Bring On The Curry

It was not so very long ago that cricket in England was devoid of players from an Asian background. And see the difference now—today it is unusual for a county side not to field players from the subcontinent. Some uninformed critics would happily put this slow development of cricketers from the Asian community down to racism. But such an argument cannot be farther from truth. In all my years in cricket, I haven't found a single instance of racism in any game in England. Also, if at all I came across such a bias in any team with which I was involved, I would have stamped on it very hard indeed.

But why this topic? Because I am keen to get it out of the way rather than let it lurk around as an unnecessary and unfounded distraction. Of course, there are some players from the Asian community—and the Caribbean and others—who complain about being discriminated. The truth, however, is that it is an all too easy excuse for players who are simply not good enough. Many come for trials and are rejected not because they are an Indian or an Eskimo, but because they are not talented enough to handle the pressures of county cricket. Rejection is a bitter truth many don't have the courage to accept.

The fact of the matter is that English cricket has never been more vigilant when it comes to spotting talent than what it is now, and there's no way a totally irrelevant issue like your racial background is allowed to get in the way of good cricketing sense. Look at Amjad Khan, currently making a very good impression with Kent. He exudes talent and it does not matter whether he hails from Copenhagen, Kathmandu or Kent.

There can be no better example of the Asian community's influence on English cricket than the man who is leading the renaissance of the national team—Nasser Hussain. His impact has been incredible. Remember, he commands respect because of what he is as a player, and not because he comes from the Asian community in England. Of course, his family background in Chennai must have had an influence on him and played a part in shaping the man that is the England captain. Hussain is the perfect role model for young Anglo-Asians to follow. That is the great value to the Asian cricketing community in England. Here's an example of what can be achieved—with talent and dedication—and it shows that no door is closed.

Take Mark Ramprakash, for instance. He hails from the Caribbean, but his family are of Asian stock and his wristy strokeplay is enough evidence of that. I have watched him develop into a fine cricketer at Middlesex and even later when he graduated into the England team. Middlesex batsman Owais Shah is another outstanding prospect—he has already played for the one-day team and must surely gain recognition at Test level at some stage. Now you know what happens when you marry the Asian panache of Shah's background with the English patience of his upbringing!

There are so many others. Nottinghamshire batsman Usman Afzaal has already played Tests for England, as has Mumbai-born Min Patel and Aftab Habib, who now plays for Essex. Northamptonshire's 'Monty' (Mudhsuden Singh) Panesar is a left-arm spinner who has played for the England Under-19 team, and so too has Nottinghamshire batsman Bilal Shafayat. Anurag Singh is another promising batsman, and his Worcestershire team-mate, Kabir Ali, has attracted enough attention as a fast-medium bowler to earn a place in the provisional list for the English National Academy this winter. Or, take Udaipur-born Worcestershire all-rounder Vikram Solanki. When he's on song, he is class personified. This is an endless list but serves to illustrate how English county cricket welcomes players from every background. What is necessary is to take the best of the Asian game and mould it to suit the English environment.

It is interesting to speculate how the increased presence of Asian players in English cricket might have another important effect. The enthusiasm for cricket among the Asian community in Britain is well-known and was seen very clearly during the NatWest Series when matches between India and Sri Lanka turned the Oval, Edgbaston and Bristol into outposts of the subcontinent. Perhaps as more Asian players get into county cricket, more Asian spectators will be attracted to the game. This is a large community which loves cricket and the excitement of the game. More the number of Asians getting into teams, more the support you get in terms of spectators at the stadium. Eventually, this could well prove to be the saviour of English cricket.