“ZenSar Cricket Team An Epitome of Spirit and Character - For others it’s just a game, for us it is Life!”

I walk down the memory lane 4 years back, when I joined a bunch of exciting, exuberant and spirited guys full of zeal and character. All ruthless and fearless; a team, who any one if dared to have a go, would give back everything they had and united - something even the Spartans would be proud of. They were IT geeks in office but on the field, warriors they were to the hilt. I had played 10 yrs of professional cricket but had not come across a team like this. This was unique – a moment, an experience and an unforgettable journey. I wanted to be a part of this.

First year coming into a side with G Nathan as captain and stalwarts such as Vinayak Behere, Nrupal Desai, Saurabh Ganguly and Sanjay Gawai was tough. We had promising youngsters such as Pramod K P and Anurag Singh Chauhan for whom the word “impossible” never existed. We had experienced cricketers in Sumeet Kale and Venkatesh Venkatraman, street smart and crafty cricketers such as Nilesh Gulhane, Ashutosh Rai and Neeti Raj Rawat, but I managed to sneak in. We created history that year by winning the HDFC Cup beating Infosys in the finals.

Next year with most of our senior and experienced guys moving out, I was asked to lead and from then for 3 years – It has been a prestige and an honour on one hand and living up to the expectations of 4000 odd people on the other. There were moments of glory and few of shame, feeling of joy and some of pain, but the experience – HUH! Awesome!

IT Companies or Non IT, Products or services, small or big, all of them feared the name “ZenSar” and we always ensured they continued to. I still remember teams like Infy, CTS coming with 25-30 players, but at the back of our minds we know – We are good enough for them and believe me, we really are!

It is tough to work in A/C offices for 5 days for long hours without exercise or fitness regime and come out and give your best in extreme cold conditions on one day and searing hot weather on the next. It is tough crawling to office on Monday after back to back matches on weekends – tired and exhausted. It is tough to hear people criticize you when you lose, especially when they have never made an effort to turn up and see the passion and effort that we put in. It is tough when senior players take time off from their families and youngsters don’t go home just to ensure they don’t let the team down and so as to not miss any matches. Its tough to put every thing at stake – lose, get over it and say – “Let’s have a go one more time.” It’s really tough! But we have lived up to it. We have gone down one day only to fight back with vigil on the other and for me that is the hallmark of great individuals and a great team.

Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost. But glory isn’t only in winning; it is in participating and playing to your best and we always did. Times may have changed, but not us – the ZenSar Cricket Team and the way we have played. So what if we didn’t have the form sometimes or the opponents were stronger than us; so what if the conditions were tough or we were without our best players – yet we have delivered. We have kept the ZenSar flag flying high – Always! Something I as an individual and we as a team are truly proud of! I am sure, every ZenSarian who reads this too would be!

When I look back now – It has been an extraordinary journey, which would be etched in my mind forever. I just can’t miss and forget the action. For others cricket might just be a game and the ZenSar cricket team a medium to allow associates to enjoy; but for us it is Life and every game is a war! Above all this we represent a brand “ZenSar” which has grown ever year as the team comes out stronger and harder every time we walk out.

It was an honour to lead a side with excellent cricketers such as Parag Dahiwal, Emmanuel David, Dinesh Shanmugham and Hrishikesh Matsye. Classy players such as Venugopal R, Hemant Sengar, Vishal Pusalkar, Deepak Golani, Rajesh Paradker and Amit Chavan. Gritty guys such as Vikram Singh, Dnyanesh Mahajan, Abhay Jadhav, Mahesh Mundhare and Sailesh Athreyaa. Senior Players such as Ravi Kadam and Sanjeev Tomar and how can I forget the influx of young turks every year who breathed a fresh life in all of us - Amit Jadhav, Amol Behere, Robin George, Aadarsh Vyas, Aniket Kulkarni, Yashvir Singh, Jerrin Jacob, Santosh Sahoo, Ajit Nair and Harshad Poogalia. I know the list is long, but let me mention all of them – because without them ZenSar cricket team would be incomplete and this legacy would have been over long back when people wrote us off 3 years ago.

As I pass on the baton, the mood for me is of nostalgia and reminiscence. The feeling sinks in; but the mind and heart really can’t take itself away from a team that is the quintessence of spirit and character, grit and determination! A legacy that continues and for me, simply put the best team ever I played for. Best wishes and signing off….

- Ashish Dabholkar

“The New Face of Indian Cricket – Young, Vibrant, Aggressive & Fearless”

Twent20 Cricket brings a new look & feel to International Cricket. The great atmosphere, the entertainment added with a dash of music & dance provides one of the greatest spectacle ever & what better stage than the inaugural world cup. But the most refreshing & heartening view for every Indian is the new face of Team India – Young, Vibrant, Aggressive & Fearless.

A format of the game neither the players nor the board officials seem to have embraced has shown the biggest turnarounds ever to Indian cricket especially after the World Cup debacle. The most passionate & ardent cricket followers in India would also have not given a chance to this team without the legends – in a game that is fast, furious & ferocious. But, this in the face attitude team has proved all critics wrong, surpassed the expectations & left the cricketing fraternity gasping for breath.

Mahi has led the side with example – He is calm, composed, aggressive & shows the ability to take calculative risks when needed. The fielding has shown a paradigm shift with the youngsters throwing themselves around – Catches by Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh & the run-out of Justin Kemp by Rohit Sharma were of world class standards – some thing that would lift any side.

The batsmen – Gambhir, Sehwag, Uthappa, Yuvraj, Dhoni & Rohit Sharma all of them have portrayed great temperament & have cleared the boundaries with penultimate ease. Even during difficult circumstances, under trying conditions they have backed themselves & played their natural game. Some one rightly put it – When there is no reputation to lose, people come out with their best performances. The way Rohit Sharma batted against SA & his crucial cameo against Pakistan was an example of the same.

In the bowling department, Irfan & Bhajji have come back with very good performances. R P Singh is improving with every game & Sreesanth – with his natural aggressiveness & ability to pick up wickets looks deadly – Especially his spell against Aus is one of the best by an Indian against the World Champs. Joginder Sharma is yet to establish himself but his last over against the Aussies & his spell against Pakistan proved he has what it takes to be in the international arena & most importantly a part of this new face of India.

Cricket they say is played in the minds & hearts first then comes the skill, talent & experience – this young lot has proved this. They beat Pakistan in the bowl-out where their body language never showed any signs of nervousness. Against NZ they almost got home chasing 190. They made mince meat of the Englishman. The games against SA & Aus, the 2 best teams in world cricket, they came out with their heads held high & made us all feel proud with their power packed performances.

The finale against Pakistan was a true test of their mettle & character & they came through this one unscathed. What is important to notice is that they have come through even though Yuvi & Dhoni failed with the bat as also Sreesanth & Bhajji did not have a good outing with the ball. 157 in 20 overs was not going to be enough but they bowled & fielded splendidly to restrict Pakistan. Gambhir’s knock was sheer class & Pathan & R P Singh made sure India restricted Pakistan below the competitive total.

Ajay Jadeja rightly mentioned in one of his interview “It does not matter whether they win or lose against Pakistan but I want to see this Indian team playing!” The aussies having lost to India in the Twenty20 World Cup would come back strongly. Are the young guys ready for this acid test? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, like Ajay Jadeja, every Indian would love to see this team playing – the new face of Indian Cricket – The way forward…