‘You have to work hard & believe in yourself’ :Hokaito Zhimomi

A National Media once described him as a Cricketer “known for his nippy left-arm fast bowling and for his right-handed big hitting prowess…a cricket coach’s ideal model when it comes to athleticism and smart fielding skills.”

Hokaito Zhimomi has come a very long way from where he first began, taking the road less travelled. When most people chose to pursue higher academic degrees, he decided to play cricket. What’s more, he excelled, bringing the map of Nagaland into the field.

By now, he has lost count of the matches he has played in several places across the country, among which, includes the famed Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders during 2005. But that, today he is known as an Indian first-class cricketer, and the only cricketer from Nagaland to play first class cricket did not emerge overnight. For his association with bats, bowling and wickets date back to his childhood, although he started playing professionally only at the age of 16.

In his years of being in the field, he has also brushed shoulders with the like of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, played various matches including the finals of the Tiens Cricket Cup from Sparks CC as Captain, West Bengal under 19, Dalhousie Athletic Club, Kolkata, played for West Bengal both in the state and at the national level to name a few.

But why Cricket? And he is quick to reply, “it’s all because of my Mom”. He goes on to recall, “I was never into cricket. When I was a kid, I played both cricket and football seasonally. But my Mom was a Big Time cricket fan. And that’s how I generated the interest” while also adding, “both my parents were very supportive” towards this endeavour.

His love for cricket is evident but it’s also easy to see that it has carried more than a decade of hard work and dedication. Understandably, his most fulfilling moment was when he made his debut as First Class Cricketer a couple of years back. “I’ve really really worked hard to play for First Class. I waited 10 years to get it”, he profoundly shares.

Needless to say, his hard work has paid off. And while many people may still consider sports as an extracurricular activity, he is living proof that it is possible to comfortably earn a living through sports. “There is a lot of money in cricket”, he enlightens and goes on to explain, “if you are playing at the highest level, there is lots of money”. With sports, he further adds, there is a good future.

But he insists every bit that hard work is a dire essential. “You have to really work hard”, he emphasizes. And as far as sports is concerned, he says, “training is a must, and also because, we Nagas hate to play (referring to discipline), if you want to play, work hard, because there is so much competition.” “You have to believe in yourself and whatever you are doing, do it very honestly”, he further adds.

As for the graduate of St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, Cricket is his very life. It’s like he breathes cricket, sleeps cricket, talks cricket, dreams cricket, lives cricket, as he himself would confess. But then, it is such love for the game that has brought him this far.

Hokaito Zhimomi currently plays for the Assam Cricket Team in the Ranji Trophy, which is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between teams representing regional cricket associations. The competition, named after England and Sussex cricketer Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji (Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, also known as "Ranji") currently consists of 27 teams, with 21 of the 28 states in India and Delhi (which is an Union Territory), having at least one representation.

For the love of the Game

When I first met Hokaito Zhimomi as a student in Calcutta, his zest for Cricket was firmly placed with signs of greater things to come.
By then, he was already so familiar with Eden Gardens, the holy grail of cricket in India. And he obviously nurtured that love for the game as is evident from the heights he has scaled. But regardless, even as a smart, confident and a chirpy Sports Star, he speaks so little of his greater achievements.
Yet, a National Media describes him as a Cricketer “known for his nippy left-arm fast bowling and for his right-handed big hitting prowess…a cricket coach’s ideal model when it comes to athleticism and smart fielding skills.”
Indeed, Nagaland can take pride in producing a home-bred Sports Star for a cricket crazy nation where its mad fans do not mind watching a really lengthy match standing by the roadside, and never minding sharing a small screen even in the humid air.
As the First Naga Cricketer (or for that matter, from the whole of North East Region) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders, Hokaito Zhimomi has certainly carved a niche for himself in the national stage. But the honour didn’t emerge overnight for his relationship with bats, bowling and wickets date back to his childhood.
He has always loved cricket, and it’s easy to take notice when it carries more than a decade of dedication. When you talk to a sportsperson, often, the game takes centre-stage but he also values education as he recalls doing his schooling from St Paul’s and Livingstone School Dimapur respectively. Perhaps, his graduation pursuit from St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, paved way for him to join the Kalighat Club in Kolkata but then he’s been playing cricket much before he joined college.
Prior to that, he played for Flamingo CC in Dimapur and eventually went to Guwahati for coaching wherein, his all round cricketing won the admiration of important people in the field that he was called by the Bengal Cricket Association after he has displayed his skills for several clubs.
Over the years, he has brushed shoulders with the like of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, played various matches including the finals of the Tiens Cricket Cup from Sparks CC as Captain, West Bengal under 19, Dalhousie Athletic Club, Kolkata, been Part of Kolkata Knight Riders, 1st Edition of IPL 2005, played for West Bengal both in the state and national level among several others.
For the Captain of a Cricket College Team, including the University of Calcutta in this aspect, Hokaito has come a long way developing himself in the true manner of sportsmanship. It is his aspiration to see sports grow in Nagaland, but he reasonably expresses that as of now, “Nagaland has no proper scope for cricket”.
“Obviously parents will not allow their children to take up cricket as a serious profession for now, because at the end of the day, money matters. Once this situation is changed, it’s going to be different’, he reasons while pointing to his observation that cricket is coming up in Nagaland. “We have a state team now and we will have a very good team”, he is hopeful.
He is a model for an entire sports generation as his commitment seems rooted in one simple goal of being part of the game for the sheer pleasure of it. The 25 year old insists that there are people behind his success as he respectfully holds the inspiration of Kito Zhimomi, Income Tax Commissioner Kolkata, Wati Jamir, Ato Yepthomi, Advisor to CM, the Chief Minister himself, and the Dimapur District Sports Association. He also has the support of his family tree including 3 siblings, a father who is a businessman and a mother homemaker.
The Young Cricketer is based in Kolkata, and plays for Kalighat Club. Fuelled with energy, I believe he serves as an inspiration for many cricket fans in the country, and is a true Sports Icon even for an infant sports-breeding place such as our State.