After Simranjit, Punjab cricketer Sohal to ply his trade abroad

CHANDIGARH: He was the first one to console his Kings XI Punjab teammate S Sreesanth after the Kerala pacer was slapped by Harbhajan Singh in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. Fast forward to 2018, it is the same cricketer, who is on the verge of making his international debut — not for India, but USA.Meet former Punjab cricketer and Mohali boy Sunny Sohal, who is part of the 14-man US national team for the West Indies Regional Super50 scheduled to begin from January 31.An ecstatic Sohal told TOI from Maryland, USA: “Although, I didn't play international cricket for India; hopefully, I'll play my first international match for the US very soon.”Sohal is part of the US team although he doesn’t hold a green card; but thanks to the changes in International Cricket Council’s (ICC) player eligibility regulations in 2017, Sohal has managed to break into the team just three years after going to the US.ICC’s previous guidelines stated that players must be passport holders or resident of a country for seven years in order to represent its national team.Unjust treatment by Punjab selectorsSohal has a tale to share. He left the I S Bindra PCA Stadium in tears in 2014 after being snubbed by Punjab selectors despite an enviable performance in domestic tournaments. This after toiling hard for over 10 years and scoring heavily whenever given an opportunity to play for Punjab.He was also consistent in the Katoch Shield, J P Atray Trophy and F C Mittal Trophy, but still was treated shabbily. “Despite my good show, I used to warm the benches. But in 2014, I was shown the way out by the Punjab selectors on the pretext of fitness, which took me by surprise. It was a shocker for me and I even thought of quitting the sport. I packed ny bags and left the PCA stadium in tears,” said Sohal.“It was a frustrating time for my family and me. Chances of my dream to play for India were waning,” he added.Sohal came through Punjab’s age-group teams before being drafted into the India under-19 side in 2007 for a quadrangular series in Malaysia — also featuring Sri Lanka, England and Malaysia. He played 21 first-class matches for Punjab, scoring 1,202 runs at an average of 36.42, including three centuries. He was picked by Kings XI Punjab for the inaugural IPL and played 22 matches with Kings XI, Deccan Chargers and Royal Challenger Bangalore, spreading across four seasons.His most productive season was 2011, with the Deccan Chargers, when he scored 249 runs in 11 matches at an average of 24.90 with two fifties including a career-best 62 off 41 balls. Strangely, it was also his final IPL season.Off to USAMiffed with Punjab selectors, Sohal packed his bags and went to the US in 2014 along with his wife Manpeek Kaur and toddler son Gurshapinder Jot Singh. To sustain himself and his family, he played club cricket.Sohal, then 26, met Rajat Passey, who runs a cricket club called Potomac in Maryland. It was Passey who convinced him that his dream to play international cricket could still come true.“Initially, I was not convinced. I played a couple of tournaments there and realised cricket was the only thing I knew,” said Sohal.In the US, Sohal played in the Washington Cricket League (WCL) and earned accolades for his explosive batting. “It’s quite a competitive league. We’ve many current and former internationals, especially from the West Indies and Pakistan, playing in WCL. I am the highest paid professional cricketer in the US.”Now, Sohal is in no mood to look back. “Whatever I faced back home is history. I can’t thank wahe guru enough. I am absolutely delighted to get an opportunity (to play for the US national team) and I’ll give my best to make it count,” he added.In happy spaceSohal doesn’t regret his decision to move to the US one bit. “Although the decision to move to the US was an act of desperation, as I wanted to play cricket and was ready to grab whatever opportunity that came my way, but I think it was the right call. It is a huge honour to represent US at the international arena,” he said.Asked about the cricketing culture in his adopted country, the Mohali lad replied, “It is booming here; although, not everyone wants to play cricket. But for the past couple of years, I have seen cricket growing manifold times.“Cricket is being introduced in schools. The ICC is making efforts to promote the game here. Setting up infrastructure is not an issue; so, I can see cricket coming up in a big way in the US.”The US cricket board was suspended by the ICC a couple of years ago over corruption charges. According to Sohal, malpractice within the board is a thing of past now as a slew of changes that were suggested by the ICC have been invoked. “Soon, we will have a new headquarter being built in Washington. Former West Indies cricketer Ricardo Powell is the chief selector. And, the present regime is giving contracts to professional players as well,” stated Sohal.He also informed that several international cricketing stars including the likes of Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Nicolas Pooran and Mohammad Khalil participate in a local T20 tournament called the Florida Open.Missing homeSohal may have shifted to the US, but missed his home in Mohali and, of course, playing in the IPL.“Mohali is my home. I faced extreme difficulties in the Punjab cricket set-up; but, personally, I am very attached to home. My parents are there, so are my friends and I played all my cricket in Mohali. It is true I faced injustice as a cricketer. But, those are things of the past now; and, honestly speaking, I have moved on,” said Sohal. He certainly has!