Jayojit Basu shares with us how he went from, playing galli cricket from the age of 4, to playing under the captaincy of Saurav Ganguly who always tells him, “Keep it simple. Don’t think too much. Play your game. It is just another game, whether you are playing for your club or for Bengal. Don't keep your mind complicated - kortey baron kore!"There is a lot more that goes into being a good cricketer, explains Jayojit. Playing professional cricket exposes you to a lot of money, media attention, and there are drawbacks to always being noticed at such an early stage in your life. One can easily be wayward from their path. Jayojit shares how players lose focus; how their personal and professional lives are under constant scrutiny and criticism. Having very little scope for self, this in turn also affects their performance and selection. Travelling from one place to another with the entire crew, and sleepless nights get tiresome. Jayojit has made it so far and he is working hard to reach further goals, but he keeps in mind his upbringing, especially his mother’s efforts that went into making him the person he is today.
Studies or cricket was never an option for Jayojit. “I knew I had to study, and I knew I had to play cricket. My mother supported and encouraged me to play cricket, as a little kid she would take me to the old para ground at Belgachia and sit there while I played. She taught me well, and I never compromised on my studies or cricket”, he shares. Jayojit had been playing for Bengal from the Under-15 days, so there wasn’t really that one moment when he decided to pursue cricket. While in college he was the college cricket captain, “I wasn’t ‘really’ interested in studies, all I wanted to do was play cricket,” he reflects.
Having been selected for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy was a huge achievement for Jayojit. He had been selected for the Bengal team following consistent knocks in the U-22 CK Nayudu Trophy. He has been the highest run-getter among the Elite teams in the Under-22 C.K. Nayudu Trophy last season (2011-12) with 565 in six innings (average 94.16) including two centuries and four half-centuries.
However, he considers it as a stepping stone, in his climb to achieve the only thing that has ever interested him, playing for the Indian team. Jayojit has shown his dedication and love for the game, even when he lost his father and returned home, a day after, he decided to join his team in Delhi ahead of the final. Back then, Wriddhiman Saha, Indian Test cricketer and player, Chennai Super Kings was quoted saying, “He (Basu) has shown great character. He has inspired the entire team. We want to do it for him”.Jayojit was also selected to train in the Knight Riders cricket camp. He has consistently taken essential steps towards his goal, but his ways are truly unique. He makes constant efforts to keep himself grounded and disciplined. He is definitely a wakeup call for every aspiring cricketer. Cricket is more than just getting on the pitch and playing one good game, if you want a career which is more than a candle in the wind, it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.
Having made it so far, he is always asked about how hopeful he is about making it to the Indian team. Jayojit very effortlessly made me understand, that all he ever focuses on is playing well. All he does and will keep doing is, playing well every time he gets on the pitch. He hopes his hard work will pay off, and he gets to join the men in blue and play for his country. We have a lot to learn from this one guy, and we wish him the best, Godspeed Jayojit!