3 months ago
1
Right aft dismissing Mohit Avasthi connected Saturday morning, Divij Mehra sank to the turf, tears rolling down his cheeks. For the lanky Delhi pacer, the infinitesimal was acold bigger than conscionable different wicket. It marked a comeback — emotional, hard-earned and profoundly idiosyncratic — aft astir 2 years distant from First Class cricket owed to a bid of injuries.
“It’s good to beryllium emotional,” Mehra said aft completing his five-wicket haul against Mumbai, his 2nd specified effort against the home heavyweight. “When I saw the docket earlier the play began, I had promised my begetter that I would again instrumentality 5 wickets against Mumbai. So, aft keeping my connection successful the comeback game, it was earthy for the emotions to travel out.”
Mehra had achieved a akin feat against Mumbai 3 years ago, but his vocation soon deed a roadblock. A spur successful the bottommost of his landing ft forced him to the sidelines, triggering a agelong and frustrating rehabilitation phase.
“I was injured aft that five-for against Mumbai (in 2022-23), truthful it felt precise bully to person contributed again,” Mehra said. “That wounded kept maine retired for a agelong time, and arsenic a accelerated bowler, it’s ne'er casual to travel backmost aft that.”
During his betterment and consequent instrumentality to competitory cricket, Mehra leaned heavy connected guidance from elder India pacer Ishant Sharma. The 2 spent sizeable clip unneurotic during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“I spent a batch of clip with Ishant bhaiya,” Mehra said. “He helped maine acceptable my regular and recognize the areas I request to enactment connected earlier the adjacent season. He told maine intelligibly what benignant of grooming I person to spell done and what my docket should beryllium similar arsenic a accelerated bowler.”
The feedback, Mehra admitted, was blunt but necessary. “He spoke to maine sternly aft 1 lucifer — ‘dekh bhai, itne se nahi chalega’ (this isn’t enough). He made maine realise things I couldn’t spot myself.”
Mehra besides revealed inputs from Rishabh Pant, who urged him to adhd gait and saltation to complement his accuracy. “Rishabh bhaiya told maine I vessel successful the close areas, but I request to enactment connected my gait and variations,” helium said.
For Mehra, the tears were not of alleviation alone, but of belief. He volition beryllium hoping to not interruption down during the off-season and travel backmost stronger the adjacent season.
