Once Bullied For His Disability, All-Rounder Gurudas Raut Hopes To Help Kohli Practice In Nagpur

Dismantling Sachin's wickets, hitting Irfan Pathan for a boundary, taking consecutive catches of David Miller in practice—these are just some of the achievements of disabled all-rounder Gurudas Raut. “I remember people used to mock, threaten and bully me, and over everything, question how I would be a cricketer with a left arm. Well, today I am what I am,” Raut recently said in an interview with HT. Twitter That the all-rounder without a left arm has defeated skepticism and backward mentality associated with handicapped people all his life is a testament to his spirit. Raut is the current vice-captain of the Indian team for persons with disability. He has led India to a series victory in Pakistan and has been playing professional cricket for more than a decade. How he started playing, however, is another story for the ages. “One day I was standing next to the Reshimbagh cricket ground (a local club) where the batsman had hit a six and the ball was going to hit us. I was sipping tea with my friend. With no alternative, I had to throw the cup away and catch the ball one-handed. That was my introduction to leather-ball cricket. I didn't even know there were official teams for people like us back then. Uttam Mishra, my sir, got me enrolled in a club. There, the coach provided me with necessary equipment,” narrates Raut. Twitter As India gears up to take on Australia in the fifth ODI at Nagpur, the 29-year-old Air Force employee is gunning for Kohli's timber in the nets. It is these small milestones that keep Raut motivated to show critics how people with disability can match up to world class sportspersons even though if it's for a shorter period of time.