Unlike most youngsters, who prefer to play it safe and pursue time-tested professions for a living, Sumit Panda, captain of the state Ranji cricket team, listened to his heart and chose to make a career of his passion. Born and bought up in the steel city, Sumit will soon leave for England where he will play club cricket.

The star cricketer left home after his Plus Two and joined St Xavier?s College, Calcutta. Gradually, he climbed the ladder of success. He initially played for Bengal and started playing for his home team later in his career. Though he has settled down in Calcutta and works with Metro Railway, Jamshedpur has a special place in his heart. With a hectic schedule he, however, rarely gets time to visit home. ?My schedule is tough, but I do visit Jamshedpur often to practice and since this is the cricketing season, I will be here in the coming months, ? he says.

An ex-Loyolean, Sumit says, ?Life in Jamshedpur is pretty laid back. For older people, though, the place is paradise.? A usual day for Sumit, begins at six in the morning with practice at Keenan Stadium. Most of his time is spent practicing. ?I sleep between practices,? he smiles. ?After practice, I catch up with old friends,? he says. Sumit often visits Centre Point and Regent and enjoys a game of pool or a quite dinner with friends. He can also be spotted playing tennis at Beldih Club or United Club.

Sumit confesses that he was once an avid party-goer, but with other engagements, he rarely gets the time. ?Nowadays, I do party when I am in Calcutta, but it is much lesser than what we did in college,? he says.

Sumit dreams of making it to the Indian team someday. ?I was very close to achieving my cherished dream, but due to certain problems, I could not make it. I am hopeful I will get there next time,? Sumit says.

His passion for cricket is evident, but Sumit also wants to complete his education, which is, for the time being, on a backseat due to his cricketing assignments. ?I was always a good student, but once I started playing I couldn?t concentrating much on studies. I want to obtain an MBA degree and settle abroad,? Sumit says.

?I will complete my studies even if I am 40. Its never too late and you can always do it,? he added.

Sumit feels that lack of opportunities is responsible for Jamshedpur?s slow growth. ?Our city is laid back because there is a dearth of young people here. Everybody leaves after school. There should be better colleges and more opportunities to attract youngsters. Then the city would again buzz with life. At the end of the day, it is better to be home,? he says.

With the cricketing season nearing he is gearing up to play his best shots. Being the captain, there is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as he is answerable to the authorities. Being a fast bowler there is always the risk of injuries. ?I have to work hard, or else others will move ahead.? Life is quite like a match for this dynamic cricketer, who does not plan to tie the knot in the near future. ?Its too early for me to even think about marriage. All I want to do is concentrate on cricket.?

Nilanjana Ghosh Choudhury