Undaunted by the hurdles - The peregrination of Shahbaz Ahmed

There are stories where some of them have levitated from the debris of skewed urbanization and unfair catastrophes. Like any other cricketer, Shahbaz Ahmed's journey hasn't been an easy sail of a boat. 

Bengal had lost half their side with the scorecard just reading 21 while chasing a steep target of 287. The tall and lanky all-rounder came to the crease tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding Bengal's run chase against a potent Tamil Nadu bowling attack. Shahbaz with his unwavering dedication and grit, weaved commendable century, albeit in a loss. Two months later in a different format, Bengal were poised at a similar juncture needing 126 runs with five wickets in hand. A familiar face, who was accustomed to these situations, walked out to the middle. Renowned author, Kilroy J Oldster, in his book titled 'Dead Toad Scrolls', had famously remarked: "Examination of our past is never time-wasting. Reverberations from the past provide learning rubrics for living today." Shahbaz's innings in the next two hours was an expansion of Kilroy's words. Deriving the learnings from his previous experience, Shahbaz Ahmed's resilient 133-ball 61* ensured that the visitors pulled off a heist against Rajasthan, where a victory appeared out of sight. 

Having assigned a demanding batting position in his first full-fledged domestic season, Bengal has produced innumerable come-from-behind victories with Shahbaz playing a pivotal role. The all-rounder proved to be a potent weapon for the Manoj Tiwary-led side, scoring 509 runs and scalping 35 wickets in Ranji Trophy. His case for an IPL contract was made ironclad after his scintillating performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. RCB Director of Cricket Operations, Mike Hesson and Chief Scout, Malolan Rangarajan, who were more inclined towards nurturing homegrown talents, had a keen eye on Shahbaz Ahmed's progress. In the 2020 IPL auction, the Bengal all-rounder was snapped up by RCB for a base price of INR 20 lakh. 

Life is a great leveller. The obstacles are intended to be surmounted at a specific point in life. Two years before the breakthrough season, the Haryana-born player moved to Kolkata in search of better cricketing opportunities. Shahbaz was suspended for a league game upon being labelled the 'outsider' tag. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) performed an investigation and gave him a green signal to take part in the league tournament. Tracking the recent performances in the domestic season, it's fair to say that he has substantially shrugged off the 'outsider' tag. 

Come September, Shahbaz Ahmed will be playing alongside some of the stalwarts of the game. The stint at RCB will help him comprehend more about his game, which will be beneficial in the longer run.