Ranji Trophy: Danny Prince's story of perseverance should inspire struggling Hyderabad side to regain lost glory

There is a famous Japanese proverb. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Danny Dereck Prince is one of those rare cricketers who has lived that adage and survived to tell the story. The 29 year old lefthander is an elegant batsman who pursued his aspirations through the rough and tumble of Hyderabad cricket over the past decade. His story is one of remarkable perseverance and single minded purpose, a narrative that could serve to inspire a much needed renaissance in Hyderabad cricket. After yet another insipid performance this week against the Services, Hyderabad is lying ahead of only Tripura in Group C. They have collected just 5 points off their six matches so far and are set to complete yet another disappointing season on the domestic circuit. Danny is an example worth emulating for the team, if they are to revive their fortunes and reclaim glory. [caption id=“attachment_2514644” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Danny Prince[/caption] It is not often that a cricketer survives eight years in the wilderness between a much awaited debut match and the next, especially at the state level. Danny made his Ranji Trophy debut at the age of 21 in 2007, but scores of 8 and 0 against Andhra rendered his place vacant soon after the match. Relegated to the sidelines, Danny lost his place in the state team and was consigned to go back and play the local leagues to hone his skills, waiting for the next call up. As it turned out though, the young man was destined for a long wait, a very long one. Back to the capricious world of league cricket, Danny pursued his passion in the hope that he can earn a spot in the Hyderabad team again. Perhaps even represent India one day, but it was an arduous task laced with the dusty grind that accompanies being a player in the unheralded leagues. Meanwhile, dealing with the disappointment of not playing for the state team and the rigmarole of local cricket started to take a toll on the young man. Soon he was going through the motions, not knowing if he would ever be able to regain a taste of domestic cricket and inch closer to an international future. “I am passionate about cricket and continued to play the game with hope,” asserted Danny. “The support of parents, coaches and faith in God helped me tide over the difficult times.” After drifting sideways with his cricket for a while, Danny rediscovered his soul and spirit a couple of years ago. Playing with renewed purpose in the HCA leagues, the elegant leftie rediscovered his touch. Danny scored heaps of runs, nearly 2,000 of them to top the charts and push himself into the reckoning again. “I am eager to make the best of my second chance and I am hopeful that I can play for India one day,” he said. So after eight long years of wilderness, he got his second chance in Hyderabad’s match against Jammu and Kashmir. Danny scored 62 in the second innings of the drawn match to reward the faith shown by the selectors in recalling him after a lengthy absence. Unfortunately, injury to his hand while fielding prevented him from batting against the Services side in the match that ended in a draw on Wednesday. The Hyderabad team, languishing near the bottom of group C, might do well to draw some lessons from the captivating story of Danny’s comeback. The city, known for its long romance with cricket, is struggling to rediscover its glorious connection with the game. Politics and inept administration have caused immense damage to cricket in the region and all the off field shenanigans are taking a toll on the performance of the team this season. The edifice of cricket in Hyderabad has been built around the architectural brilliance of stalwarts like ML Jaisimha and VVS Laxman. Hyderabad’s current standing near the bottom of Group C is an insult to the pedigree of such illustrious forbearers that held the fort for this historic city. The good thing about being at the nadir is that the team can only go one way – upwards. As it is, the team has no real chances of moving upwards this season. But with four more games after the match with Services, Hyderabad management has a chance to initiate a phase of rebuilding around a core team of players with a proven performance record, to establish a baseline for others to emulate. The HCA will need to reform itself in the interest of developing the game in Telangana. And they will do well to borrow a leaf from Danny’s book of perseverance and passion to reignite the Hyderabad cricket team to renewed glory and newer heights in the years to come.