Sitting at the village’s main corner, Ranga Ram, the sarpanch, is engaged in an intense discussion over the rates of wheat cultivation. It’s been a good crop this season here at Chak Kherewala, a tiny village in the border district of Fazilka.
The conversation is abruptly broken by an 11-year-old, who runs to them with breaking news: “Shubu paji India Test team de captain ban gaye (Shubu paji has been made the Indian Test team captain.” Lovedeep Singh studies at a government school bang opposite the most famous residence of the village: where the Gills live.
On Saturday, was named the new captain of India’s Test team. And even though his family didn’t leave the confines of their home, there is chatter, excitement and pride at every corner of the quaint village, roughly 16km away from the India-Pakistan border.
The Gills own more than 60 acres of land in the village, which was founded by the cricketer’s ancestors. But 18 years ago, they had to make a choice: either live the simple, uncomplicated life here or move to Mohali where a young Shubman could get unfettered access to cricket facilities. They chose the latter.
In an earlier interview, Shubman’s grandfather Didar Singh Gill had said: “During the three India-Pakistan wars, we did shift to Muktsar with all our belongings but then we came back again. Shubman’s father wanted to give him all the facilities and decided to shift. It also meant that I had to look after our 60-acre farmland.”
Shubman’s aunt — his father’s sister — Gurpreet Sandhu said the family wholeheartedly backed the decision. “Being a border village, the only way people have earned money here is agricultural land,” she said. “My father has always taken pride in being a farmer. So, when my brother decided to shift, it not only meant that my father’s son was leaving the village but his grandkids would too. People used to taunt them, saying who goes so far for cricket training. But then somebody had to make the sacrifice. And both, my father and brother, did that. To see Shubman lead the Indian team will be the proudest moment for my father and brother.”
Today, Shubman — the Gills, rather — is the toast of the village. “This place will now be known as India Test captain’s village,” Ranga Ram proudly says.
Wherever you see, Shubman has left an indelible impact here. In the neighbouring village of Bahmani Wala, the Fazilka District Cricket Association is building a new stadium in Shubman’s honour.
“People here would earlier hesitate to send their kids for cricket training since there was no facility. But since Shubman made headlines, we too have been seeing an increase in parents encouraging their kids to play. While there are fewer academies, we hope things change with the new stadium near Shubman’s village,” said Surinder Chhindi, secretary of Fazilka Cricket Association.
The land where the stadium is being built was given by the village panchayat, who have approved another acre to the existing area. At Shubman’s village, Ranga Ram has also decided to give an additional acre to the existing two-acre academy opposite the grain market.
His frequency might have reduced but when Shubman visits the village, it’s like he never left. This time, there is a frenzied anticipation to welcome the national team captain. “Shubman loves to spend time at the village and it will be the same when he comes back to the village,” Gurpreet said. “This time, he will show our parents his captain’s blazer too.”
Nitin mainly covers Olympics sports disciplines with his main interests in shooting, boxing, wrestling, athletics and much more. The last 17 years with The Indian Express has seen him unearthing stories across India from as far as Andaman and Nicobar to the North East. Nitin also covers cricket apart from women’s cricket with a keen interest. Nitin has covered events like the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2011 ODI World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2017 AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships.
An alumnus of School of Communication Studies, Panjab University, from where he completed his Masters in Mass Communications degree, Nitin has been an avid quizzer too. A Guru Nanak Dev University Colour holder, Nitin’s interest in quizzing began in the town of Talwara Township, a small town near the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border. When not reporting, Nitin’s interests lie in discovering new treks in the mountains or spending time near the river Beas at his hometown.
