I am not going to walk on the cricket field again: Talat Aziz recalls how nepotism led to the end of his career
Famous Ghazal singer and composer Talat Aziz spoke to Sportskeeda recently, where he recalled his cricketing days and what led to the demise of his career. Aziz was a fast bowler who caught everyone's attention with his raw pace. However, a nepotism issue in a Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup tourney disappointed him to such an extent that he decided to never return to the cricket field.
In an exclusive chat with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Cricket's Facebook page, Talat Aziz turned back the clock and shared some lesser-known stories of his cricket career. Aziz mentioned that he was one of the most feared fast bowlers of his time. After joining a club in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup, he was excited to get on the field and showcase his talent.
Talat Aziz narrates the incident that made him quit cricket forever
As mentioned above, Talat Aziz aimed to make his mark in the cricket world by impressing in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup. The Moin-ud-Dowlah tournament served as the first-class season opener, and many top cricketers of the country competed in this tourney.
When asked why he left cricket, Talat Aziz was first reluctant to share his story, but then he narrated the entire incident.
"In those days, the Moin-ud-Dowlah tournament was one of the best tournaments in the country. International players used to come once a year and you got to play them. After about a year and a half of hard training, I was ready. Jai sir (M. L. Jaisimha) told me to play the Moin-ud-Dowlah to get noticed by the national selectors," Talat recalled.
"So, I was preparing for Moin-ud-Dowlah, I was inducted into a major team, in fact, Jaisimha. Then, somebody else came and said, 'Why do you want to play for U-Foam? Why don't you play for Vazir Sultan club? It's a bigger team and will get you in.' I said, 'Okay, I'll see. I'll ask Jai.' So, I went to Jai sir and informed him about the offer. He told me to go ahead," he continued.
Unfortunately, in a warm-up match before the tourney, Talat Aziz did not find a place in the XI as the director's son got an opportunity ahead of him. He confronted the intermediary person who brought him from U-Foam to Vazir Sultan Club. However, that person asked Aziz to try the following year. On that day, Aziz quit the sport.
"I went back to the dressing room. I took off my shoes, took out my flannels. I changed. I gave away my shoes, sweater, and flannels to my friends. When my friends asked me what I was doing, I replied, 'From today, I am not going to walk on a cricket field again in my life'," he signed off.
Talat Aziz was just 19 years old when he made this bold call, but he went on to become one of the most popular Ghazal singers in the nation.