Leadership Lessons from Cricket Field - Part 2: The Formation Years

A team sport teaches you a lot. It doesn't matter, in which part of the world you play it, doesn't matter,  which background you come from, the sport is generous enough to offer everyone. The reason, two of the shrewdest & successful captains of the history of India's most popular sport, cricket, comes from contrast backgrounds. Sourav Ganguly has rich and classy background, comes from a metropolitan city, but the game equally celebrated MS Dhoni, who had a humble background and comes from a much smaller town.

I come from even smaller town. I have observed the game very closely and when Iook back, I am overwhelmed by the fact that how enriched I am due to this game.

I have never formed a team or have been a founder member of any team. I rather chose to sneak in and be part of a team, which was formed before my arrival.  It has its own challenges but many advantages too. Since I was never a founder member, I never had the authority to play at my will in any of the teams. I always had to perform to be in the playing eleven. That lifted my performances as well as the team I was going to be part of. I reached the pinnacle at end of my teenage, when I made a place in district team.

This is the story of the forming years of a sportsman.

The Thirst:

I had just finished by 10th and was into the Intermediate, equivalent to 11th and 12th. I wanted to test my skills with the leatherball, which I was debarred from, during my school days and school team. I seeked my father's permission and was granted, with couple of conditions. One, my studies won't suffer, two my father don't have to go for a search for me anywhere.

MDCC: The God Father:

My hometown is a medical City. With major of its businesses revolving around medical field. And it was apt, that the first ground to unearth my cricketing talent happened to be the huge ground surrounded by hostels of revered medical college. The club was named MDCC and the captain was impressed by a young prodigious player. I was extremely good with bat back then, just needed a polish. The tenure ended with my level not rising much, due to lack of  competition in the club. The captain and the manager, both were in touch and helped me grow even after I left them. One of the first leadership lessons I learnt in that club. A leader is a facilitator of "growth" for the organisation and also for the individuals. 

The Family Owned Club:

I then was attracted to the other part of medical college, the side ground, where one of my friends used to play. I was good, but they were nepotists. My rise in the team threatened their respective places in the playing eleven and it became ugly during practice sessions. I went back home without practicing more often than not. There was a lesson, "what not to do" as a leader. Subsequently they lost a talented player.

The Galaxy at Muslim High School: 

When I left the family club, I had opportunities to play for DBCC and Bhagat Singh Cricket Club, both top clubs. However, to grow there and knock the district team would have been difficult. I chose a different team. The team was from Muslim Ghetto, full of talent, full of match opportunities because towards the end of the season, they used to play almost daily. I had few distant known faces in the team, from my school, where each section had 128 students and each class had 9 times more than a section.... In short all unknown faces. A perfect plot to start afresh. In the family owned club, I started bowling on the nets. Bowling, I learnt from my younger brother. I was an average bowler with excellent speed and wayward line and length.

The captain "Pervez" was a gentleman in Galaxy. However, the vice captain "Dabloo Khan" was the leader generally. He immediately got fond of my secondary skills, bowling. The seniors, Dabloo Khan and wicketkeeper Barkatullah Ansari (Minty), supported me. I grew leaps and bounds under their leadership. I owe my bowling abilities to two people. Action taught by my younger brother & faith shown by Dabloo Khan. 

I had to leave this team only due to too many matches they used to play, because of which my studies were suffering. Some of the greates tours, I had, was with this team, both when I was part of eleven and when I was benched.

Leadership lessons learnt: Be humble, appreciate talent, hone secondary skills of your team members. Facilitate growth, provide opportunities and let the talent grow.

The Last Club Gemini:

I was a senior player by then, and I could choose my teams. All big teams and clubs were at disposal to choose from. I was however looking for just a team to practice, keep myself engaged during cricket seasons. 

But, I chose a wayward, directionless team. The team which had only one known face.

As it was always the case with me, the team was welcoming, warm and comforting. I had my share of "jealousies" too, but they were very rare. 

I became integral part of team and had leadership positions for the first time in my life, despite the fact, that I was not connected to any of the founder members of the team. This was the team, which is till date close to my heart, despite the fact that, it was the weakest of the lot (initially) I played for.

There were several leadership lessons learnt while being in this team. Which I will share separately.

The MCA Cups:

The fact that I was part of my batch team and responsible to win them two cups out of three, silently by scalping best batsmen of opponents, makes me proud of this achievement. The captain was good enough cricketer to know, who will win him the matches. That's a leadership skill, to identify the skill and use it for betterment of the organisation.

The USA Desi Boyz:

A bunch of "amateurs" with very few knowing the basics of cricket, I was part of, during my downward slip of cricketing skills. The team was wayward and weak, with no direction, no aim, no plans. As a leader, learnt what not to do. I had memorable tournament in Stamford CT, where we played for the city police charity in scalzy park.

However, during the tenure, another team identified my talent and I was called for several tournaments, to play for them. The most memorable matches with them were at New Haven, in the tournament organised by some temple trust. Apart from cricket, the food they served were good too.

Coming back to leadership lessons. Cricket is a team game. Your performance is dependent on a lot of factors. One prime factor is your captain, the leader of the bunch. Captain is the one, who gives you opportunities, necessary backing and most importantly, the faith in you. 

I want to immaculate the perfect cricket captain in my leadership roles. Learn the skills of my team members,  areas where they can hone their other skills. But most importantly, provide them my faith, my backing and my confidence, so that they are confident enough to perform. Believe me, this style has worked for me so far, in my professional work.

Cricket grounds and teams gave me opportunities to learn leadership skills. I owe a lot to the game and those leaders.