Amit Passi: Agonising 9-year wait for debut, the Hardik Pandya factor, tears after historic feat

NEW DELHI: As vociferous calls for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi being fast-tracked into the Indian team get stronger, age has ceased to be a factor in cricket. Talents no longer need to sit around, twiddling their thumbs in earnest anticipation of a debut.

However, fortune certainly wasn't as favourable for Baroda's 26-year-old wicket-keeper batter Amit Passi, who had to wait for an agonising period of nine years to make his senior team debut. Passi gifted the world a show to remember when finally handed an opportunity in Baroda's final Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 match against Services, recording the joint-highest score ever on T20 debut.The wicket-keeper batter smashed 114 runs off 55 balls in a knock comprising 10 fours and nine sixes, equaling Pakistani cricketer Bilal Asif's 114 off 48 deliveries in a T20 match back in 2015.

Passi was picked as a replacement for Jitesh Sharma, replicating his destruction with a strike rate of 207.27.

'No coach, training with plastic ball'The Baroda-born wicket-keeper batter initially began his journey simply with the objective of enjoying the game. Observing senior players later spurred a desire to experience life as a professional, leading to selection in Baroda's U-19 team back in 2016-17. Training sessions involved practising different strokes with a plastic ball, without the involvement of a coach.

"There was no specific objective or detailed planning involved during net sessions. Game-time at age-group level cricket was minimal so interactions with professional players were limited," said Passi during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com. 'The Pandya magic'The Baroda cricketer's journey would have continued in the same chaotic fashion, if not for the Pandya brothers. An association which began three years back changed Passi's life forever, transforming him into a thorough professional.

"I inculcated their daily routine, diet, recovery process and attitude while training. Practice sessions became more structured with enhanced knowledge. They placed special emphasis on mental clarity, insisting on the need for utmost self-belief," stated the wicket-keeper batter.

Hardik's aggression and hunger to dominate also seeped deep into Passi's mentality, transforming him to the next level. Unwilling to settle with this renewed hunger, the Baroda cricketer further underwent a county stint in UK, gifting him confidence to negate the toughest of conditions. 'Immense anger, switch to coaching'However, even renewed efforts in a fresh direction failed to gift Passi a much coveted senior team debut, resulting in agony. The wicket-keeper batter battled great anger, wondering why circumstances continued to be exceptionally harsh. There were numerous moments of self doubt and problems, pushing Passi to pursue cricket coaching for six months.The Baroda cricketer came close to making his debut in the 2022 season.

However, a hairline fracture on Passi' middle finger due to an injury suffered in a practice match led to a heartbreak yet again. The 26-year-old wicket-keeper batter was further picked for the 2024/25 SMAT knockouts, only to be left disappointed yet again due to immense misfortune."My family provided a lot of support during this period which pushed me to work harder for their sake," shared Passi. 'Fortune smiles when least expected'As Baroda's SMAT 2025/26 campaign drew closer to an end, yet another tournament without a debut seemed likely.

However, consistent performances in inter-squad matches broke the invisible wall halting Passi, granting him a much-awaited shot at proving his calibre."The boy has been working hard to emerge as a solid T20 opener, working on his power-hitting and developing excellence against different lengths. It was an ideal opportunity to give him a chance," said Baroda head coach Mukul Parmar.

Passi was left emotional after being informed about his selection.

The wicket-keeper batter went to sleep, visualising a century, and astoundingly executed the feet on the ground. A boundary to start off provided the perfect opening, followed by an absolute onslaught."I was confident that I would make it big following that opening four, which was my best shot in the innings. However, going on to score a century left me in tears due to the sheer emotional weight," shared Passi."I was caught by surprise due to the volume of calls and messages following the knock, as I was unaware of the historic significance.

It was only after a conversation with my roommate Chintal Gandhi that I realised the importance of the feat," added the Baroda cricketer, with a smile. 'A star is born''Nerves of steel' is a phrase thrown around lightly but Passi showcased composure of the highest order, in a match where failure could have been the death-knell. "Amit maintains the same intensity during training as visible in the match. His hard work has paid off rich dividends," shared teammate Atit Sheth.Baroda has witnessed it's fair share of big-hitters, considering the likes of Yusuf Pathan and Hardik to name a few. "A star has been born. Everyone wants a destructive batter like Passi. This could well be the start of something special," reacted Parmar.