A few years before Royal Challengers Bengaluru trusted him with pressure overs in an IPL final, Rasikh Salam Dar was walking away from a cricket trial in Srinagar convinced nothing would come of it.

He had been there before.

Every year, he travelled from Kulgam for trials. Every year, he returned home disappointed. Even making the list of probables seemed like a distant dream.

So when Irfan Pathan, who was overseeing talent identification in Jammu and Kashmir around 2018, asked him to stay back after bowling a few deliveries, Rasikh thought little of it. He picked up his kitbag and began walking away with his cousin Nadeem Dar.

Pathan noticed.

“I had asked him to stay back, but he was leaving,” Pathan told Sportstar. “Later I went and asked him why he was going. He said every year he came for trials and every year nothing happened…”

The response stayed with Pathan.

Having watched dozens of young cricketers, most blended into the crowd. Rasikh did not. There was something about the teenager’s action, wrist position, and natural pace that immediately stood out.

Pathan wanted a closer look.

“I spoke to the then CEO of the JKCA (Aasif Bukhari), and managed to get Rasikh included in a series of practice matches involving senior players,” Pathan reminisced.

The youngster wasted little time making an impression. In one of those games, he picked up a hat-trick. For Pathan, however, the wickets were only part of the story.

What interested him was the raw material.

The young fast bowler possessed a strong wrist position and natural movement through the air. “But there were rough edges. He would fall away dramatically in his follow-through, which helped him generate sharp inswing but often compromised his control,” Pathan said.

There was enough promise to warrant patience.

Recognizing the difficulties of repeatedly traveling from Kulgam, Pathan pushed for special arrangements. Rasikh was allowed to stay in Srinagar with the senior probables, giving him a stable base from which to train and develop.

The investment was unusual, but Pathan believed the youngster was worth it.

Soon, videos of Rasikh were making their way beyond Kashmir.

One day at an airport, Pathan found himself speaking to Mumbai Indians head scout Rahul Sanghvi. Out came the phone. On it was footage of a teenage fast bowler from Kashmir. “Look at this boy,” Pathan remembers telling him.

The feedback was immediate. By the time IPL trials arrived, Mumbai Indians already knew exactly who Rasikh was.

“He was called for the trials, which was attended by T. A. Sekhar, and even Rohit (Sharma) liked him, and MI was convinced that this boy would be theirs,” Pathan said.

The journey that followed, however, was far from straightforward.

His life changed in June 2019, barely a couple of months after making his debut for Mumbai Indians. Though he went wicketless and conceded runs, the franchise backed him throughout.

After that stint, Rasikh was preparing to travel to England for a tri-series with the India U-19 team when the BCCI banned him following a discrepancy involving the submission of a faulty birth certificate.

From being one of the brightest young talents, the world suddenly came crashing down.

As his cousin Nadeem pointed out: “It was a very tough phase for him. When he returned home in Kulgam, many people felt that it would not be possible for him to bounce back. It was incredibly difficult…”

A first-class cricketer himself, Nadeem understood the challenges. Looking back on those dark days, he believes Rasikh’s determination never wavered.

“For an athlete who had just started his career, it was very difficult to face all that, but his family was very supportive…”

For many young cricketers, that might have been the end. Rasikh, however, refused to lose hope. Whenever he returned home, he made it a point to train with Nadeem.

When he later attended Kolkata Knight Riders trials ahead of the 2022 season, Pathan heard encouraging reports. Coaches and scouts were impressed by Rasikh not only for his bowling skills but also for his positive attitude. He remained engaged with teammates, discussing bowling strategies and contributing to team discussions, even while competing for his own place. Unfortunately, a setback arrived in the form of an injury, which caused him a lot of pain and discomfort during every spell and bowling session. This led to a loss of rhythm and confidence, requiring patience to find a solution.

Rasikh then moved to Bengaluru for a six-month rehabilitation under specialist Ashish Kaushik, which was a challenging period for him both physically and emotionally. Being away from home and facing new surroundings and routines posed additional challenges for the young cricketer from Kashmir. However, with the help of relatives and acquaintances, he navigated through this difficult phase.

During the rehabilitation process, technical adjustments were made to improve his consistency under pressure, focusing on aspects like his loading position. The goal was not to rebuild him but to simplify his action for better results. This hard work paid off as Rasikh emerged as one of the key contributors for RCB in the IPL season, finishing with 19 wickets at an average of 21.30.

Despite the spotlight being on other players, Rasikh quietly became an essential part of the team, delivering in difficult situations and high-pressure moments. His performance in the final against Gujarat Titans was a standout moment, showcasing his importance to the team. Pathan, his mentor, recognized Rasikh’s value to the team in the absence of Dayal, using an unusual analogy to describe his significance.

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