Ranchi player got entry in Mumbai team. (Photo-Screenshot/Instagram)

Ranji Trophy: The left-arm fast bowler, hailing from Ranchi, moved to Mumbai in 2017. During this time, this player's dream was to become a good cricketer. This fast bowler struggled a lot for about 8 years. He lived with 12 people in a room in a slum. He waited tables for 8 years, his landlord threw him out of the house, and he slept at the railway station. He even learned to make sushi in a local kitchen to earn his living, but this player did not give up on his dream. Now Irfan Umair, a resident of Ranchi, has got the reward for his struggle.

Irfan got place in Mumbai team

Irfan Umair after 8 years long struggle mumbai ranji team Got a place in. On 15 October, he made his Ranji debut against Jammu and Kashmir. There is a long struggle behind this player reaching this position. Umair told in an interview to The Indian Express that reaching Mumbai was not a problem for me, but the problem was how to fill my stomach. I had brought Rs 5500 and soon it was all gone. A friend of mine, with whom I shared a room, advised me that I could work in catering. I started doing this work.

Late start to career

Irfan told that I focused on cricket at the age of 17. My parents were not happy with the fact that he played cricket. He put a condition – he would have to pass the 10th class examination. Irfan's father worked in Saudi Arabia and had returned home. Eventually Umair went to his uncle and explained to him that cricket could move forward.

In Mumbai, Irfan met a local coach, Prashant Shetty, who saw him bowling at Shivaji Park and talked to MIG, a famous club in Bandra East. During this time, I had to work as a waiter to earn my living. This was the worst time of my life. I asked myself, "What have you come here and what are you doing? I didn't tell my family, but I had no choice." Irfan told that he used to earn Rs 300 daily.

worked in double shifts

However, he faced many problems during this period. Irfan Umair was not aware of the rules of Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), according to which any outsider wishing to play for Mumbai must be a resident of Mumbai for at least one year for registration and must also have a valid proof of residence. Umair did the paperwork and somehow got his address changed. Yet it became possible to play for Mumbai only after a year of registration.

He told that earlier, I used to do catering work a few days a week, but then I increased it. I had to pay Rs 8,000 to the agent who helped me get my documents done. I didn't have money for the next month, so I worked double shifts in catering.

learned to make sushi

Then came Covid. Umair, like many people, got stuck in Mumbai. His family advised him to stay here, but making ends meet was a challenge. Her roommate had a credit card, which they used to make ends meet, not realizing that the interest on the payments would add to their problems.

Irfan told that every month, we used to pay more than Rs 3,500 only as interest. This was a huge amount for us. Thankfully, my friend got a job abroad and repaid the money. I told him that whenever I got the money, I would pay my share, but the years were passing and there was an atmosphere of uncertainty. During this time, Irfan decided to change his club from Islam Gymkhana to CCI and took a job in an East Asian restaurant in Bandra, where he learned to make sushi.

When Irfan could not give trial

Irfan further told that someone suggested him to play professional tennis ball cricket to earn extra money. Soon, Irfan gained fame in tennis ball cricket and everyone wanted him in their team. Then a tennis ball cricket championship called Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) was held and he was included in their team by Falcon Risers Hyderabad for Rs 16 lakh. “It helped me move away from the kitchen and focus on cricket,” Umair said. He still remembers his last salary in the kitchen, Rs 12,000.

Irfan Umair's game-changing delivery bowled everyone over!

Now it's your turn to shine in the stadium. Register for Season 3!#ISPLT10 #Street2Stadium #NewT10Era #Season3 #ZindagiBadalLo #ISPL #DikhaApnaGame #TennisCricket pic.twitter.com/FerhI8K9k1

— ISPL (@ispl_t10) September 8, 2025

During this time, he was selected during a talent hunt organized by MCA, where Senior Selection Committee Chairman Sanjay Patil saw him and included him in the Mumbai senior team as a net bowler. Last season, he was selected for the selection trials, but fate tested him again. On the day of the trial, his landlord asked him to vacate the room saying that he returns home late. Umair did not come for the trial. Another opportunity was missed.

Abhishek Nair's support

Then Mumbai T20 League came. Irfan told that there I met former Indian cricketer Abhishek Nair And that's when things changed. He supported me and told me that I just have to keep working hard. Later I was selected for the Mumbai team. Now I feel that all the hard work has paid off, now I am hopeful of performing well.

Mumbai Ranji team captain Shardul Thakur says that Irfan comes from an ordinary family and is desperate to perform well. He has performed well even on slow pitches in KSCA and Buchi Babu.