Life has not been easy for Raut. Before he went on to play for India, the lad from Nagpur was a champion tennis ball cricketer.
If Sachin Tendulkar was an inspiration to the world, fast bowler of Indian physically disabled team Gurudas Raut, 33, with just one hand while the other was taken away by polio, once inspired the Indian batting legend.
During England's tour of India in 2012, Raut got the opportunity to bowl to the members of the Indian team at the nets in Jamtha, Nagpur. His jaws dropped in awe when he saw his 'God' down from the stairs of the pavilion.
"I could not believe what I saw of the 'God of cricket'. I was nervous and wondered how would Tendulkar react if he saw me bowl. But I thought this was an opportunity. The first ball was a big wide. Before the second ball, I thought if I can do like how Dale Steyn got him out in 2012 series. Steyn first bowled an inswinger that Tendulkar hit through the covers. Then, he got one to swing away to take his edge to the slips.
"I did the same. Tendulkar exactly hit the inswinger over the covers, the next was an outswinger and the ball clipped his bails," recollected Raut of one of his greatest achievements.
Raut said Tendulkar was delighted to see the way he bowled despite his physical disability. "He told me you are inspiration. How much ever I praise you is less. Those words did not let me sleep that night. It was like a dream-come-true. Tendulkar saying that he learns and gets motivated by players like us is a big thing," he said.
Life has not been easy for Raut. Before he went on to play for India, the lad from Nagpur was a champion tennis ball cricketer.
"It was not easy initially to accept that I had just one hand. I would ask my parents that why I could not be like others and they had no answer. While there were many who mocked me, there were some who supported me too. I got hooked to cricket, thanks to my friends," Raut, who is an Air Force employee, said.
"As I kept on improving, people wondered how I could bat so well with just one hand and hit sixes. People would take bets that I could hit any bowler for sixes and I did. That way I would earn Rs 20 or 50."
Later, Raut joined a cricket club – Ruby Cricket Club – to play leather ball cricket. A few days later he entered the history books by becoming the first physically-challenged cricketer to take a hat-trick in a tournament in Lucknow in 2005.
Raut, who made his debut for India in 2012, is looking forward to his next assignment in England – a first ever six-nation Physical Disability Cricket World Series in Worcester from August 5.
"We have a very good team. We have been working hard for the past few months. We will keep the Indian flag flying high," he said.
Having travelled to quite a few countries before, the upcoming trip is Raut's first to England. He is excited about it. "The conditions are pacer friendly from whatever I have heard. We have prepared very well for it," he said.
Raut and the team are looking forward to playing in the English conditions after a fruitful training camp in Shegaon.
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 "Gurudas Raut")
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