Guwahati diary: Saikia hopes Test status will spawn more Uma, Riyan

The hype over the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati becoming the 30^th Test venue of India on Saturday is understandable, but the BCCI secretary Devojit Saikia feels it’s a job well begun on part of the state of Assam. ‘’The elevation of Guwahati as a Test centre should create a ripple effect among the young cricketers of the state. If you ask me, I hope to see more of the ilk of Riyan Parag and Uma Chetry making the cut for the senior team in next three to four years,’’ remarked Saikia.

 While the 24-year-old Riyan became the first cricketer from the state to make the national team during a T20I series in Zimbabwe last year, he had been an established star for Rajasthan Royals in IPL and had been knocking the doors of the white ball set-up for some time. Uma, on the other hand, has been a member of the history-making ICC World Cup winning team earlier month – being the second wicketkeeper to Richa Ghosh.

 Speaking to National Herald in an exclusive interview, Saikia said: ‘’Uma, who hails from Bokakhat, has played two matches during the successful campaign and will certainly bring a surge of excitement among our girls. If one looks at the history of Assam cricket, there have been at least 15 cricketers to have played for the country at the junior level – it’s now time to raise the bar.’’  

 Stubbs, Kuldeep’s IPL connection

 Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian wrist spinner who took three for 48 during first day’s play, is known to have a funny bone. One of his victims on Saturday were Tristan Stubbs, his teammate at IPL franchise Delhi Capitals who was dismissed after an aggressive 49, and the South African related an anecdote as he was walking off the pitch.

 Asked at the media conference after the day’s play whether having Kuldeep in the same team made it any easier to play him (he smacked a six off the wrist spinner), Stubbs revealed: ‘’We have often chirped each other that he hasn’t often bowled to me. Then today as he walked past me, he said now you can’t say I don’t bowl to you anymore.

 ‘’But yes, I have played him enough and if I had to think about him before the series, it’s probably just what he did today – with the drift and angling and no spin sort off,’’ said Stubbs, who took the attack to the rival camp till his IPL teammate stopped him a run short of a well deserved fifty.