NEW DELHI: Ravikant has kept Palam’s Air Force Complex Ground ticking for the past 35 years. The chief ground staff member, he also doubles up as the scoreboard operator. But when cricket resumed after the COVID pandemic, he received an unusual request from the Services captain Rajat Paliwal: he did not want his name displayed on the scoreboard while batting.Ravikant, a little hesitant at first, agreed.“Sab ka apna apna hota hai. Kaptaan sahab ka farman aaya aur humne maan liya (Everyone has their own superstition. He made the request and I accepted it),” Ravikant said.On Monday, the 34-year-old Paliwal smashed his 21st first-class century to rescue Services, who were reeling at 27 for three, and took them to 266 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group C clash against Delhi. He remained unbeaten on 111 off 196 balls.With no name appearing against Batsman 2 (Paliwal) on the scoreboard, the veteran batter had no way of knowing how close he was to his century. He eventually realised he had reached the milestone through the reaction of Delhi’s fielders, who began closing in around him.“I got to know that I was getting closer to a century when I saw more fielders around me. I realised I had scored a hundred only through the reaction of the Delhi players,” he told reporters at the end of the opening day.
The manual scorecard at Palam’s Air Force Complex Ground in New Delhi. (Photo: Pratyush Raj)
“I started this practice sometime after Covid. Sometimes, I used to feel a little nervous and lose my focus. The scoreboard draws attention, so I have taken it out of the picture entirely to concentrate only on the game,” he added.This was Paliwal’s highest score of the season so far, and he described it as particularly special. When he walked out to bat, Services were staring at the possibility of being bowled out for less than 100. But Paliwal stood up for his team, as he has done for nearly a decade-and-a-half.“This hundred is very special, especially because the team had lost four wickets for 44 runs and we needed this knock. This has come after a long time and at a critical juncture before a break, to set the tone for the next phase,” he said.
Yes, I look at Paras as an example. He has crossed 10,000 runs in first-class cricket and has been remarkably consistent. Last year, he also won the Ranji Trophy title. His persistence and consistency are inspiring.
Rajat Paliwal on Paras Dogra
Paliwal, who turns 35 in December, knows that his chances of breaking into the Indian team are now limited. However, he continues to draw inspiration from Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra, 41, with whom he remains in regular touch.“Yes, I look at Paras as an example. He has crossed 10,000 runs in first-class cricket and has been remarkably consistent. Last year, he also won the Ranji Trophy title. His persistence and consistency are inspiring. Paras has been an inspiration in this regard. He became a Ranji Trophy champion in his forties. When you see him consistently performing at that age, you feel confident about yourself as well,” he said.“Yashpal [Singh] is another player who has influenced me a lot. He scored a lot of runs and played alongside me for four or five years when I started. We had some very good partnerships together,” he added.
Nagpur: Services batter Rajat Paliwal plays a shot during the first day of the Ranji Trophy cricket match between Services and Vidarbha, in Nagpur. (PTI Photo)(
A bulwark of India’s domestic cricket circuit, Paliwal believes that the love for first-class cricket in the country is far from fading. He cited his Delhi counterpart, Ayush Badoni, who has scored back-to-back double centuries, as an example of the continued appetite for the longer format.“It’s true that cricket has become much faster. Throughout the year, there is a lot of focus on T20 cricket because of the exposure, media coverage and attention it receives. But you cannot categorise players like that. If you look at Badoni, he has scored two double centuries on the trot. Badoni is my opponent, but I would like to appreciate him because it is not easy to score back-to-back double hundreds.“Every player has individual priorities, and everyone approaches the game differently. Everyone has their own preferences and ambitions. Some want to establish themselves in this format, while others prefer the shorter formats. But I believe many players still try to perform in the longest format as well,” he continued.