If cricket is a religion in India, Melbourne’s Sahdev Patel, 32, is one ardent devotee of the sport.
He recently notched up his 100th match for Guild St Mary's Cricket Club in Geelong, Victoria.
Hailing from Baroda in the Gujarat state of India, he migrated to Australia in 2007.
He joined the club in 2009 and has been associated with it ever since.
While running between the wickets on the pitch, he's also kept busy juggling his passion for cricket with his studies and his job as a nurse.
Sahdev believes that cricket acts like rejuvenating therapy for him, away from the stresses of the workplace.
“One of my friends introduced me to the Guild St Mary’s Cricket Club since he was living in Geelong and playing for the club," he said.
Sahdev Patel is a cricketer playing for a local club in Geelong. Source: Sahdev Patel
“I live in Melbourne but travel 80 to 100km one-way to play matches on weekends and sometimes for practice sessions during after hours on weekdays.”
With one century, seven half-centuries, and 127 wickets under his belt, Sahdev shares his experience behind his finest batting display.
“During the game, some miscreants stole our mobile phones and wallets from the dressing room. It annoyed me so much that I vented out my anger through the bat to score 105 runs to win the match,” he explains, adding that his best bowling score was when he took seven wickets in a different match.
My team is like family to me. I moved several houses in Melbourne but stuck to this club due to my teammates.
"I could have joined some other club closer to my house but then it wouldn’t have been the same cricket for me.”
Club vice president and team captain Kevin O’Leary has been playing for Guild since 2002.
“Sahdev was the only Indian in the team for a long time. Now we have about 25 Indians out of which six to seven Gujaratis playing for the team and Sahdev helps us all communicate better.”
The captain jokingly adds that now the club looks more like Geelong Indian Cricket Club.
Their ties to India saw Kevin and some teammates visit the country.
“We went to attend Sahdev’s wedding in Gujarat. It gave us a glimpse of the Indian culture. Now with more Indians in the team, it helps us understand each other better,” Kevin says.
Sahdev Patel (C) with his teammates from Guild St Mary's Cricket Club in Geelong, Victoria, Thomas Ward (L) and Kevin O'Leary (R) during his wedding in India. Source: Sahdev Patel
Despite getting married and changing responsibilities at home, cricket has remained an integral part of Sahdev’s life.
On being asked if cricket came in the way of their personal or social life, Sahdev's wife Umangi Patel says: “I am happy for Sahdev that he is still following his passion.”
“I am interested in cricket too and whenever possible I travel to Geelong to cheer his team up,” she adds.
“The long drives before and after matches let us spend quality time together.”
As a four-time winner of the club’s Captain’s Award and a recipient of awards for bowling and batting averages over the seasons, Sahdev has not yet thought of retirement from cricket.
“I will retire when I can’t walk.”
