One upside to the Indian Premier League is that it provides a stage for many talented, but not so fortunate, cricketers to showcase their abilities and earn money from the game.
Some have gone on to play for India, as Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu did, while most of them, at least, get to make a decent living while sharing the limelight with the stars – even if it is for just a couple of months.
One such player made a swift rise up the batting charts three years ago and, unfortunately, disappeared off those charts just as quickly.
Paul Valthaty had barely been heard of outside cricket circles in Mumbai when he was picked to play for Rajasthan Royals in 2009. Two fruitless years later, he was drafted into the Kings XI Punjab side and the move to Mohali changed his life.
Opening the innings with the legendary Adam Gilchrist, his captain, the right-hander went on to score a chancy, unbeaten century against Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions, with the home team needing 189 to win.
Gilchrist, and the four batsmen that followed, were more or less spectators as Valthaty drove, flicked, swept, pulled, hooked, even punched, the Chennai attack into submission. He walked back to the pavilion unbeaten, and victorious, after reaching 120 off 63 balls that included two sixes and 19 fours.
Valthaty was imperious at the wicket that night, but what shone through was his gratitude as he walked straight to his friend teammate, Abhishek Nayar, and gave him a bear hug.
It was Nayar who had convinced the Punjab management that Valthaty was worthy of the draft.
ckadalayil@thenational.ae
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