Meet Harvinder Singh: The coach behind Ashwani Kumar’s rise and a forgotten Amritsar Stadium

By K.R Nayar
From Amritsar

A youngster from a small village delivers a sensational performance in the IPL.  It was celebratory time in Punjab when Ashwani Kumar from Jhanjheri village in Punjab made a stunning debut for the Mumbai Indians, taking 4 for 24 and guiding his team to an eight-wicket win on March 31.

Ashwani Kumar... sensational debut 

I was fortunate to be in Amritsar on that day, and it was interesting to see all newspapers prominently displayed with pride the achievements of their local hero. A similar celebration occurred when Kerala’s Vignesh Puthur delivered an outstanding three-wicket spell in his debut for Mumbai against Chennai on March 23. These moments bring to light the lesser-known stories of determination and hard work that helped these players rise to prominence.

 

Display of Ashwani's performance in the local newspaper Punjab Kesari  

It was a double delight for the people of Amritsar, as not only did Ashwani Kumar shine, but their own Prabhsimran Singh also played a match-winning knock of 69 for Punjab Kings against Lucknow Super Giants, earning the Player of the Match award.

 

With Harvinder Singh at the Gandhi Stadium

While in Amritsar, I had the opportunity to meet Harvinder Singh, Ashwani Kumar’s coach. Interestingly, Amritsar has a cricket ground that has hosted only two international matches. This stadium, known as Gandhi Stadium at the Gandhi Sports Complex, has a rich but limited history. Harvinder, the coaching director of Punjab Cricket Association, is based in Mohali but frequently travels to his birthplace, Amritsar. While at the stadium, I saw him mentoring a group of young cricketers eager to learn a few tricks of the trade. 

 

Gandhi Stadium – A lucky venue for India

 

Gandhi Stadium has not hosted any international match since 1995. Only two One Day Internationals (ODIs) have been played here. The first was in 1982, when Kapil Dev’s India faced Bandula Warnapura’s Sri Lanka. India won by 78 runs, with left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi taking 4 for 44.


Gandhi Stadium. Photos by K.R. Nayar 

The second match took place in 1995, when Mohammad Azharuddin’s Indian team defeated Lee Germon’s New Zealand by six wickets. Indian pacer Manoj Prabhakar starred with a five-wicket haul (5 for 33). This match also featured the legendary Martin Crowe, who played only two more matches before retiring. He later passed away in 2016. Sachin Tendulkar contributed 36 runs in that game.


The pitch at the Gandhi Stadium on which legendary batters Martin Crowe and Sachin Tendulkar had played. 

Despite Amritsar’s passionate cricket fan base and its status as a tourist destination—home to the historic Golden Temple—it is surprising that the stadium has not hosted an international match for 31 years.

 

The story of Harvinder Singh

 

Harvinder Singh was one of India’s most promising pacers in the 1990s. He played three Tests and 16 ODIs, making his debut in the Toronto Sahara Cup against Pakistan with a three-wicket haul, dismissing Shahid Afridi, Saleem Malik, and Azhar Mahmood. In total, he has 24 ODI wickets and four in Tests. He also participated in the 1998 Sharjah Coca-Cola Cup and later served as an Indian national selector in 2020.

 

Ashwani Kumar and his village

 

Harvinder Singh, like many Punjabis, is a strong and determined individual. Even at 47, he remains fit and passes on his discipline to his students. Ashwani Kumar’s rise is a testament to his focus and perseverance.

 

Ashwani Kumar after his spell 

Hailing from the village of Jhanjheri, Ashwani would cycle nearly 25 kms to Mohali every day for practice. After his brilliant debut spell, he stated that every time he plays, he wants to make his village proud. His journey was supported by his friends, who pooled money to buy him cricket balls. One of the first things he did upon receiving his Mumbai Indians contract worth ₹30 lakh was to buy cricket kits and balls for the academy in his village.

 

Mumbai Indians’ talent hunt

 

Mumbai Indians’ talent scouting system has been instrumental in discovering many young stars. Their list of spotted talents includes Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, and Tilak Varma. 


MI's talent scouting team led by Rahul Sanghvi 

This season, they have unearthed promising players like Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, PSN Raju, and Robin Minz, continuing their legacy of nurturing future cricketing stars.

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