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Samay Shrivastava, born in Bhopal, has been part of the Oman cricket team since 2022, will represent Oman in the Asia Cup Rising Stars, starting from Friday.
Shrivastava's story is one of persistence and belief. Reflecting on his early days in Indian domestic cricket, he said, "I used to play for Madhya Pradesh. Basically, I am from Bhopal. I used to play in age groups like Under-15, 17, 19, 23, 25. I was in the Ranji Trophy squad for 3-4 years but didn't get a game." Determined to continue his cricketing pursuit, he made a bold move in 2019 that changed everything. "Then I switched to Oman in 2019. One of my coach's friends, Mr. Ahmed Khan, who lives in Oman, called me there. I got a chance to play for Khimji Ramdas. I played domestic cricket for them for three years and was the leading wicket-taker every year. That's how I got a chance for the national team and here I am," he told ANI. A former captain of the West Zone Vizzy Trophy team, Shrivastava has admired players who combine skill with resilience. "In style, you can say Virat (Kohli), and in mindset also Virat, Hardik (Pandya), and Rohit Sharma. These are inspirations for everyone, the way Virat started his career, the way Rohit is doing things for the country, and how Hardik keeps making comebacks. These players are very inspiring. The story of Hardik Pandya, like how he started his career in IPL (Indian Premier League), then he is the best all-rounder till now," said the 34-year-old legspinner. As he gears up for the Asia Cup Rising Stars, Shrivastava is eager to make an impact. "I am so excited. I am looking forward to this tournament. This is a good backup for the World Cup and a big opportunity for me and my country to do well," he noted. The tournament will feature several IPL-level players, and Shrivastava can't wait to share the field with them. "I am very excited to see them. All the IPL stars are here, it's like an IPL Eleven or IPL Fifteen! I met Jitesh Sharma during the Asia Cup; he's a very genuine person. I am also looking forward to meeting Vaibhav Shuryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Ashutosh (Sharma), and Abishek Porel, like everyone," he added. Recalling Oman's spirited performance against India in the recent Asia Cup, where they lost by just 21 runs chasing 189, Shrivastava said the match has become a source of great motivation. "It was very inspiring for us. The way we played against India, we almost got that. We just lost by 20 runs. For Oman and our players, it was very boosting. Everyone is looking very impressive now, and we're hoping for some good results in the Rising Stars too," he said. The matches of the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 will be telecast on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD. (ANI)
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