An emerging star of UAE cricket might have missed out on achieving one of his dreams earlier this year, but he will move a step closer to another when he flies to India to train with Punjab Kings.
Ansh Tandon, 19, has been invited to practice with a group of emerging players at the IPL franchise.
He will fly from Dubai to Mumbai on Thursday evening, ahead of joining up with the Punjab franchise’s camp.
If he impresses, it is possible he will be retained and travel with the main side for some of the IPL campaign, which starts on April 9.
“I found out Punjab Kings were looking for new young talent after reading an article on Instagram,” Tandon said.
“I sent my videos and they really liked it. They contacted me and said, ‘We’d really like you to come to Mumbai for our camp, to train with us. If we like you, you can spend some more time with us during the IPL'.
“It will be training with the proper team, and I know a couple of their players from being in the same team as them in the Abu Dhabi T10, like [Nicholas] Pooran and Chris Jordan. It is going to be good to spend time with them.”
Tandon was due to attend Zara Hospital in Dubai on Wednesday evening for a PCR test which is a mandatory part of his trip to India.
He will face a second one on arrival, then five days’ quarantine, followed by a month of cricket training.
Although he says it is “a little nerve-racking as I don’t really know anyone there,” it is the Covid tests which most likely fill him with trepidation.
The left-handed batsman was hoping to make his UAE debut in the series against Ireland earlier this year, only to become one of four players – Chirag Suri, Alishan Sharafu and Aryan Lakra being the others – to test positive for the virus.
“Apparently I had Covid, and was sent to quarantine, so that dream didn’t come true,” Tandon said.
“I was totally asymptomatic. I had worked really hard for it, so it was kind of depressing when I heard that I wouldn’t be able to make the series, and went to quarantine.
“It was boring, but I had to bear with it. The good thing was I wasn’t alone. Alishan was in the same room, too, and I had my PlayStation, so that was good time spent.”
Tandon says he feels another ambition – that of featuring in the IPL one day – might be possible, too.
“If they like me as a cricketer, they might invite me to stay longer at the IPL and travel along with them,” Tandon said.
“I’m sure I’m going to learn a lot of things, and I’m very excited about that. IPL is the biggest franchise tournament in the whole world.
“To play in that league is literally every cricketer’s dream. Getting closer to it is an achievement, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Coincidentally, Tandon is a product of the same academy – Young Talents Cricket Academy – is the only UAE player to have been drafted to the IPL to date, Chirag Suri.
On Wednesday, Tandon was rubbing shoulders with the Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik, who has been fine-tuning his game during the Covid-postponement of the PSL, at the YTCA nets at the Goltay Academy in Hor al Anz.
He says he is grateful to Shahzad Altaf, the former UAE bowler who runs the YTCA academy, for helping him develop in the game.
“I have been playing with him since I started my cricket, and he has always been very, very supportive,” Tandon said.
“He has always been there whenever I have needed him, regardless of what my performances have been.
“I’ve been coming here every day to train at the YTCA Goltay Academy. Things have been falling into place and it has been going really well.”
