"Whatever I’m now, it's because of Rahul Dravid" - Pravin Tambe on his amazing cricket journey and his upcoming biopic Kaun Pravin Tambe

There are many cricketers who’ve played the sport well into their mid-40s and even early 50s. You might be intrigued to know that India’s first-ever Test captain, Colonel CK Naidu, continued playing first-class cricket until he was 62!

On the other hand, you have former English batter James Taylor, who hung up his boots at the age of 26 due to a serious heart problem. At the end of the day, these facts embody the old adage – “age is just a number”. Indeed, a number it is for Pravin Vijay Tambe, a late bloomer whose tale is a classic example of human determination and willpower.

For a cricketer who never made it to the state team, let alone getting a national call-up, the Indian Premier League (IPL) was a distant dream. Chasing his goal of earning Mumbai’s lion crest someday, Tambe toiled for several years as a club cricketer, but it was to no avail. Once he crossed 30, his age started going against him and he was finding it increasingly difficult to balance his Orient Shipping job and cricket ambitions. Yet, he refused to give up.

Then came the year 2013. Tambe’s life underwent a Cinderella-esque transformation when Rajasthan Royals (RR) handed him an IPL contract after spotting him during an invitational T20 tournament. He was 41 at the time, but that didn’t deter the Royals scouts from acknowledging his talent. All his hard work in the Kanga League over the years finally bore fruit when he made his IPL and professional top-flight debut against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) that season.

A wily leg-spinner who could bamboozle batters with his flippers, Tambe was a key member of the Rajasthan Royals side that finished third in the IPL and runners-up in the now defunct Champions League T20 in 2013.

Having taken 12 wickets in five matches at an astonishing average of 6.50, the Mumbaikar leapfrogged Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo to win the Golden Wicket award in his maiden CLT20 campaign. His crowning moment came the following year when he claimed his only IPL hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which included the wickets of Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan and Ryan ten Doeschate.

Tambe represented the now-defunct Gujarat Lions and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the subsequent editions of the IPL, after the Royals were suspended for a couple of years for their alleged involvement in the 2013 corruption scandal, but couldn’t replicate his past success. However, he continued to take heaps of wickets in T20 tournaments held outside India and established himself as a potent match-winner in the format. He also played a couple of first-class and six List A games after making his Mumbai debut in the 2013-14 season.

Despite retiring in 2018 to play in the T10 League, Tambe later broke his retirement to play in the Mumbai T20 League. He registered himself for the IPL auction, where KKR acquired him for ₹20 lakh in December 2019. But a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rule prohibits all active Indian cricketers from participating in overseas leagues, so Tambe was disqualified from the IPL. He was 48 back then.

The story of Tambe’s IPL sojourn is well-known to many, but did you know that he switched from medium-pace to leg-spin quite late in his career? Tambe’s upcoming biopic, “Kaun Pravin Tambe?”, promises to narrate lesser-known stories like these and offer a unique insight into his struggles and unflinching love towards the sport. Directed by Jayaprad Desai, the film features Shreyas Talpade in the lead and is slated for release on Disney + Hotstar on April 1.

Tambe, who’s currently a part of the KKR support staff, recently gave an exclusive interview to Sportskeeda where he opened up about his inspiring journey and revealed why Talpade is the perfect fit for his role. Here are the excerpts.

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Q: Your biopic is titled “Kaun Pravin Tambe?” How often did people ask this question when you started playing for the Rajasthan Royals? Do you think people still ask this question, even after you’ve achieved so much success playing in T20 leagues around the world?

Tambe: I think those who follow cricket know me quite well by now because I play T20 cricket all around. But those who don’t follow cricket keep asking the question – “Who is Pravin Tambe?” I think from this movie not only will the sporting world come to know about my journey, but also those who work at the corporate level.

I want this movie to inspire people from all walks of life. There are so many people who give up on their dreams after a point in time, thinking, “I can’t do this…What if I fail?” If you work hard and keep chasing your goal, dreams do come true. I never stopped playing cricket despite facing many hurdles in my life. I always wanted to play good cricket and everyone knows where I am now.

Q: How did the movie’s offer come to you? Did you ever think that you would have a biopic some day?

Tambe: I never thought that I would have a biopic someday. Over the years, I’ve only thought about playing cricket because it’s my passion. I’ve just gone with the flow. I’ve always wanted to play cricket, but at the same time, I’ve also had to look after my family.

