Tamil Nadu cricketer Narayan Jagadeesan is living the dream – a call-up to represent India. The fact that it is in England, especially at a time when the energy is high, owing to the well-fought draw against the ‘Three Lions’ in the fourth Test in Manchester, makes it even better. Speaking to mid-day from London, he expresses, “It feels really good because it is something that I have always dreamed of, and this has always been my ultimate goal. Since childhood, every practice and training session I have done in cricket has only been for this moment – where you know you want to come and represent the country.”
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who made his first-class debut for his state in the 2016-17 season, comes at a time when India has unfortunately lost their star batsman, Rishabh Pant. Playing a resilient innings, Pant fractured his right foot after a Chris Woakes yorker, following which BCCI announced Jagadeesan as his replacement. With 3373 runs in 52 first-class matches at an average of 47.50, the Tamil Nadu cricketer has 10 centuries and 14 half-centuries to his name. While holding several records to his name, the 29-year-old has had two back-to-back impressive Ranji Trophy seasons. He scored 816 runs in the 2023-24 season at an average of 74.18 and then scored 674 runs in the 2024-25 season – becoming Tamil Nadu’s top-scorer for two consecutive seasons. It Is a notch above his List A career that has many highlights, including the record for the highest-ever individual score in the format, when he scored 277 against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Giving due credit to his parents and sister, and coaches, and all the other people who have been helping him, including Robin Uthappa, who has been his mentor now, and Naramsimha, his batting coach in Chennai. Even as the right-handed batsman spends time with the team, he understands his role. “It is a very big opportunity for me. Replacing Rishabh Pant is a good thing, but also unfortunate because he is a superstar of the game, and I wish for his speedy recovery. At the same time, I am very excited and looking forward to being with the team and experiencing how it feels while just making sure I do every bit in the team to gain a lot more experience and give in the right energy. More importantly, I want to try to be in the present.”
Even as he gets his call-up, Jagadeesan is excited to meet his Tamil Nadu teammates, who have played with him since his early day. He reacts, “I was really happy about being with Washington Sundar and Sai Sudharsan even before reaching London because it is like you got your players in the team. I have played a lot of age-category cricket with Washington Sundar and for the senior Tamil Nadu cricket team. Sai and I have literally opened every game that he has opened for Tamil Nadu, and the rapport we have had is really special. It obviously gives me a very comfortable space to come in and hang out and makes it a lot easier to be there.”
Having seen him grow from strength to strength, his father CJ Narayan is undoubtedly extremely happy for his son. He expresses, “It is a beautiful feeling because he has worked hard for it. He deserves it.” Being a cricketer himself while playing for Tata Electric in Mumbai, and coaching under the legendary Ramakant Achrekar, along with Chandrakant Pandit, and Lalchand Rajput, cricket has always been a special sport in the family, Narayan who talks to mid-day from Coimbatore adds, “I encouraged him while he was growing up because this Is a game where you don’t know about the future. There are so many competitors along with you, and there are crores of people who you have to compete with to get to this particular stage.”
The former Mumbaikar, who lived in the city from 1961 to 1988, gives credit to his son’s coach Guruswamy. “Initially, I encouraged him, and now I am learning from him,” says the proud father but not without a word of caution. “Everything has opened up a little and he has to capitalise on that. He should not get subdued at the big stage and should rise up to the occasion. You have to be mentally strong, and while I think he is mentally strong, he has to work on it,” adds Narayan, who says he is very possessive about his son’s career, and has as many as 18 volumes of his paper cuttings – right from his childhood till now, including the first time his photo appeared in the newspaper. It is no different for Jagadeesan’s sister, Sarada, who adds, “Every time I think about it (call-up), I either pinch myself or start crying. It has been our home’s combined dream for so many years (for him to play for India).” With Sai and Washi (as the family likes to call them) being such special players, and the trio playing together for so long, it is surreal for them. “We always hoped that Jaggi should enter the clan soon,” concludes the happy sister, who can’t wait to see her brother play for India soon.
