<p>As the Indian colts mounted a successful but tense chase in the under-19 World Cup final against Australia, an anxious father went through a rollercoaster of emotions in the press box amid discharging his duties as the South Zone Media Co-ordinator during the fourth day of the first Test between India and New Zealand here.<br /><br />RN Baba, populary known among cricket journalists as Dr Baba or just Doc, was the centre of attraction in the media centre for he is the proud parent of Baba Aparajith who played a pivotal role in India’s successful campaign Down Under.<br /><br /> The Chennai-based all-rounder scored 171 runs and claimed five wickets in six matches, but more crucially he was the man of the match in the quarterfinal against Pakistan and in the semifinal against New Zealand. In the final too, the right-handed batsman struck a 38-ball 33 and forged a 73-run partnership for the second wicket with skipper Unmukt Chand to put India firmly on track in a tricky chase.<br /><br />Baba’s cell was flooded with calls and messages the moment Smit Patel rattled off the winning runs but his own efforts to reach out to his son in Townsville didn’t materialise till late afternoon. “He is a very hard-working boy and he is very home sick,” said Baba in between his numerous dials to his son’s phone. “It’s only for training that he steps out and he prefers to spend time in the house. He just loves playing pranks with his grand mom.” <br /><br />But Aparajith, Baba maintains, is a very shy boy otherwise. “You see when he is playing, he doesn’t get too excited when he takes wickets or scores a 50 or a 100. He is a very composed boy and that’s why he felt bad when he got out after bringing India close to victory against Pakistan,” he pointed out.<br /><br />Aparajith scored a mature 51 in a low-scoring thriller against Pakistan but couldn’t finish off the chase. “He was angry with himself because he played a bad shot but was relieved after India won the match.”<br /><br />While many parents would consider themselves lucky to have one son like Aparajith, Baba is blessed with two. Indrajith, the older twin of Aparajith, is an equally talented cricketer if not more. He has captained Tamil Nadu U-16, U-19 teams to title wins for three years in South Zone competitions before being appointed the skipper of the zonal side.<br /><br /> Currently, he is the vice-captain of the TNCA President’s XI in the Buchi Babu Trophy. The leg-spinning all-rounder had a combined tally of 828 runs and 22 wickets in the BCCI’s U-19 and U-22 tournaments and missed the cut for the World Cup narrowly.<br /><br />“He was born just 40 minutes before Aparajith but he is, in a way, head of our family,” said Baba when asked if there were mixed emotions at home after only Aparajith managed to make the grades to the national side. “I don’t discuss cricket at home and it’s Indrajith who does all the talking. He is mature enough to understand that his time too will come,” he concluded.</p>.<p>Under-19 World Cup final score board <br /><br />AUSTRALIA<br /><br />Bancroft lbw Sandeep 2<br />Peirson b Sandeep 0<br />Buchanan c Patel b Ravikant 12<br />Patterson b Aparajith 16<br />Bosisto (not out) 87<br />Head (run out) 37<br />Turner c Chand b Sandeep 43<br />Gregory c Nath b Sandeep 4<br />Paris (run out) 0<br />Sandhu (not out) 10<br /><br />Extras (B-1, LB-5, W-6, NB-2) 14<br /><br />Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 225<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-38, 4-38, 5-103, 6-196, 7-204, 8-206.<br /><br />Bowling: Sandeep 10-2-54-4, Passi 9-0-44-0, Ravikant 9-0-41-1, Aparajith 10-0-31-1, Harmeet 10-1-36-0, Chand 2-0-13-0.<br /><br />INDIA<br /><br />Prashant c Peirson b Steketee 0<br />Chand (not out) 111<br />Aparajith c Turner b Sandhu 33<br />Vihari c&b Turner 4<br />Zol c Peirson b Paris 1<br />Smit (not out) 62<br /><br />Extras (LB 5, W-11) 16<br /><br />Total (for 4 wkts, 47.4 overs)227<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-75, 3-82, 4-97.<br /><br />Bowling: Paris 10-2-33-1, Steketee 9-1-47-1, Sandhu 10-0-43-1, Turner 8.4-1-42-1, Gregory 6-0-40-0, Head 4-0-17-0.<br /></p>
