It is a tailor-made livelihood for this man

VADODARA, May 18: At 42, Ahmedali Mehmudali Saiyed can pass off for any ordinary tailor stitching trousers to make a living. But a peep into...

VADODARA, May 18: At 42, Ahmedali Mehmudali Saiyed can pass off for any ordinary tailor stitching trousers to make a living. But a peep into his list of former and present clientele would take anyone by surprise, as it includes cricketers none less than Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Sanjay Manjrekar, Chandrakant Pandit and Vadodara’s very own Nayan Mongia and Atul Bedade.

Saiyed virtually enjoys a monopoly as far as stitching trousers for cricketers goes. Such is his popularity that there is hardly any cricketer who does not know him.

While Tendulkar, Kambli and Pandit stretched out in the trousers made by Saiyed before they made a mark in first class cricket, a majority of Vadodara’s Ranji Trophy players still get their trousers stitched by Saiyed.

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Popularly known as Ahmedbhai in the cricket circles, he took up the profession 13 years ago. Braving all odds, he used to go all the way to IPCL and GSFC cricket grounds to show his creations. His perfect fitting made him popular and slowly his name spread not only in Vadodara but also in the state.

Soon his small cabin, Players Trouser Centre’, located in Machhipeeth, Raopura, starting humming with activity. But as just stitching trousers was not adequate to meet both ends, he expanded his work to stitching women’s clothes also.

“Cricket coach Pradip Date and cricketer Vishwajit Padhiyar showed me the right path,” he recollects. Date introduced him to a number of cricketers and former Indian wicket-keeper Kiran More inaugurated his shop.

“Rituraj Ingle, who belongs to the royal family, was my first customer. He gave me a sample and told me to stitch accordingly,” recollects Saiyed. Since then there was no looking back.

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His customers became his advertisers. “I used to tell them to spread a word, which they did and the result you can see today.”

Besides the fitting, the cost made him instantaneously famous. The trousers made by him cost Rs 150 less than the readymade ones.

“Players find my trousers comfortable and that is what matters most,” he says, adding they are made from stretchable material brought from Mumbai and Ludhiana. He has also ventured into making track pants now.

However, despite his popularity he remains a simple man. The only visible change is that his bicycle has been replaced by a moped.

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Saiyed claims that he has given many trousers to needy cricketers. “After all I owe a lot to my customers,” he says.

Today, he knows as much about cricket and cricketers as about measurements and lengths. And why not? After all he has frequented cricket grounds to get orders and later on measurement of cricketers for their convenience.

“Now top players like Tendulkar and others get offers from big firms to advertise their product. However, I am proud that they once wore trousers stitched by me,” he says proudly.