'Carries His Laptop Everywhere, Even Works After Matches': How Saurabh Netravalkar's 'Mubaikarness' Fuels His Dual Role

The ICC T20 World Cup 2024 is in full cry and the hosts USA have made a bang on the international stage in a sport that they may not be traditionally associated with thanks to some inspired performances across all departments.

Leading the charge with the ball in the 20-over spectacle is seamer Saurabh Netravalkar, who sent ripples through the ticketing world with his match-winning Super Over against powerhouse Pakistan during their Group A encounter.

The Mumbai-born pacer ensured that his headline showings wouldn’t be dismissed as a flash in a pan as he doubled down on his seam demonstrations with the prized scalps of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, two of the most heralded batters of the generation.

Netravalkar, who is an engineer by qualification, isn’t just well equipped with the leather in hand, but also with a keyboard as evident from his employment with renowned multinational tech company Oracle. The company has been supportive of his cricketing endeavours by granting him the freedom to play and work from anywhere.

In an exclusive with CricketNext, the pacer’s younger sister, Nidhi Netravalkar revealed that the 32-year-old has always been one for the ‘hustle’ and that he carries his laptop with him in his kit bag.

“He’s been very fortunate to have people who have always supported him throughout his career. He knows that when he’s not playing cricket, he has to give 100 per cent to the job. So right now, when he’s working, he carries his laptop everywhere. And he has the freedom to work from anywhere,” Nidhi said.

“Even when he comes to India, he brings his laptop. He’s working. So after the match in the hotel, he’s doing his work. He is pretty dedicated like that,” she continued.

Nidhi opined that the seamer’s hustle springs from the bustle associated with India’s Maximum city, which is known to keep everyone on their feet, at all times.

“This is something which is like that Mumbaikarness in him, which is always there, this whole hustle culture in us,” she added.

Nidi went on to add that the trait of multi-tasking was evident in the pacer ever since his childhood days when he used to play cricket to his heart’s content, while also managing to top his class when it came to academics as well.

“You can’t just take it out. You know, like all of us, like since the beginning, when he used to travel to Churchgate for his training on the train, he was to do his homework. He played cricket but also studied well and topped in his class. He’s always had two careers in my perspective,” she concluded.