On the doorstep of IPL greatness

NAGPUR: "Faiz Fazal looks like a talented youngster. He doesn't feature in Ranji Trophy. What I have heard about him is that he is a local cricketer from Nagpur." These are the views expressed by former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja who now struts his stuff as an expert on a national news channel.
Fazal has every right to take umbrage at Jadeja's comments.However, it's not his fault that he comes from a region where cricket officials are more famous than its cricketers. Everyone is aware that BCCI president Shashank Manohar is from Nagpur and Vidarbha.
But few are even expected to know who the captain of Vidarbha's senior cricket team is. This, however, will soon be a thing of the past. The Indian Premier League is throwing up new heroes. Among them are four city youngsters — Fazal (24), Umesh Yadav (22), Amit Paunikar (21) and Shrikant Wagh (21). Faiz, Paunikar and Wagh are rubbing shoulders with Shane Warne and Shilpa Shetty in Rajasthan Royals while Yadav is on the same side as Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in Delhi Daredevils.
Form is always fickle but if Fazal is still among runs, he would be playing in Nagpur against Deccan Chargers on April 5. With a little luck, cricket fans in the city could also see Paunikar and Wagh in action too.