I went to Canada after facing rejection here, says Gurdaspur cricketer

Dilpreet Singh Bajwa (22) was born in Gurdaspur. He scored a lot of runs in many tournaments, including the Katoch shield, the basis on which Punjab selectors pick the state team for Ranji Trophy. He proved his mettle and went on to play the T20 World Cup held in the USA and West Indies for his adopted country, Canada.

Rejection does not always mean a person is not good enough. Dilpreet Singh Bajwa (22) took this as someone blowing a bugle in his ear to wake him up, rather than retreating. Dilpreet was shunned by Punjab during his formative years. And later on, too, he could not find a place in the senior team due to the selectors’ “whimsical attitude.” Five years ago, he migrated to Canada, took the cricketing world by storm and virtually forced the selectors to include him in the national team for the 2024 ICC T20 world cup held simultaneously in the USA and the Caribbean. In an exclusive interview, he shares his journey with The Tribune reporter Ravi Dhaliwal.

What forced you to migrate to Canada?

I scored a lot of runs while turning out for Gurdaspur in various age-group tournaments. In fact, in the u-19 championship, I scored an unbeaten 137 against the fancied Patiala, but the selectors never gave me a chance to play for the Punjab squad. I also scored a couple of fifties in the same tourney. There were friends who told me that however good you may be, the selectors will always overlook you because you come from Gurdaspur, a district which has no cricketing culture, ethos or history. My father, Harpreet Singh, an ex-cricketer, migrated to Canada. In 2020, he called me and my entire family to that country. He asked me to concentrate on my game and do nothing else. I decided to leave this country and migrate due to the fact that I was being ignored despite scoring runs in all formats.

What made you famous in cricketing circles in Canada?

I started playing the Global T20 league tournament. It is a six-team professional tourney and is played by world-class cricketers. Some of them like Chris Gayle, Usman Khawaja and David Warner liked the style of my play. I mixed aggression with caution and slowly made a name for myself while playing for my club-Montreal Tigers. Australian batsman David Warner would often give tips to me. He also removed some technical deficiencies I had in my batting repertoire.

Who coached you in Gurdaspur?

Rakesh Marshal Sir coached me on the Government College grounds where he runs an academy. He encouraged me and stood by me in my moments of despair. He also worked on my technique. Actually, it is only in your formative years that you need a coach to iron out your deficiencies. I was lucky to have such a knowledgeable figure when I was growing up.

What are your plans?

I intend to play for Canada for as long as I can. I have proved my mettle in local tournaments. My next step is to play for my country in an ICC tournament slated to be held in Namibia in the first week of March. The body that administers the game is called Cricket Canada. Canada is an associate member of the ICC and I hope it gets full membership soon. If that happens, we will be playing top grade ICC tournaments like India does. I also plan to give financial aid to my former coach Rakesh Marshal who, in fact, has helped many cricketers achieve their dreams.

What is your advice for budding youngsters?

Never get defeated by rejection. Refusal is a part and parcel of life. The selectors should select the right teams. It is high time they start playing with a straight bat. They are at liberty to cite my example, of how I made to to the Canadian national cricket team.