the team were a keystone to the success of the Rajasthan Royals.
Underdogs at the beginning of the tournament, they won the cup under the astute captainship of spin guru Shane Warne. But the Aussie wizard was quick to point out the sterling performances of Swapnil and Yusuf Pathan in the team’s winning cause.
But Swapnil Asnodkar, has become hero in shorter version of game and but could not emerge in the 50 over format of the game in exhibition tournament abroad and could not make mark in international A team triangular series.
This is high time that Swapnil should try and give their best to conquer the place in the Indian senior team to fulfilled the cherised dreams of Goans……..