The selection of off-spinner Parvez Rasool to 15-member Team India squad touring Zimbabwe later this month would not have been a big event if the youngster was not a native of Kashmir.
Apart from acknowledgement of his cricketing talent, the selection is seen as another political statement from New Delhi, a week after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the rail-link between Qazigund and Banihal, an important landmark to connect mountainous Kashmir with the Indian plains.
Parvez’s selection creates almost the same hoopla that Dr Shah Faesal created in May 2010 when he topped the Indian Civil Services list. Interestingly, the two feats were recorded during a period when Kashmir witnessed two massive public uprisings in 2008 and 2010 predominantly participated by youngsters of the age group of 18 and 35 years.
Rasool was man-in-waiting for quite some time and cricket watchers in Kashmir were sure of his selection. His performance in IPl and a 7-45 haul against Aussies in a February was making him a favourite apart from political favours New Delhi is believed to be giving Kashmiris to offset their sense of “alienation”.
A Bishen Singh Bedi’s apprentice, Rasool a rural boy from south Kashmir’s Bijbehara township is both skilful with the cherry and the blade. In fact he had started his career as a batter but later honed his skills with the off-breaks. “Rasool shored up his off-spinning skills to come into reckoning. The 2012-13 season was a breakthrough for him with both bat and ball and his 7-wicket haul proved to be the push he needed to be in the scheme f things for Indian selectors”, Sports writer Waheed Yaseen Mirza told The Pioneer.
Rasool became a heartthrob in Kashmir when he signed a contract with Pune Warriors ahead of the sixth edition of the cash-rich T20 league. Many a times he was the subject of tech-savvy Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s much-talked about tweets.
Rasool’s first class cricket performance is impressive. He has taken 46 wickets in 17 first-class matches and 1003 runs at an average of 38.57.
But his selection for Team India would bring a dilemma to Kashmir’s cricket watchers who are diehard fans of Pakistan cricket team and loathe Indian cricket in equal proportion. As soon as Rasool’s selection made headlines, the social networking sites on the internet began discussing it. While many Kashmiris admired his cricketing talent, many started dubbing him as a “traitor”.
“Rasool belongs to a conflict zone. Therefore his selection will be viewed through that prism. He has to receive bouquets as well as brickbats”, said a journalist. The Kashmir conflict had chased Rasool even when he was yet to make a mark for himself. Few years back he was caught in Bangalore when his detractors tipped off the security agencies that he was carrying explosives. He was detained and his cricketing kit sniffed and searched. There was nothing suspicious except his Kashmir connection.
He continued to perform after the ordeal and succeeded. Observers say that Rasool’s inclusion in the Indian team will mean much more to his fellow Kashmiris. They say it bears a strong political message. “For last five years, Government of India is targeting the youngsters in Kashmir through several scemes likes-Umeed, Udaan and Himayat. These programmes were launched after the 2008 and 2010 uprisings. Rasool’s selection would complement the policy”, said journalist Haroon Rashid.
It would be interesting to watch Kashmiri’s reaction to Rasool’s cricket if he plays match-winning knocks for Team India. “It will be even more interesting if he is seen playing against Pakistan. Most of the Kashmiris have always favoured Pakistan against India in cricket”, Rashid says.
The mainstream politicians have started showering encomiums on Rasool. “This is beginning of the long odyssey of the young cricketer, who is poised to script records of sorts in the game”, legislator Davinder Rana said.