While inheriting a famous surname has definite advantages, it can equally be a weighty baggage to lug around for some. Especially if one is plying the same trade as an illustrious parent.
Mihir Hirwani, son of former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, has been at ease with such comparisons.
He is currently in the city, turning out for UFCC (T. Nagar) as its outstation player in the TNCA first-division league.“I never wanted to copy my dad. [But] people notice the similarities. They keep saying I have a similarly aggressive streak. Also, as I am a leg-spinner, there is bound to be comparison,” the bespectacled Mihir, who reminds you of his father in his youth, tells The Hindu .However, he admits to the pressure that comes with such a tag. “It does affect you somewhere down the line. But, my father and many others tell me it would remain with me all my life. Rather than look at it as a burden, I look at the positives.”
In his bloodMihir has been a leg-spinner right from the beginning. “It’s in my blood. My folks tell me that when I first bowled with the tennis ball, I twirled it from the back of my hand.”
The 20-year-old, who is pursuing B.Com from IGNOU, is in Chennai as heavy rains back home in Indore render any cricket impossible at this time of the year. He had played in Hyderabad last year.
“The standard of cricket in Chennai is excellent. There is no city-based league in Indore, and unlike here, corporates aren’t involved. Here, even those who aren’t playing at a higher level still remain motivated.”
Mihir has picked up 12 wickets from six innings in the first-division, with a best of four for 59. He also has to his name six wickets from three VAP Trophy matches.
“He is very consistent and accurate,” says D.J. Gokulakrishnan, coach, UFCC (T. Nagar). “Ours is a young team and he has settled down wonderfully.”
The city holds fond memories for Mihir, not least because of his father’s spectacular haul of 16 wickets here on Test debut against the West Indies. “When I came here, I got a lot of positive vibes. It’s a proud feeling that my father has done well here. Instinctively, I felt I would perform well.”
Warne idolBesides representing Central Zone at the under-16 level, Mihir has also been part of Madhya Pradesh’s under-16 and under-19 teams and has been named in the probables for the Ranji Trophy this year.
“I want to learn as much as I can and chase excellence. Besides the usual variations, I am working on the zooter,” says Mihir, who idolises Shane Warne.
As the discussion veers back towards his father, who also coaches him, Mihir says he wants to carve out his own identity. “I have no control over where I was born. My father always tells me to work hard, lead a disciplined life and be honest to myself.”
(A fortnightly look at the sports scene in Chennai)
