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Sept 3, 2003 was my first day at cricinfo. I had not studied journalism nor had any work experience. I had written a handful of (terrible) pieces but had never thought of becoming a writer (in cricket or otherwise). I had finished my engineering but knew I was no good at it. 1/
All I was doing was quizzing or watching cricket. I sent a couple of my articles to Wisden Asia Cricket, a magazine that carried really evocative writing. And I was really upset when they didn’t get back. How could they look past such a terrific piece! (I was so naïve). 2/
And so I got damn upset and wrote another piece. Which was even worse than the first because it was written with so much anger. But guess what? A week later I get an email from - wait for it - Sambit Bal. And he was curious to know who I am and what I do. 3/
And I was a bit shocked now because it is one thing to write some stuff and send it into the ether but now there is someone actually reading all that and writing back to me. And this someone is a name I have read and admired for a while. 4/
We went back and forth. He asked me to write two more pieces. Including watching a game on TV and writing a report. And I wrote all that in a state of nervous tension because I had no idea where all this was leading to but I also knew I was going to be judged for every word 5/
And the more I wanted to write a really good piece the more banal my writing started to feel. And by the end of it I was both happy it was over and sad that I had done such a bad job of it. This was possibly the last time anyone was going to ask me to write anything. 6/
A few days later Sambit called on my phone (a Nokia 3310). I was working at a banking software company back then (a story for another day) and I rushed to one of those secluded staircase landings and attended my “interview”. 7/
But it was not an interview. Because Sambit offered me a job straight away. I spent the rest of the time asking him questions. And I was so thrown off by his job offer that I decided to go to Mumbai to check the office out and make sure that he was not conning me. 8/
And he was perfectly fine with me coming over and THEN making up my mind on whether I want to take the job or not.
I have never told @sambitbal this but I think of him every September 3. Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for helping me become a writer.
I have never told @sambitbal this but I think of him every September 3. Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for helping me become a writer.