[About getting the film’s offer] It was while playing for Rajasthan Royals that I became popular. After I claimed an IPL hat-trick and won the Golden Wicket award in the Champions League T20, Mr. Sudip Tewari [the film’s co-producer] approached me with the offer of a biopic. I was so surprised that I asked him, “What are you saying? I want to play cricket!” I said no to them because I wanted to play cricket. He kept insisting that it was an inspirational story, but I told him that I hadn’t even played for India.

However, from 2017 onwards, I’ve got a ton of questions on Facebook with people asking me how I’m able to bowl at this age and whether they can pursue cricket after crossing 30. I tried to motivate them individually, but I realized that a movie would have a far-reaching impact. I then gave my consent to the makers, but told them to create a film that would inspire a lot of people. I think this biopic will answer a lot of questions about my life.

Q: Were you consulted before Shreyas Talpade was selected to play your role? Why did the makers choose him instead of a more popular Bollywood star?

Tambe: My family loves Shreyas Talpade a lot. As soon as they heard that the makers were trying to make a biopic based on my life, they kept asking if Shreyas Talpade would play my part. That’s how I understood that Shreyas was the right man for my role.

Q: We can learn from the film’s trailer that initially you were a medium pacer. Kindly talk to us about your transition to leg-spin.

Tambe: In the trailer, you can see a man [the character played by Ashish Vidyarthi] who says that I’ve got natural drift. This is Padarkar sir. He was our coach when I used to play for Orient Shipping. He was a medium pacer. I wasn’t getting enough success on the Mumbai wickets, so he told me to switch to bowling leg-spin. I’m always ready to do whatever it takes to win matches for my team because I love the sport a lot.

Q: Do you regret not switching to leg-spin earlier?

Tambe: No, I don’t have any regrets in my life. I just kept pursuing my dreams and I’m happy with what I’ve achieved.

Q: Rajasthan Royals are always praised for their scouting. How did they spot you?

Tambe: When I traveled from Mumbai to Jaipur for the RR trials, I was fielding everywhere. I was bowling in the nets, I was fielding at point, long on and long off, and I was running around. Rahul Dravid, Paddy Upton, Zubin Bharucha and Monty Desai saw me at the trials and selected me.

Q: What has Rahul Dravid’s role in your journey been so far? We can see that the trailer begins with his speech on you…

Tambe: Rahul Dravid has played a very important role in my journey. Whatever I’m now, it’s because of him. During those two to three days of the trials, he never asked me about my age. He just looked at my performance and selected me. That’s a great thing about him.

I think Rahul bhai was surprised when he found out my age. One day, he told me at the breakfast table, 'Pravin, I picked you despite not knowing your age. I’ve seen in the papers that you’re 41, but it doesn’t seem so'. (Laughs) That shows his greatness.

Q: When was the last time that you spoke to Rahul Dravid? Are you still in touch with him?

Tambe: He’s so busy that I never disturb him. I know what major responsibility he has on his shoulders. Of course, I send him WhatsApp messages during festivals like Diwali and thank him for what he has done for me.

Q: The RR batch you played in was special. While a 41-year-young Pravin Tambe fascinated everyone on the one hand, a 16-year-old Sanju Samson announced himself on the other. What kind of dynamics did you share with Samson?

Tambe: That’s the beauty of sports. When you’re on the ground, nobody thinks about your age. You only want to win your team games. There was no age barrier between Sanju and me on the field. Whatever jokes he cracked, he used to do them off the field. He sometimes told me, “Arre, you’re 41!” It was off the field. On the field, everyone was equal.

Q: You’ve scalped the wickets of many star batters in your career. Who is your most prized wicket?

Tambe: Every wicket I’ve picked up so far is important to me. I always looked to win games for my team. But yes, taking the wickets of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Eoin Morgan is indeed very special. I’m glad to have taken their wickets.

Q: You claimed your maiden IPL hat-trick against KKR and now you’re a part of their support staff. Has life come full circle for Pravin Tambe?

Tambe: Definitely! Who would’ve thought that my journey would bring me here? I’m living a dream right now.

Q: Do you rue not playing for KKR despite being picked by them at the 2020 mini-auction?

Tambe: I have no regrets about it because the rules are the same for everyone. If you participate in any T20 league outside India, you can’t play in the IPL. I played against KKR in the IPL and also bowled alongside Sunil Narine in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Q: Have you received any message from Shah Rukh Khan after the release of your biopic’s trailer?

Tambe: Not yet. I’m sure he’ll watch the movie and share his feedback with me (smiles).