SRINAGAR: When Irfan Umair arrived in Mumbai from Ranchi in 2017 with Rs 5,500 in his pocket, he shared a cramped slum room with 12 others and worked as a waiter to survive. Eight years later, the 25-year-old left-arm fast bowler has earned a place in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, making his debut in the side’s opening match against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar.
“For me, reaching Mumbai wasn’t the problem but survival was,” Umair told The Indian Express. “I came with Rs 5,500 and soon it was almost over. A friend advised me that I could do catering work thoda kharcha nikal jayega (it would take care of some of my expenses).”
Umair began his cricket journey late, at the age of 17, after convincing his parents in Ranchi to allow him to pursue the sport on the condition that he cleared his Class X exams. His father, who worked in Saudi Arabia, and his mother had wanted him to find regular employment.
In Mumbai, local coach Prashant Shetty spotted Umair bowling at Shivaji Park and connected him with the MIG Club in Bandra. But his early days were spent juggling practice with low-paying jobs. “I was given a costume with a starter in one hand. It was the worst day of my life. I cried when I came back to my room,” Umair recalled of his first day as a waiter, when he earned Rs 300 a day.
To qualify for Mumbai’s domestic cricket, Umair had to prove one year of residency as per the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) rules. He said he paid Rs 8,000 to an agent to arrange the paperwork. “I had no money for the next month, so I did double shifts in catering jobs,” he said.
When the Covid-19 lockdown hit, Umair was stranded in Mumbai. His roommate’s credit card kept them afloat, but the accumulated interest worsened their financial strain. “Every month, we used to pay more than Rs 3,500 in interest alone. Thankfully, my friend later got a job abroad and cleared the dues,” he said.
After the pandemic, Umair changed his club from Islam Gymkhana to CCI and took up a job in a Bandra restaurant, where he learnt to make sushi. “My teammates used to drive fancy cars and hang out together. I didn’t have money, so I always said I had work,” he said.
A turning point came when Umair entered the tennis ball cricket circuit. His pace and accuracy drew attention, and he was eventually picked by Falcon Risers Hyderabad for Rs 16 lakh in the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL). “It helped me leave the kitchen and focus on cricket,” he said.
His consistent performances in club cricket earned him a place in the MCA talent hunt, and later in the Mumbai senior team as a net bowler. He missed one trial session after being evicted by his landlord but continued to push for selection.
Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar, who saw Umair during the Mumbai T20 League, mentored him through this period. “He told me to keep the hard work going. Now I feel all that effort has paid off,” Umair said.
Mumbai Ranji captain Shardul Thakur described Umair as “hungry to perform”. “He comes from a humble background and it’s very evident whenever he plays. He’s been consistent in CCI and performed well in KSCA and Buchi Babu tournaments. As a left-arm seamer, he brings extra value to our team,” Thakur said.
Umair now looks to cement his place in Mumbai’s pace attack — a journey that began at a crowded train station, carried through kitchen shifts, and now leads him to first-class cricket. -(KL)
