Subhajit Chakraborty, Now Looking After Signalling System As A Railway Employee, Claimed Virat Kohli’s Wicket 11 Years Back   

The DRM of South Eastern Railway was so happy to know about Subhajit’s success against Virat Kohli that he ensured his transfer at Santragachi, which is about an hour’s drive from Subhajit’s residence.

Kolkata: The entire cricketing fraternity watches with wonder how Virat Kohli transfers body weight into his backfoot and whips the ball, pitching well outside off stump, into the mid-wicket boundary. Later the shot was named “Whip Shot”, won many matches for India as well as gained worldwide acclaim.

But Virat’s most famous weapon is nothing new or astonishing for Subhajit Chakraborty since 2009. He had witnessed this masterpiece over a decade ago, at Eden Gardens, when Virat played a jaw-dropping inning of 184 from just 121 balls in P Sen Memorial Trophy Final, an invitational tournament organized by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

And Subhajit was the man for whom Virat’s devastating innings came to an end. The off-spinner took the wicket of Virat. And suddenly came into the limelight.

Subhajit, known as Giant in Kolkata Maidan for his bulky, huge figure, got the most precious memory of his cricketing career when he made Virat walking towards the dressing room, only 16 runs short of his double ton. Subhajit shared his memory of that match and said, “I, along with Mohammed Shami played the final for Town Club. Virat was representing Mohun Bagan. Players like Manish Pandey, Wridhhiman Saha, Manoj Tiwary, Suryakumar Yadav were playing for the green and maroon brigade. Virat almost single-handedly won the match for Mohun Bagan. That day I knew that he is going to rule the cricketing world with the willow in his hand.”

“Mohun Bagan batted first in the match. We were successful to take the wicket of Manish Pandey at the beginning of the match. Virat came into bat at number 3. What a classy inning he played that day! We tried our level best to at least contain him. But he was in full rhythm,” a nostalgic Subhajit said over mobile phone from his residence at Ramgarh in Kolkata.

He recalled two events of that match during Virat’s innings. “I was bowling to him. Once I saw him stepping out of the crease. I bowled a short one to befool him. But he was ready for the challenge. He just transfers the body weight into the back foot and drove the ball over cover. I still can’t believe how one can play the shot with so much ease. Later he pulled a bouncer from one of my teammates Sourav Dutta for a huge six, which was also a praiseworthy shot.”

How was the delivery in which you took the wicket of Virat, finally? An ecstatic Subhajit said, “Again I saw Virat stepping out and delivered around arm ball. Virat mistimed the shot and Sourav Tiwary took a brilliant catch at long-on. Virat was very upset after getting out just 16 runs short of his double century. At the same time, he was surprised how could I read his approach prior to the delivery and bowl accordingly to take him into an awkward position. He praised my effort after the match.” Subhajit took a Five for in that match along with scoring a fighting knock of 45 runs with the bat, though in the losing cause. After that match, “Giant” was awarded a renewal of contract by the Town club top official Debabrata Das.

Subhajit started his cricket at Chetla under the watchful eyes of former Bengal left-arm spinner and selector of junior Indian national team Arup Bhattacharya and his sister Lopamudra Bhattacharya, who also represented Bengal in the women’s cricket. Later he was admitted to Gopal Bose’s coaching academy.

Subhajit once played against Mahendra Singh Dhoni too. “It was a match between two academies. The match was played in Bihar and MSD broke three bats while attempting the famous helicopter shot. At least six balls were lost when MSD was batting in full swing. He just returned from Kenya representing India A,” said Subhajit.

After that P Sen Trophy Final, Virat went on to play for India and leading the national team in all three formats of the game. He is considered one of the finest batsmen the world cricket has ever had. But Subhajit’s career was not the same. The off-spinner who took Virat’s wicket now works in South Eastern Railway. He used to look after the signalling system at Panskura East Outer. Later, the DRM of SE Railway was so happy to know about Subhajit’s success against Virat Kohli that he ensured his transfer at Santragachi, which is about an hour’s drive from Subhajit’s residence.

Subhajit still feels that he can return the game something from his achievement. He dreams of coaching the budding stars. Subhajit said, “I have played with and against many great players. I wish to share my experience with the new generation.”