Hyderabad v Tamil Nadu, 1986-87, SecunderabadI played my first Ranji Trophy game when I was 26 [25]. I thought it was much delayed; I probably deserved it when I was 21-22. I had finished B.Sc Mathematics and my father pushed me to do engineering. When I was doing my engineering in Coimbatore, I came to Chennai every weekend to play first-division cricket. I was scoring a lot of runs, but there was no opening for me in the team.I had to wait quite a bit because there were others who made their debuts. But they never quite latched on to the opportunity and I got my go. At one point, I thought I might never make it. But, I was so hell bent on wanting to play cricket that I didnt feel like going to the USA to pursue my MS degree. I asked my dad to give me one years time and within that I would play in the Ranji Trophy. When that happened, he asked me What now?; I said, Give me one more year, I will play for India. And I did play for India.During the train journey to Hyderabad for my Ranji Trophy debut, whenever I turned around I would see someone or the other looking at me. My team-mates knew my father was a leading lawyer and I didnt come from a background where the Ranji Trophy meant a lot to me. They knew I used to drive my fathers Mercedes Benz to matches. Not that I was pampered, but people looked at it and thought: Oh god, this guy has got a lot of money. I just tried to read something on the train and make sure my nerves were settling down.There were a few good things about making my debut at the Secunderabad Gymkhana. It has always been a good pitch to bat on and was lucky for me after that match as well. But, captain Abdul Jabbar lost the toss and we saw Abdul Azeem score a triple hundred. We then saw Khalid Abdul Qayyum and Vijay Mohanraj also get a hundred. I remember one fast bowler, Immanuel Rajkumar, was also making his debut; he must have wished he hadnt been there.Those days few people had the Morrant pads, and Azeem was one of them. He played forward to a delivery from Rajkumar, and the ball ricocheted off the pads and went back to Rajkumar quite sharply. Rajkumar held it with one hand and appealed. It was so funny and we made fun of him. That kind of desperation was because Hyderabads score at that time was 500 for 3 or something. When my turn to bat came, I decided to hang on and play out 55 overs or so [on the second day]. I remember one moment when V Sivaramakrishnan was batting in the 90s, and he flicked the ball to mid-wicket to Azeem, who was their best fielder, and called for a run. He was really angry when I turned it down, but there was no run there. The next ball, Arshad Ayub went diagonally round the stumps and darted one of his faster ones - it must have been about 135 kph (laughs). He didnt offer a shot and the stump went flying. Sivaramakrishnan didnt say anything to me, and everybody in the team knew he was a fussy runner so nobody said anything. It was just his nerves in the 90s and he was looking get off strike. I dont remember how I got out, but its a surprise I got out to Bobjee (Narasimha Rao); it must have been a terrible delivery (laughs). I was dismissed for 81.I had never been to Hyderabad before that trip. I had read so much about the Charminar and seen photographs of it, so I desperately wanted to see it. But, once there, I felt totally disappointed; I could barely breath and move around. But, Hyderabad has been lucky in a lot of ways. I got a call to play for India in the one-dayers against New Zealand after the selectors saw me at the Fateh Maidan [Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium].When I got back to Chepauk, there was this manager called Santhanam in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. When I met him, he said: its good you got out for 81. I was so upset because a hundred on debut would have been special, and asked him why he said that. He said batsmen who scored a hundred on debut for Tamil Nadu never played more than five or six matches. I actually ended up playing for a very long time [81 first-class games] - I made my debut in 1986 and retired in 1998.As told to Arun Venugopal Trent Williams Redskins Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Sammy Baugh Womens Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. https://www.redskinssportsgoods.com/Womens-Bryce-Love-Inverted-Jersey/ . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Joe Theismann Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Sean Taylor Redskins Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. Adelaide United defender Jordan Elsey will miss the entire A-League season because of injury as the reigning champions edge closer to signing a Spanish top-flight striker.Elsey has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be sidelined for about 12 months, a club spokesman says.The 22-year-old also suffered the same injury last year before returning to action during Adelaides title-winning A-League season.But Spanish forward Sergi Guardiola has agreed in principle to a stint at Adelaide after his La Liga side Granadas move to release the 25-year-old on loan.Guardiola, no relation to Spanish great and new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, is aawaiting a visa to enter Australia and then would have medical testing at the Reds before signing.ddddddddddddGuardiolas pending signing would bolster an Adelaide attack depleted by off-season transfers.Striker Bruce Djite (Suwon FC, Korea), attacking midfielder Stefan Mauk (NEC, Netherlands), forward Eli Babalj (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands) winger Craig Goodwin (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), attacker Bruce Kamau (Melbourne City) and forward Pablo Sanchez (released) have all departed since the Reds claimed their first A-League championship. 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