BARAMULLA: Some 40 km west of Uri, close to the Line of Control, sits Sheeri village. Along the Jhelum Valley road, north west of Srinagar. There, a narrow lane off the main road takes you to the home of cricketer Auqib Nabi Dar. It is barely wide enough for three people to walk alongside each other, but remember the address. For it is not to be forgotten in a hurry.Usually bustling in the manner that tiny mountain villages can be, on Saturday however, shops in Sheeri were open, but business was slow. Men stood milling on the narrow streets, groups of boys were gathered, mobile phones in their hands. It looked aimless, but there was purpose. Constantly checking their phones, sharing updates, exhausting mobile data by the minute, they kept abreast with the Ranji Trophy final score in faraway Hubballi.
Inside the two-storey dwelling, family members sat in a small room, huddled before a modestly-sized TV set. Next to the TV, in the cramped room, tucked in was an almirah. In its chest, it contained the many cricketing medals that Auqib has won over the years. The room was quiet except for the sound of the TV commentary.His grandmother, Fazi, her wizened eyes fixed on the screen, smiled whenever the camera showed Auqib. Father Ghulam Nabi Dar, a government school teacher, leaned forward as he sat, closely following every ball. Like a prayer off a rosary, he quietly reeled off names of players and match details as the final reached its hour. When Jammu and Kashmir won, the family looked at each other. And smiled quietly. Women members hugged each other. Moments later came the announcement that Auqib Nabi Dar had been named Player of the tournament.
Auqib Nabi’s family members watch Ranji Trophy final (TOI Photo)
The room fell silent, again as if hushed before prayer, as he began his post-match interview.“He is a shy boy,” his father said, smiling, not taking his eyes off the screen. When the anchor on TV reminded Auqib that his father had once wanted him to become a doctor, and when Auqib smiled in response, Ghulam Nabi removed his spectacles and wiped his eyes. In Kashmir, most parents encourage their children to pursue medicine as it usually serves as a respectable and secure career. Ghulam Nabi said he often worried that cricket would pull his son away from studies. He spoke of a time when he stopped Auqib from going out to play, locked him inside a room and even tied him with a rope to keep him from leaving. Around 2015, he missed securing a medical seat by two marks, recalled Ghulam Nabi, as if banishing a bad memory.
Auqib Nabi’s family members (TOI Photo)
Medicine’s loss was to become cricket’s gain, and a father understood in time.“Later, I understood how serious my son was about the game, and I allowed him to play,” he said. He then added, smiling shyly, “I too used to play cricket when I was young.”Now, Ghulam Nabi only hopes to see his son play for India. “My dream is to see him in the Indian jersey,” he said.The proud father’s phone kept ringing with calls from relatives, neighbours and reporters as scenes of historic jubiliation unfloded on the TV. “People are calling with affection,” he said as he struggled to answer each one of them. Women from neighbouring houses came to congratulate Auqib’s mother and grandmother. They hugged them and offered prayers.In another room, Bilal Ahmad Dar, 30, Auqib’s cousin, watched the match alone on his phone, preferring to follow games quietly, he said. Bilal spoke of how there were no proper cricket facilities in Sheeri when Auqib was growing up. Even today there are only basic facilities around. To practice, Auqib would travel nearly five km to a small ground near Lower Jhelum across the river.
Auqib Nabi’s accolades over the years (TOI Photo)
Bilal closely tracks Auqib’s career. He remembers almost every match that his cousin has played since being selected for the Ranji team. Over the past two years, Bilal said that Auqib has taken 104 wickets, 44 last year and 60 this year, and feels proud seeing well-known cricketers praise Auqib on social media. “When senior players tweet about him, it means a lot,” he said.Auqib is a science graduate from the University of Kashmir and remains humble despite his success, Bilal said, recalling the day of the IPL auction. “Auqib and me were watching the auction in this room,” Bilal said. “At first, when his name came up, no team picked him for a few seconds, we were silent. Then Delhi placed a bid and we were relieved.”As the bidding increased and more franchises joined in, the price kept rising. “When it reached Rs 8.40 crore, we couldn’t believe it. We were happy,” he said. Within minutes, word spread across the village. People began gathering outside the house, beating drums and celebrating. “There was a huge rush,” Bilal said. “But he is very shy. He didn’t even come out.”
