(From top) Wriddhiman Saha, Jayanta Bhowmik and Debabrata Das. Pictures by Kundan Yolmo and The Telegraph

Siliguri, April 30: Jayanta Bhowmik is a proud man: his two boys have held their own in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The coach of Wriddhiman Saha and Debabrata Das is far away from the pomp and show of the Kolkata Knight Riders, the team for which the two cricketers are turning out. The duo had come to Bhowmik at the age of 13 and have been under his tutelage since then.

Wriddhiman had played a crucial role for his team during last Sunday’s win against the Deccan Chargers with two catches and one run out, while Debabrata, with 29 runs in 20 balls, was the second highest scorer in yesterday’s match against the Mumbai Indians.

“I was sure that once they got a chance to play, they would prove their utility in the team,” Bhowmik told The Telegraph from Calcutta. He was at the Eden Gardens yesterday to witness the performance of Debabrata.

“Before the match on Tuesday, I went to the city hotel where the team was staying and spent three hours with Wriddhiman and Debabrata. There I came to know that Debabrata might get the chance to make his debut in the IPL,” Bhowmik said. “I just told them not to get tensed and try to focus on the match.”

Bhowmik had played in the Cricket Association of Bengal’s first division league in Calcutta and had led the Kalighat Sporting Club for 10 years from 1984-85 to 1994-95. Since 1996, he has been associated with the Siliguri Agragami Cricket Coaching Centre.

“Apart from Wriddhiman and Debabrata, there are several other promising players like Sougata Dutta, Bunty Goala, Parthasarathi Bhattacharya and Ipu Saha. All of them are waiting for the big show,” said the coach.

Bhowmik, who is currently the cricket secretary of the Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad, is humble in his approach. “I have learnt the game from Pulak Biswas and I wish to share my knowledge with the players — not only as a coach, but as a guide.”