<p>As the Indian colts mounted a successful but tense chase in the under-19 World Cup final against Australia, an anxious father went through a rollercoaster of emotions in the press box amid discharging his duties as the South Zone Media Co-ordinator during the fourth day of the first Test between India and New Zealand here.<br /><br />RN Baba, populary known among cricket journalists as Dr Baba or just Doc, was the centre of attraction in the media centre for he is the proud parent of Baba Aparajith who played a pivotal role in India’s successful campaign Down Under.<br /><br /> The Chennai-based all-rounder scored 171 runs and claimed five wickets in six matches, but more crucially he was the man of the match in the quarterfinal against Pakistan and in the semifinal against New Zealand. In the final too, the right-handed batsman struck a 38-ball 33 and forged a 73-run partnership for the second wicket with skipper Unmukt Chand to put India firmly on track in a tricky chase.<br /><br />Baba’s cell was flooded with calls and messages the moment Smit Patel rattled off the winning runs but his own efforts to reach out to his son in Townsville didn’t materialise till late afternoon. “He is a very hard-working boy and he is very home sick,” said Baba in between his numerous dials to his son’s phone. “It’s only for training that he steps out and he prefers to spend time in the house. He just loves playing pranks with his grand mom.” <br /><br />But Aparajith, Baba maintains, is a very shy boy otherwise. “You see when he is playing, he doesn’t get too excited when he takes wickets or scores a 50 or a 100. He is a very composed boy and that’s why he felt bad when he got out after bringing India close to victory against Pakistan,” he pointed out.<br /><br />Aparajith scored a mature 51 in a low-scoring thriller against Pakistan but couldn’t finish off the chase. “He was angry with himself because he played a bad shot but was relieved after India won the match.”<br /><br />While many parents would consider themselves lucky to have one son like Aparajith, Baba is blessed with two. Indrajith, the older twin of Aparajith, is an equally talented cricketer if not more. He has captained Tamil Nadu U-16, U-19 teams to title wins for three years in South Zone competitions before being appointed the skipper of the zonal side.<br /><br /> Currently, he is the vice-captain of the TNCA President’s XI in the Buchi Babu Trophy. The leg-spinning all-rounder had a combined tally of 828 runs and 22 wickets in the BCCI’s U-19 and U-22 tournaments and missed the cut for the World Cup narrowly.<br /><br />“He was born just 40 minutes before Aparajith but he is, in a way, head of our family,” said Baba when asked if there were mixed emotions at home after only Aparajith managed to make the grades to the national side. “I don’t discuss cricket at home and it’s Indrajith who does all the talking. He is mature enough to understand that his time too will come,” he concluded.</p>.<p>Under-19 World Cup final score board <br /><br />AUSTRALIA<br /><br />Bancroft lbw Sandeep 2<br />Peirson b Sandeep 0<br />Buchanan c Patel b Ravikant 12<br />Patterson b Aparajith 16<br />Bosisto (not out) 87<br />Head (run out) 37<br />Turner c Chand b Sandeep 43<br />Gregory c Nath b Sandeep 4<br />Paris (run out) 0<br />Sandhu (not out) 10<br /><br />Extras (B-1, LB-5, W-6, NB-2) 14<br /><br />Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 225<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-38, 4-38, 5-103, 6-196, 7-204, 8-206.<br /><br />Bowling: Sandeep 10-2-54-4, Passi 9-0-44-0, Ravikant 9-0-41-1, Aparajith 10-0-31-1, Harmeet 10-1-36-0, Chand 2-0-13-0.<br /><br />INDIA<br /><br />Prashant c Peirson b Steketee 0<br />Chand (not out) 111<br />Aparajith c Turner b Sandhu 33<br />Vihari c&b Turner 4<br />Zol c Peirson b Paris 1<br />Smit (not out) 62<br /><br />Extras (LB 5, W-11) 16<br /><br />Total (for 4 wkts, 47.4 overs)227<br /><br />Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-75, 3-82, 4-97.<br /><br />Bowling: Paris 10-2-33-1, Steketee 9-1-47-1, Sandhu 10-0-43-1, Turner 8.4-1-42-1, Gregory 6-0-40-0, Head 4-0-17-0.<br /></p>
