Nagaland cricketer finding his place in the sun

KOLKATA: Last year Jonathan Rongsen found himself in the spotlight briefly when he became the first Nagaland player to hit a century in first-class cricket. This year he hopes to make it last longer.
The right-handed batsman who has turned out for Mangalore United and Shivamogga in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), will be donning the Bengaluru Blasters' jersey this year, after being bought for a whopping Rs 6 lakh, making the 32-year-old the third most expensive player in the history of the league.
Having taken up the game after his father decided to pursue PhD in theology from Bengaluru, Rongsen's love for the sport flourished during his stay in the city and that persuaded him to stay back after his parents moved back to Nagaland five years later. Originally from a state known more for its footballing prowess, Rongsen admits soccer is in his blood and he still takes time out to play the odd football match with friends to maintain his fitness, but cricket is the game close to his heart.
While he made his List A and T20 debut for Karnataka in 2010, Rongsen moved to Railways in 2013.
"My father could not afford to bear my cost of living in Bengaluru. I decided to join the Railways and got the opportunity to play for them in the Ranji Trophy. But to play for your own state is a different feeling. When the offer came to lead Nagaland, I said yes without a thought," says Rongsen.
Having completed his schooling at St Joseph's and graduation from Presidency College in Kolkata, Rongsen was invited to the Karnataka Institute of Cricket by Irfan Sait, who mentored the youngster in his initial years. However, it was a former India opener who became Rongsen's inspiration as well as his close friend.
"Robin Uthappa and I played for the same school and then we were together during our age group tournaments as well. He is someone who has really been my role model. We played for the same club (Swastik Union Cricket Club) and he is a good friend, too," says Rongsen, who has also rubbed shoulders with the likes of Manish Pandey and KL Rahul in club cricket.
Uthappa was not the only one to have made a mark on Rongsen. The Brijesh Patel-owned club boasted of an array of Karnataka superstars in their ranks, leaving the youngster awestruck.
"The likes of Dodda Ganesh and Thilak Naidu would be there playing with us and it was a great learning curve for me. At that time I had just started out and was a water boy with the club," Rongsen adds with a laugh, remembering his club days.
For the 32-year-old though it is home where the heart lies. Having spent three months in Nagaland in his bid to prepare the team for the upcoming domestic season, Rongsen knows the gap is huge when it comes to making the sport count in a football-dominated society.
"Many people did not know what cricket was. The fact that the Board (BCCI) decided to incorporate us was a blessing. The payment was good for the players and made them feel that cricket can give one a good life after retirement. Right now the bridge is too high. May be in the next 4-5 year time they will be in a position to compete with the other big teams like Mumbai or Delhi," says Rongsen, with a hint of optimism.
In its first year in first-class cricket, the state only had a pool 32 players across all age groups to select from. The scenario has altered for the better in the current season. "When the likes of Pawan Suyal for us or Kshitiz Sharma from Delhi, came to play in the north east, the players could understand the vast difference in their game. They had never experienced what it was to play against any first-class cricketer," adds the 32-year-old.
Rongsen himself has been inundated with questions from his teammates.
"I have played the game for 20 years now, so they keep asking me and I try and guide them in their technique because it is the most important aspect of the game. It is the basic." With BCCI having organized NCA camps in Manipur, Rongsen believes cricket in the northeast will go places. "Give us time and we will be up for it," he says with a chuckle, before signing off.