Photos: Haryana’s Ghamroj village ditched cricket for the love of football

Once a cricket crazy village near Gurugram, Ghamroj switched to football four years ago and has since gone on to produce several talented footballers in a short period. In this Rajput-dominated village there is hardly a youngster who does not share a passion for the beautiful game. Ghamroj’s football dreams however got a sudden, unexpected jolt in April this year when the Gurgaon forest department took over the football field surrounded by the Aravillis and as a result of which have had to develop another football ground. Their passion for the sport is still kicking.

Updated on: Jul 02, 2018 5:32 PM IST

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It’s been four years at Haryana’s Ghamroj village since its young cricketers switched allegiances to football. Coach Mahesh Raghav recalls how none of his 50 trainees turned up one cloudy evening in June 2014 –around the time of the FIFA World Cup –a first in his 10 years of coaching the village’s players, and a turning point in both their lives. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The next day revealed that the children had secretly bought footballs and had been practising in the mornings under Raghav’s nose. “They flatly told me that they were no longer interested in cricket and would rather play football. But they wanted to retain me as their sports coach. So, I had to choose between cricket and football, I chose the latter,” Raghav said. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Over the next few days, Raghav, a famous cricketer in his area, and his pupils donated their cricket bats to youngsters in a neighbouring village. Spurred on by Raghav, the villagers pooled funds — about ₹ 3 lakh — and bought football gear and equipment such as gloves, net, goal posts, ladder, markers, and corner flags. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The village’s cricket ground was converted into a football field. “We got our initial training from YouTube,” says Yashvir, 18. And two years back, players from the village also formed a club — M2M football club — with its own logo and jerseys. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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In a short span of time, the once cricket-crazy village has produced footballers who have played both at the state and national level and also in the Youth I- League for clubs such as Delhi United. There is hardly a youngster in the village without a football — and one can see many of them dribbling a ball in its well-paved streets. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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In 2016, impressed by the village’s passion for football, the Delhi United football club decided to train Ghamroj’s footballers and plans to make it ‘a model football village’. “Their footballers have great talent. Our club wishes to set up a residential academy to help develop football in the area,” said Krishan Kumar Ekka, head coach, Delhi United Football Club’s football academy. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The M2M club currently plays in rural tournaments and going by their trophies, has been on a winning spree. It hopes to play in the I-League soon and is trying for affiliation with the Haryana Football Association. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The only setback has been the Gurugram forest department’s takeover of their field in April 2018, claiming the land was protected forest area. A strike by 100 players, promises of returning the land followed, but they’ve since had to develop another playing field. The village claims that land was panchayat property and its use was authorised by it. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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For now, Ghamroj’s players are swept up in World Cup fever, staying awake late in to the nights to watch matches, backing their favourite teams and busy defending player rivalries. There are more children in this village surrounded by the Aravillis, who can talk today on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, than perhaps Mahendra Singh Dhoni. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)