Jayant Goyat claims his maiden five-wicket haul in First-Class cricket
Son of Kapil Dev's former Haryana teammate once considered quitting cricket
Goyat credits his father's support for helping him overcome career struggles
The pitches at Palam Air Force Ground in New Delhi rarely please the fast bowlers. While the batters keep licking their lips, the pacers often have a boring day out. However, Services' ongoing fixture against Delhi presented a different picture altogether. Jayant Goyat, a lanky 21-year-old pacer, stole the show on the third day of the match with his maiden five-wicket haul in First-Class cricket.
Goyat, a Bhiwani-born cricketer, returned figures of 5/65 to help Services restrict Delhi’s first-innings lead to 78 runs. With the hosts having extended their lead to 202 at stumps, the young pacer may get another opportunity to shine with the ball on the final day of the game.
“It is a very good feeling. It is my first fifer. The wicket is slow and flat, so I had to put in extra effort. I did that and got the results,” Goyat told reporters after the end of third day’s play.
However, the journey to this milestone has been far from straightforward. Having represented India Under-19 in the 2023 Quadrangular series and been named a backup for the 2024 U-19 World Cup, Goyat endured a difficult period while playing age-group cricket for Haryana. The lean patch affected him so much that he even contemplated giving up the sport.
"I once messaged my father in the middle of a match saying that I was leaving cricket," he recalled.
But his father Wazir Singh, once a cricketer and now a sports scietntis, stood by him like a rock during that phase. Despite having experienced the uncertainties of a cricketing career himself, singh never imposed the sport on his son.
"My father never pushed me to play only cricket. He gave me the freedom to pursue whatever I wanted. Playing cricket was my own decision, and he supported me a lot," Goyat said.
Interestingly, Goyat's cricketing identity has also undergone a transformation. An ardent fan of Jacques Kallis, he was initially a batting all-rounder who regularly batted in the top order, he is now working towards becoming a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder. He has previously clocked 135 kmph at the Under-19 level and is focusing on strength and lower-body conditioning to add more speed.
Services head coach Lt Col AP Singh sees considerable potential in the youngster, particularly because of his temperament and willingness to learn.
“He has age on his side, is talented and bowling very well. This was his first five-wicket haul in a very big game,” Singh said. “Jayant gives us an extra edge because he can bat as well. If he gives us 20-25 runs down the order, it is always good for any side.”
Singh believes Jayant's batting abilities also remain a crucial aspect of his overall value to the team. The stressed that workload management is essential but added that the team does not want to restrict a player who feels fit and ready to contribute.
“Workload management is important, but if a player is feeling alright and is ready to go, we generally don't stop him,” Singh said.
“In fact, I had asked him to pad up just in case we needed to save our batters. However, the captain decided that it wasn't required. We have also used him as a nightwatchman earlier, and he's done well for us,” he added.
For Goyat, however, the ambition remains much bigger than establishing himself in domestic cricket.
“Desh ke liye khelne ke liye jigra chahiye hota hai,” he said.
His father once had a place in a Haryana Ranji dressing room but could never make it to the field. Jayant has gone a step further, and his maiden five-wicket haul is a mere reminder that the journey is moving in the right direction. Although an India cap remains a distant target, the youngster, who once considered parting ways with the game cricket, is now refusing to give up.
