"These boys can be role models": Amre on Dalhor, Umair's rise in ISPL

Palghar (Maharashtra) [India], November 20 (ANI): The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), India's pioneering tennis-ball T10 tournament, is rapidly emerging as a platform for young cricketers aiming to break into mainstream cricket. The early success stories of Abhishek Dalhor, who earned a net bowler role with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Irfan Umair, who made his Ranji Trophy debut for Mumbai, are already highlighting the league's impact.
Speaking about the pathway ISPL is creating, Head of the ISPL Selection Committee and former India cricketer Pravin Amre told ANI, "Well, I think these are important examples and they can be the role model and they can inspire others also, because always, it's important, like, whether you are a talent, but you need that break and I think that is what ISPL is providing. Like, they (Abhishek Dalhor and Irfan Umair) are considered for the league. I think that's a great thing and somebody is coming to the Mumbai squad. It is also a big achievement for the players and also, it's the achievement for ISPL."
Amre, who has served as coach and worked with multiple Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises over the years, reflected on how different this role is from his previous assignments.
"It's so important to have the moral of a selector and giving them that task like how difficult it will be there, because all those 32 selectors also they are mostly our past cricketers. So, they are enjoying that again, they are connected to the game and they are enjoying, like they get more satisfaction when they pick a right boy and who goes and do well in this ISPL," he added.
The league, which has already unearthed raw street-level talent, is being seen as a potential feeder system for the IPL and domestic cricket. Amre believes the model can expand beyond India.
"Yeah, absolutely. I think this model can be, you know, replicated in other countries also because, you know, other countries they can play that and I think what we enjoy is that we are the pioneers for this and this can be good for global. Maybe in 5 years' time," he noted.
On the fitness front, ISPL introduced the SET Score in this season as part of its player assessment system.
Comparing it to other established fitness tests like Yo-Yo Test and Bronco Test, Amre said, "Well, I think again, it's all about agility, to be honest. Agility and sustainability for the long time. I think that's very critical. Every test has got its benefit also and I think whatever more important is important. We can improve the fitness of the player. I think that's the bottom line. We are focussing on that. Like, how can we improve our fitness and that can be a fit body will have a fit mind. So we will focus on that, like how the fitness level is also, because it's important to get that awareness of any level they are playing, but the fitness can be the priority."
ISPL Season 3 trials have expanded massively, with 101 cities hosting selections, almost double from last season's 55 and more than 44 lakh registrations.
Speaking about the growing scale and the challenges it brings, Amre said, "Well, for that also, like, we had a very good ISPL, and 32 selectors, I think they had a major role in this, to spotting the talent, because, as you know, it's so challenging to go to the job and weather this year, the more challenging was even the rain because the rain was prolonged in the entire India. So, that were the challenges we had but we never compromised on, you know, the selection trials."
When evaluating players, the focus remains firmly on cricketing fundamentals.
"Well, I think for anything, whether season ball cricket or tennis ball, it's all about skill. It's your batting skill, bowling skill, even your fielding skill. Also, the temperament, how you perform under pressure. It's also the temperament, we see how under pressure they perform because this game, whether you play tennis ball or season ball cricket, it's all a player is known for, who handles the pressure well and how you perform under pressure. So, I think that's the criteria we look actually," he said.
With a leadership group featuring icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Ashish Shelar, Minal Amol Kale and Suraj Samat, the ISPL continues to grow in stature. Amre, who has groomed stars such as Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw, says the format may differ but the fundamentals remain intact.
"Well, I think basic is like a cricket for me. You know, it's also, that's a different platform and this is a different platform but this is actually, the theme line is that street to stadium. I think that gives me the most satisfaction, you know, we all started with the tennis ball. You know, myself also and we all played somewhere in our life, you know, on a street cricket and to give them a platform, this is the great work ISPL is doing. To give them that platform to go to the next level and more than that, like, it's coming on the TV (television). I think that is really, really important for this player also and they can make a career. I think the whole point is that only like, my guru (Ramakant) Achrekar Sir used to tell, like, one decent job can take care of one household entirely. So, I think that is where we are thinking about those days. These boys also get a platform and if somebody has performed well, they can go to the next level," he noted. (ANI)