Subhechcha Ganguly 
Ajay Jadav Mandal, born on February 25, 1996, is an emerging Indian cricketer making waves in the sport. He launched his first-class career with Chhattisgarh during the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy on October 6, 2016, followed by a dynamic Twenty20 debut in the Inter State Twenty-20 Tournament on January 29, 2017. Showcasing his versatility, he further expanded his repertoire by making his List A debut for Chhattisgarh in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy on September 30, 2018. Ajay’s talent caught the attention of the Chennai Super Kings, who signed him as an all-rounder for the 2023 IPL season for INR 20 Lakhs, marking a significant milestone in his cricketing journey.
Q1) Why did you opt for Cricket out of all other sports?
Ans : When I was a child of nearly 2 years , my father brought a Cricket bat for me in my second birthday. That embarks the starting of my Cricket Journey . I used to play with my father and that’s how my interest shined.I also loved to watch several ace players like Sourav Ganguly , Sachin Tendulkar and that is how my love for cricket cultivated and in 7th standard I professionally entered the field of cricket .
Q2) Why did you choose to become an allrounder ?
Ans : Very honestly , it is how I started off Cricket as this was the initial and only option I had. Even the basic batting equipment was expensive and not everyone could afford it. So the best option was to go bowling first .
Q3) You have travelled several states for sports by now? What are the best things that you enjoy (except for the game ) during these tours?
Ans: It has always been a pleasant experience for me as I have always got to travel to several places . The scenic beauty , the cuisines and different languages of different states were always something that intrigued me . Every state has so much diversity and so many things that we can witness.
Q4) As we know “Practice is like the Heart of Cricket” how much practice goes on everyday and tell us about How you balance your Nutrition.
Ans : We do have a specific time of practice everyday and it is necessary as well. Mainly before the Ranji Trophy and important matches we do try to devote more time for practice . Apart from that we also our gym sessions .Roughly I think , around 5 hours of practice is something that we need to do almost everyday.
Initially we did not have much of a Nutrition chart and my mother used to take care of all of the Nutritional needs. Slowly and steadily as we progressed in the game of Cricket, our coaches used to tell us about Nutrition and protein intakes and that’s how we maintain our Nutrition now.
Q5) When you started playing has the feeling of Playing Ranji Trophy or IPL ever crossed your mind? How does it feel to represent Rajnandgaon in the National Level?
Ans : Since the time I started playing cricket I have always believed in myself . Belief is very important when it comes to sports . Also since I have represented State quite a few times and have always given my best and the performance always turned out to be well.
It always added a sense of confidence. So I generally think of taking one step at a time , and also all these achievements be it Ranji Trophy or IPL it would not have been possible without the hard work of my parents and the belief that my coaches showed since the first day.
Representing Rajnandgaon has always been a matter of pride of me . Also it becomes very special as my cricket career commenced from Rajnandgaon and it feels great when young players take inspiration and can have faith that we can achieve our milestones even from small places.
Q6) Finally who has been your biggest support in this field.
Whatever I have achieved till date it would not have been possible without my parents. They have always been my biggest support . It feels immensely good when I see them getting happy about my performance .
Q7) Do you have any advice for young Cricketers who have just set their foot in this profession?
One advice that I would definitely like to give is that , it is very important to enjoy what you are doing . Specially when it is a sport that has several ups and downs it is very important that you enjoy the Sport to the fullest and this inturn would help you do better . Also it is very important to be grateful for whatever opportunity you have got , and that would also be a great thing.
