Hiken strikes back

Back in the summer of 2010,a return to the Mumbai fold seemed a long distance away. But Hiken was still eying that very spot that he had vacated prior to his departure. To begin with,he submitted a no objection certificate (NOC) to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) expressing his interest in returning to the fold. He didn’t quite have the luxury of just walking back into the mix. Hiken first had to serve a one-year cooling period based on the MCA’s norm in the city’s competitive local circuit,which he did.

‘I knew that if I score again,my chance will come. My one-year cooling period went quite nicely. I knew that the next time I get a look-in,I will ensure that I disprove all my detractors,” says Hiken,who followed up his century with a 56 in Mumbai’s next encounter against Uttar Pradesh at Lucknow.

To his credit,Hiken made all the right noises upon his second foray in club cricket. He returned scores of 216,217,158 and 65 in the Times Shield ‘B’ division for Mumbai Customs and later scored three consecutive half centuries for Payyade Sport Club in the Police Shield. Hiken knew his time was nigh. He had done exactly what was required of him to knock on the doors of the selection committee.

“Before the season was about to start,I told myself that 50s and 100s won’t see me getting another chance. I was not playing in the ‘A’ division matches of the Times Shield and scoring centuries in the B division is not given that much importance. I told myself that if I need to play for Mumbai again then I have to score big runs,which meant I had to double my century scores,” Hiken recalls.

All the waiting and the fighting on the sidelines finally paid dividends as Hiken was named in the Mumbai Ranji squad to face Orissa. A place in the final XI,however,remained elusive. Hiken busied himself carrying drinks for a bunch of Mumbai players who were mostly still in their teens the last time he was part of his home team’s setup.

Hiken was just a step away now though. But the anxiety to find his name in the final XI of a Mumbai team for the first time in three years was tough to control.

“I thought that I will be playing the Orissa game and I was prepared for it. When I was not picked in the final XI,I promised myself that whenever my chance comes,I will grab it with both hands. And thankfully,things went on my way this time,” he explains.

Though slightly belated,Hiken finally got his dream return at Rajkot,and he ensured that he marked it in glorious fashion.