Rajasthan Royals' forgotten hero, Siddharth Trivedi looks to give back to cricket
In the final few weeks of May 2013, the Rajasthan Royals, as a team, could hardly put a foot wrong. Under Rahul Dravid's captaincy, the Rajasthan Royals stormed into the last four and beat the SunRisers Hyderabad in the eliminator clash to book their spot in the second qualifier.
However, the Royals' surge was cut short by the Mumbai Indians, who inflicted a loss on their opponents and brought down the curtains on the Royals' hopes of winning their second IPL title.
A few months later, the cash-rich league's image was severely dented when a few of the Rajasthan Royals' team members were accused of spot-fixing during the 2013 edition of the IPL. Among them was also one promising cricketer, Siddharth Trivedi, who was made an unfortunate scapegoat.
A little close to seven years since serving an unfairly imposed one-year ban from cricket, the former Rajasthan Royals fast bowler spoke about life post the ban, the beginning of a new coaching role and more in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda.
"It was unexpected (the ban). I am sure everyone is aware, I was not involved in wrongdoing. It was unfortunate, it took a long time for me and my family to come out of this. That year I had performed the best with 15 wickets. There were chances to make the Indian team" the pacer recalled.
In that 2013 IPL season, the speedster was in great form and finished as the most economical bowler for the Rajasthan Royals. However, destiny had different things in store for him and despite having to stay away from the game, the pacer claims he maintained a positive attitude.
The former Royals pacer also credited the IPL for helping him become mentally tough and do well in clutch situations.
"When you feel from within that you are honest, you don't feel depressed. Cricket teaches you how to be mentally strong. I was mentally tough and I accepted what was there in front of me," he added.
As for his support system during the ban, the pacer admits it was tough to overcome a mental block, but the love showered on him by his wife and son helped him look at everything in a broader sense.
Post the ban, the ex-Rajasthan Royals seamer was back in action and turned out for Saurashtra as during the 2014-15 season of the Ranji Trophy. Despite his consistent performances, Saurashtra's demotion to the Plate Group meant that he was shown the door, in an approach to 'nurture fresh talent'.
With T20 cricket taking over most parts of the country, the demand for batsmen and all-rounders was a lot more than the ask for bowlers. At that point in time, the former Rajsthan Royals right-arm pacer decided to keep away from playing the waiting game and instead began exploring new avenues to give back to the game.
"Wanted to give back to the game"
That's when a brand new chapter of the pacer's life began, when he decided to take up coaching and share his experiences with the younger generation. However, what most people wouldn't know is that Siddharth Trivedi called time on his career earlier this month, which admittedly remains one of the most emotional moments of his career.
"It was the most emotional moment for me. I wanted to play on the field and retire but this was probably not my destiny. Considering the current time, I have a family, I was no longer playing competitive cricket so I had to take this tough decision. I thought this is the right time for me to get into coaching, and 2-3 years down the line, I want to coach. I want to gain experience and make myself stronger in this department," he said.
If not for the drastic complications brought forward by the coronavirus pandemic, the pacer would have taken baby steps towards his ultimate goal. The former Rajasthan Royals player would have completed his Level-2 training and would have been working towards attaining the Level-3 grade of coaching, which represents the highest tier.
And yet, during these testing times, the ex-Rajasthan Royals speedster is well versed with the recent trends on social media. Recently, legendary Australian spinner, Shane Warne picked his all-time Indian IPL XI, and one name included in the team was Siddharth Trivedi.
When probed about his reaction to the legendary Australian picking him, the 38-year-old was effusive in acknowledgment of Warne backing his skill during the IPL matches.
"These are some moments which make you feel like you have done something good and have lived up to expectations. Warne had shown a lot of confidence, he backed me so much, he put his trust on me. Now if I sit back and think, I can say I have lived up to his expectations. He must have felt something good about me, it's like a lifetime achievement for me (Warne naming him in the XI)," Siddharth Trivedi said.
For a man who played a lot of domestic cricket and also featured in the U-19 World Cup, Siddharth Trivedi said that wearing the Indian jersey was very special. He also made special mention of the Rajasthan Royals' journey to the inaugural IPL title being one of his fondest memories.
As for his favourite memory, he turned the clock back to bowling the final over in a match against the Deccan Chargers (DC), with Rohit Sharma lying in wait. With just six runs to defend, the fast bowler picked up three wickets and scripted a two-run win for his team.
While the former RR speedster has a treasure of memories, he reckons there are three batsmen who he feels is the toughest trio he has bowled to in the IPL.
"I think Sachin paaji, Chris Gayle, Andrew Symonds were tough. All of these guys were very strong and would thrash loose balls out of the park," the pacer added.
Having idolized and attempted to mimic the action of former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath all his life, Siddharth Trivedi recalled the time he met his idol. The former pacer emphasised on those few minutes being the best minutes of his life. Furthermore, he elaborated on how that acted as extra motivation for him to succeed.
Siddharth Trivedi played five seasons for the Rajasthan Royals from 2008-2013 and houses a whole lot of important memories from his time with the franchise. As for his closest friend, the former pacer claims that Munaf Patel has been with him through thick and thin.
"Munaf Patel is someone who is a close friend. He played in the Ranji Trophy with me, before he shifted to Bombay. He's a close friend and he's always there to help me," the former speedster added.
For a cricketer who has tasted success while rubbing shoulders with some of the sport's greatest players, it is only natural that the former Rajasthan Royals fast bowler wants to pass on his wisdom.
Keen to take on a role as a bowling coach, Siddharth Trivedi wants to stress on being mentally fit and strengthening one's weaknesses to succeed at the highest level.
"I personally feel that at a certain stage, skill wise there's only difference of 0.1 - 0.5 %. A player needs to be mentally fit and be confident in his skill. Each player needs to figure out their game and see if they are practicing to strengthen their weaknesses. I've played so much, I have felt this is the area where most players are lacking. I want to fill that gap and I will be happy," the former speedster finished off.