21 March,2011 10:59 AM IST | | Urmimala Banerjee
Though actor Kunal Khemu admits that he's isn't half as cricket crazy as he was in his boyhood, he still tries to adjust his work schedules so that he can watch India's matches peacefully. Kunal, who's catching up on the Netherlands vs Ireland match as he talks to us, describes his love for cricket to CS:
As a kid, I never used to miss a match of any series that India played, whether it was tests or one day cricket. My friends and I knew the name of every player in every cricket team. And all the stats were at our fingertips. But nowadays, there's an overdose of cricket.
Now, there's World Cup followed by the IPL, the India- South Africa series, so there's a lot to watch. This month I have been relatively free so I could watch all matches at ease but next month's going to be tough.
I am the member of the Bollywood actors celebrity cricket team, founded by Salman Khan. It has actors like Sunil Shetty (captain), Ritiesh Deshmukh, Aftab Shivdasani, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Ashish Choudhary, Mahesh Manjrekar, Harman Baweja, Sonu Sood and others. We just played a curtain-raiser match in Hyderabad.
I can bat as well as bowl. I was a medium-pacer in my younger days but now I have switched to spin. But I really need to work on my fielding. In fact, all of us need to catch up on some net practice.
Sachin the great
Well, Sachin Tendulkar is the god of cricket. I had the good fortune of doing a shoe ad with him as a child actor. He made me very comfortable and is a wonderful human being. I was in the sixth standard and when I returned to school after the two-day shoot I was treated like a hero.
I also like Yuvraaj Singh, who is a friend. I think that Yuvi is a natural athlete and can turn the match around on his day. I love his unpredictability. As a kid, I liked Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, two great fast bowlers. Of course, there was Michael Bevan, one of the most under-rated yet match-winning players of our times.u00a0
Cheering Team India
I feel sorry when I see the media lashing out at our players after every defeat. Guys, we need to support our boys to the hilt. And please don't give gyaan! The men on the field know best. My friends and I will hold a big party if India wins the trophy. We are all mad about the game.
In fact, we are also a superstitious lot. If one of us walks in and a wicket falls, we chase the person away. And a prayer is always on our lips in a crunch situation!
Who: Kunal Khemu
What: Talking about his love for cricket
Where: At his Yari Road residence
