It’s been a long journey from wielding the bat in minor county cricket in UK to wielding the scissors for India. And somewhere along the line, I lost the right to spend long and leisurely weekends. The normal weekend scene is just not for me. I am not much of a party person and I do not see the point in staying up till three in the morning on Saturday night. And anyway, weekends for me are just busy workdays like any other day of the week.

Not that I regret any of it. My philosophy is to live for today and not to look back. And I think whatever success I’ve had can be ascribed to that mindset. But I do take Mondays off from work and that’s when I play!

My day off is something I guard very zealously. I am one of the laziest people on earth and you wouldn’t catch me doing anything hectic on a Monday. It is my day for total relaxation. I take the day at a slow pace, have a late brunch, sit in the garden, catch some sun, and enjoy the greenery and just chill. Having been a sports person, I try to fit in some jogging or walking in the park as well.

It is also the one day that’s totally reserved for my family. I go and pick up the kids — Sana (16) and Anosh (15) from school. I play cricket with Anosh and in the evening we may go out to catch a movie or just eat out, depending on what everyone wants. But on the whole, I sometimes get the feeling I am the biggest kid in the family and on Mondays, I just act that role out!

Photograph by Rashbehari Das