Indian

Rajinder Sidhu

Sunil Gavaskar

Kapil Dev

Sachin Tendulkar

West Indies

CCI

Rhodes reacts

So inspired was his father by Rhodes’ fielding that he decided to name son, the India U-19 skipper, after the SA legend, surname addded to the spice.Like anydreamt of playing cricket for India. He did all he could while playing in local tournaments in Delhi but could never make it past that stage. This was late 1980s and early 90s.Like any Indian, he was in love withand young sensation of that time,. Not just them though. Rajinder was also enamoured by another name that was making waves in world cricket – Jonty Rhodes.The South African was neither a top-class batsman or nor a frontline bowler. He was part of the team as a fielder who could bat. On November 14, 1993, Rajinder was going through his day’s chores when he heard about Rhodes’ exploits in Mumbai.The South African had taken five catches againstatduring a Hero Cup game. Rajinder was so impressed that he decided to name his son, if he had one, after the fielding sensation. This also was his way of living his dream through his son.As fate would have it, he was blessed with a son in 1997 and was duly christened as Jonty,. A little bit more of the cricket folklore was added to this name by Sunil Gavaskar, who during commentary, called India opener Navjot Sidhu as Jonty Singh Sidhu.Now how could anyone with that name not be a cricketer? On Wednesday, Jonty, a left-hand batsman, was named captain of the Indian U-19 team that will play England U-19 in two fourday games at Nagpur. Rajinder told Mirror, “I liked Jonty Rhodes. He was a revolutionary. The day Rhodes took those five catches, I decided that I will call my son Jonty. Luckily I had one in 1997.”The five catches that made Rhodes took can be viewed on Youtube: he snapped Brian Lara diving forward at backward point, caught Phil Simmons diving to left at short midwicket, caught Jimmy Adams at midwicket, caught Anderson Cummins flying at backward point and had Desmond Haynes caught at point.Rajinder sent his son to famous coach Sanjay Bhardhwaj’s academy when he was not yet 10. Bhardwaj describes young Jonty as an ‘extraordinary player’. “He is an aggressive player who can score at any situation. He is a natural leader and captains at the club level and captains Delhi too. What impresses me the most is his ability to maintain his calm and poise under any circumstance. He is bindas. He has jolly nature and doesn’t allow the environment to effect his thought process,” says Bhardhwaj.Jonty himself is only part aware about the history and quirkiness of his name. He knows the Rhodes angle but is oblivious of Navjot Singh Sidhu angle. He admits that the name generates curiosity and is trying to come to term with the selection and captaincy. “It will be a new experience. I was in the middle of a club game when I got a call about the selection but as I was in the ground I couldn’t pick up the call. When I did and was informed about it, I was shocked. It will be great to interact with Rahul Dravid. I will try and learn as much as I can from him. At Bhardhwaj sir’s academy I had the chance of speaking to Gautam Gambhir, who helped me improve my back-foot game.”There is another angle to the boy. He was a bit brash in the past. His Facebook status message is: “If You Love Me. Thank You, If You Hate Me. F**k You.” Those who know him say that he has mellowed down and meeting Dravid will surely do him a world of good.In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare wrote -- “What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” One can safely say, the great writer was only partly right. Ask Jonty Sidhu.Wow! I know two people named after me in Australia. One I met during my playing days and the other I am ye to meet. In Australia you are not going to standout with that name but in India you would. This is the first time I have heard someone naming his son after me. I look forward to following young Jonty’s cricket career. I spend so much time in India and I am surely looking forward to meeting him.Ihave heard about Gavaskar calling Navjot Singh Sidhu as Jonty Singh Sidhu and it feels good. It’s incredible that someone named Jonty Sidhu is going to play for India at U-19 level. I understand and appreciate that I have a large fan following in India. It’s agreat hounour to have someone name his son after me.