Ashiqur Rahman Majumder – Sooryavanshi's constant from Vijayawada dinners to IPL highs

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's rise has been swift, but tucked quietly behind it is an unlikely friendship. Ashiqur Rahman Majumder, a Bangladeshi coach, has remained a steady, reassuring presence along the way.

Ashiqur, a former first-class cricketer and now a development coach with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, first met Sooryavanshi in 2023 during a tri-series in Vijayawada. Sooryavanshi, representing India's Under-19 'B' side, crossed paths with Ashiqur during adjacent training sessions.

"Our nets were alongside India Under-19. I was doing side-arm throws with a long run-up when Hrishikesh Kanitkar told me he had never seen anything like it," Ashiqur recalled. "Then Vaibhav came up and asked for a throw."

The real connection began later that evening when Ashiqur bumped into Sooryavanshi while looking for dinner.

"I had stepped out looking for a place to eat when he spotted me downstairs. He said, 'Sir, what are you looking for?' When I told him, he said 'come with me.' The three of us went out together and we talked a lot that day."

It became a routine. "One day I'd pay, the next day he would. We were the 'Three Idiots,'" Ashiqur said, noting they've been in regular touch since.

Their bond carried on beyond that tour, evolving into regular late-night conversations about batting.

"After he got into an IPL side, I called to ask about his preparation," Ashiqur said. "He told me they spend four hours just hitting sixes at the Centre of Excellence."

They reunited during a tour in Qatar. "He met me in the lobby and hugged me. We had dinner together. The next day, he went out and scored 200 against the UAE."

Even as Sooryavanshi's career has gathered pace, the conversations haven't stopped. On the eve of another milestone knock in the IPL, Ashiqur found himself on the other end of a familiar call.

Ashiqur denied being a lucky charm, adding, "He's immensely talented. But maybe he feels comfort talking to me. He'll call at 1 AM and I'll wake up to answer. He's come so far, but he hasn't changed from that first meeting in Andhra Pradesh."