Players have to learn to balance life and cricket, says Palani Amarnath

Palani Amarnath. Does the name ring a bell? The then unheralded pacer was part of Chennai Super Kings’ first-ever IPL match, back in 2008. He picked up a key wicket in his debut outing and played five more games before injury stymied his progress.

He’s 43 now and busy shaping careers at the CSK Academy as a coach.

From obscurity to the Super Kings’ playing XI was nothing short of memorable for the man from Vellore. “I started playing cricket two-three years before my first IPL match. Prior to that, I was working in a company after finishing my diploma,” he told The Hindu.

“I was delighted I got a platform like that. That itself is a memory for me. Rubbing shoulders with big stars like (Matthew) Hayden, Mike Hussey, Jacob Oram was a goosebumps moment. I can’t forget that experience.”

He said there was pressure on him going into the first match (against the then Kings XI Punjab) but he managed to overcome it. “I was under pressure at the start. We made 240 and it helped me relax a bit,” said Palani Amarnath, who scalped the wicket of James Hopes in the 33-run win.

As luck would have it, injuries happened. He couldn’t recover and was no longer the bowler he was. He said there’s a lesson in it for the younger crop.

“I tell the trainees that rest is very important. Players have to take care of themselves and their health and learn to balance life and cricket,” the former CSK pacer, who has a Level-2 coaching certificate, said.

“It is every cricketer’s dream to get a platform like (the IPL). When I watch the IPL, I feel like I missed it. Unfortunately, injuries played a part,” said Palani Amarnath, looking back at his career.