An Insightful Conversation with Chintan Gaja: Captain of Gujarat Ranji Cricket Team

This article summarizes the conversation with Mr. Chintan Gaja, the Captain of the Gujarat Ranji Cricket Team, providing insights into his journey, leadership, and advice for young cricketers.

🏆 Journey from Dream to Captaincy

Chintan Gaja, a member of the Gujarat team that won the Ranji Trophy in the 2016-17 season, recently debuted as the team’s captain for the 2023-24 season.

Initial Achievement: For him, being a member of the Gujarat Ranji team since the 2016-17 season was a dream achievement.
The Big Leap: He considers being named the team’s captain this year an even bigger achievement.
Successful Start: Under his captaincy, Gujarat began the season with a win against a strong team like Tamil Nadu, which he described as a “big boost” for the entire team.
2016-17 Ranji Trophy Win: He recalls the team’s mindset, led by then-captain Parthiv Patel, to plan for 11 matches right from the start, implicitly aiming for the final. The season was marked by historic performances, including Samit Gohel’s 359* and Priyank Panchal’s nearly 1400 runs.
Self-Belief in the Final: Reaching the final for the first time in 81 years, the team was determined to win, a self-belief that was crucial.
Parthiv Patel’s Influence: Chintan attributes a lot of his success to the blind faith he put in Parthiv Patel’s plans. He states that if Parthiv said something, you could follow it blindly and achieve success 90-95% of the time, highlighting Parthiv’s exceptional leadership and planning.

🛣️ The Cricketing Journey: From Batter to Fast Bowler

Chintan shared the less-known story of how he started playing cricket and became a fast bowler.

Early Days: He started playing cricket in his society around the age of seven or eight.
Formal Start: His formal training began when he was in the 7th standard. Tired of studying for exams, he asked his father (who played minor cricket) to take him to practice. He initially tried wicket-keeping, then batting.
The Shift to Bowling: At the Under-13 open selections, he initially registered as an opening batsman. A selector, Mr. Parashar Patel, noticed his good height and body structure and asked him to try bowling.
Finding His Niche: He started bowling on a turf wicket for the first time and was the fastest bowler among the candidates, leading to the beginning of his journey as a fast bowler.

📈 Guide for Aspiring Cricketers

Chintan detailed the structured path to becoming a professional cricketer in Gujarat.

Steps to Ranji Trophy

The selection process is a step-by-step progression:

School/Inter-School Tournaments: Perform in U-14, U-16, and U-19 school tournaments.
District Probables: Good performance leads to selection in the District Probables (e.g., Ahmedabad District).
Inter-District Tournaments: Perform well in the Inter-District Tournaments (e.g., Ahmedabad vs. Surat, etc.).
State Probables: Successful performance here leads to the State Probables (around 35 players).
State Team Selection: Finally, selection into the Gujarat team for various age categories (U-14, U-16, U-19, U-23, and then Ranji Trophy).

Importance of Coaching and Fitness

Coaching: Joining a coaching academy is important to learn the basics of cricket (like grip, swing, cover drive) which is the “A-B-C-D” of the game.
Overcoming Obstacles: Chintan emphasizes that there are no excuses for not playing cricket. If you are passionate, you will find a way, even without proper equipment or turf wickets.
Fitness is Paramount: Cricket is a fast game, and fitness has become the single most important factor. Citing the standards set by Virat Kohli, he stresses that without high fitness levels, one cannot survive in professional cricket.
- This includes proper sleep, diet (avoiding junk food), and being willing to make sacrifices.
- A fast bowler needs to be fit enough to bowl 20 overs a day.

🤝 Insights, Role Models, and Future Goals

Inspiration: Glenn McGrath for his line and length, and Brett Lee for his action and smooth run-up.
Role Model: Sachin Tendulkar (of all time) and Virat Kohli (active setup).
Favorite Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for his cool and composed nature, which led to excellent, quick, and on-point decision-making.
Mentorship: He considers Jasprit Bumrah (a former roommate and good friend since U-19 days) a key mentor, trying to learn about his work ethic and mindset for success at the top level. He also learned a lot from Jaydev Unadkat about leadership, fitness routines, and dominating spells.
Fast Bowling Tips: To increase speed, focus on fitness, short sprints (20-30 meters), and functional training to strengthen the legs (squats, lunges, cleans, and clean & jerks).
Personal Dream: His ultimate dream is to represent the Indian team and win a World Cup.

🎯 Chintan’s Message to Youngsters

“The most important thing is to be disciplined in life and in your practice. Every day, aim to be just 1% better than you were the day before. Focus on small, continuous improvements, and discipline will help you achieve success.”

tutorao.com