An ardent RCB fan who takes inspiration from Yuvraj’s 2011 heroics: Pavan Deshpande

Ah, the famed Chinnaswamy stadium. The atmosphere of a night game. The capacity crowd chanting “RCB” at the top of their voices. The cauldron-like atmosphere, with enough energy produced to launch a rocket into outer space. Watching a game at the Chinnaswamy is an experience, it makes RCBians feel home. Perhaps, without the fans who throng the stadium for every home game, there would not be an RCB to chant about. 

But imagine. Imagine for someone for whom watching every game RCB play at the Chinnaswamy was a ritual, was presented with a chance to play for the team. That is the story of Pavan Deshpande. “I used to be a big fan of RCB and have seen 90 percent of the matches at the stadium,” he admits. A Dharwad-born lad who left home at 16, aspiring to play cricket for a living. 

However, things were not as rosy on the way. He was not, as he admits himself, “Until 25, wasn’t even in the Ranji probables.” Perhaps his mother’s encouraging voice

kept him going. Whatever it was, the ability to fight through the tough times, much akin to what motivated him to take up cricket in the first place, Yuvraj Singh’s heroics in the 2011 World Cup. “The 2011 World Cup result changed me. It was Yuvraj Singh who motivated me because he was fighting cancer and still went on to win the WC,” Deshpande had revealed in an interview to Deccan Chronicle.

For a player who could be considered a late bloomer, the fighting spirit cannot be taken for granted. That resilience will come in extremely handy for Pavan Deshpande as he takes a second crack at breaking into RCB’s playing eleven.

[Deccan Chronicle inputs]