Home
Ludhiana-born Simranjeet Singh is all set to represent UAE against India in the T20 Asia Cup 2025 clash on September 10. The left-arm spinner will face a familiar face in the opposition, India's T20I captain Shubman Gill. Simranjeet recalls his Punjab cricket days when he used to bowl to a 12-year-old Gill in the nets. He wonders if Gill would recognise him.
"It was around 2011-12 and Shubman must have been 11 or 12 at the max. We used to train at the PCA Academy in Mohali from 6am to 11am. Shubman would come accompanied by his father at around 11 am.
"I was someone, who would also do a lot of extra bowling after our session. Don't know if he would recognise me but during those days, I had bowled a lot to Shubman," the 35-year-old told PTI.
Simranjeet was named in Ranji probables in 2017 and bowled in the nets for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) but did not get a chance.
"I played a lot of district cricket in Punjab. I had finally made it to the Ranji probables in 2017. I had also bowled a lot at the erstwhile Kings XI Punjab nets whenever they had sessions in Mohali back in the day," he recalled.
How fate led to Simranjeet staying back in Dubai
During Covid-19 pandemic, Simranjeet moved to Dubai but he needed to play three seasons of domestic cricket in the country to be eligible to play for UAE.
"I had an offer to practice in Dubai and I had come here for 20 odd days in April, 2021. And then the massive second wave hit and there was another lockdown in India. I couldn't go back for months and eventually ended up staying back," Simranjeet said.
Simranjeet goes through the grind before getting central contract
Simranjeet coached junior players to make ends meet and eventually got the central contract from UAE cricket board.
"From 2021, once I settled down in Dubai, I started earning decent money through coaching junior players. I was playing club cricket and coaching juniors. That way, I was able to run my household.
"Once I got into the UAE team, I got a central contract with Emirates Cricket Board and things are looking good," he said.
Coach lavishes praise on Simranjeet
"Not every left-arm spinner in T20Is has the heart to give the ball air and flight it consistently. Simran knows how to buy wickets with flight," UAE head coach Lalchand Rajput said.
Simranjeet’s T20I numbers
Simranjeet has represented UAE in five ODIs and 12 T20Is. He has 15 wickets in T20Is at an average of 14.66 and economy rate of 5.64 runs per over. His best bowling figures of 4/15 came against Qatar last year. Recently, he played against Afghanistan in the tri-series encounter and claimed one wicket for 24 runs. He got wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq stumped.
ADVERTISEMENT
