Bouncing back from adversity

“By fearing to attempt, you lose the good you often might win.” These famous words from William Shakespeare will ring true to those battling self-doubt.

Inspired by his father Joel Kribairaj, the then nine-year-old Jasper EJ picked up the bat. Three years later, the youngster’s confidence was at an all-time low. “I was too conscious of my shots. I feared I would get dismissed and remained defensive. I doubted my strengths,” recollects Jasper.

The approach, expectedly, saw Jasper remain stranded while his peers made encouraging progress. “It was a difficult phase. He was dejected. I told him ‘you picked up the sport because you loved it. You cannot give up so soon. You need to keep fighting’,” Joel, who honed his son’s basics, said.

It took sincere efforts from coaches Vijay Madyalkar, Gautam Allipur and T Nasiruddin to help Jasper play with a free mind. “My coaches worked on my mindset. They made me fearless and I started attacking more. I began going for my shots with better confidence. They even worked on my skills. My stance was a bit awkward and my grip had a problem,” says Jasper. Change in style did bring a change in results for Jasper. For somebody who failed to get picked even for the zonal level competitions, Jasper went on to represent at the State in the U-14 and U-16 sections thanks to his consistency.

The 15-year-old, who amassed 680 runs for Mallya Aditi International School, was adjudged the best batsman in the U-16 Division II, inter-school tournament at the KSCA annual awards. A double century in a knockout game against Kensri School was one of the high points of Jasper’s performance in the tournament.

Jasper, who completed his 10th standard, cannot thank his father -- an administrator at Mallya Aditi – enough. But his mother Esther Joel’s support has been no less. A teacher at NITTE International School (Yelahanka), Esther has made sure Jasper is punctual for practice and matches. “Jasper is someone who only prefers to eat at home. So Esther has done a great job in getting his diet right for many years,” says Joel.

A transformed Jasper now idolises Dhoni. “I am not a wicketkeeper-batsman but I admire Dhoni because of the way he thinks as a player. He is calm and backs himself in all situations and that’s a great lesson for youngsters,” says Jasper, who is now preparing to make a mark in the U-19 category.