Nakul Shivani/ New Delhi

“Hopefully, one day we will see international cricket return to the valley,” says Parvez Ghulam Rasool Zargar, the first Kashmiri cricketer to represent India.

The last time an international match was played in Jammu and Kashmir was way back in the mid-1980s. Since West Indies visited in 1983 and then Australia in 1986, conditions have been such that hosting an international side here has been beyond the thinkable.

More than three decades later, things have changed. “The surround sound is better,” adds Rasool.

“But”, he pauses for a moment before adding that “it can’t be done with the present infrastructure.”

“We need to overhaul it. Jammu and Kashmir is crying for turf wickets, better dressing rooms, and international standard seatings. The way things are we cannot invite any international side here.”

The Union territory has only two proper turf wickets, one in Jammu and the other in Srinagar. The rest of the cricket in the UT is played on mat wickets.

Parvez Rasool grew up playing cricket in a small town, Bijbehara

“That’s how it was when I started playing. It is still the same,” rues Rasool.

Parvaz Rasool lived his dream to play Cricket for India through strife-torn Kashmir on makeshift cricket pitches.

Coming from the small town of Bijbehara, 50 kilometers from the capital Srinagar, Rasool grew up practicing the art of bowling and batting amid deserted streets secured by gun-toting military personnel.

“Cricket is the only thing I knew. None of the kids were bothered about what was happening around us. We travelled hours to practice, play matches, with the single dream of excelling in the sport,” he says.

Rasool did not let history or circumstances disturb him. He pursued cricket zen-like. Picking a bat and ball came naturally to him. After all, he comes from a family of cricketers. Both his father and his elder brother have been state-level players.

“Cricket was in my blood. I was lucky for the support I got from my family,” he says with satisfaction writ large in his voice.

Add to this, the fact that he was brought up in a place that has close connections with cricket. Just a few kilometers next to Brijbehara is Sangam - the heart of Kashmir willow. It is here that the best wood for bat manufacturing is provided to the country. It will be difficult to find an international player who has not played with a Kashmir willow bat.

File image of Parvez Rasool with his state teammates

After graduating from the junior level, it did not take long for him to make a mark at the national level.

He made his Ranji debut in 2008 against Himachal Pradesh. But the standout performance came in the 2012-13 season-ending as the highest scorer and the highest wicket-taker for J&K. In the 7 Ranji matches he played, Rasool scored 594 runs with 2 centuries.

He also took 33 wickets at an average of 18.09. With outstanding domestic performances, it was a matter of time before he got a call for the India side.

In 2013 he was picked for the Board President’s 11 that played Australia in Chennai. Rasool returned with outstanding figures of 7-45.

The same year he got the India team call. The classic off-spinner who loops and spins the ball and can bat too was picked in the Indian side that toured Zimbabwe. Even though he did not get a chance to play in the series, Rasool broke a glass ceiling.

Parvez Rasool celebrating his wicket in India jersey

“When my state players saw me go this far, they knew they too could start dreaming,” says Rasool.

There were close to a dozen players from J&K who went under the hammer at the mega IPL auction in 2022.

After his successful stints in the IPL for Pune Warriors and the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rasool, today, apart from excelling in the Dhaka one-day Premier League is mentoring young players from Jammu and Kashmir.

He has also built a turf wicket in his hometown using his own resources.

“I wanted to give back something. This is one way to say thank you to Bijbehara.”

The turf pitch in Bijbehara that Rasool has helped build

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“But it’s not enough. I hope every district has a turf wicket. Then only we can go to the next level. There is a lot of craze for cricket here. There is a lot of talent, a lot of dreams waiting to be fulfilled. What is required is good infrastructure, like the one that Sports Council is giving to Olympic sports,” he says before rushing off to give coaching tips to young boys in Srinagar.