In a candid conversation with Kashmir Magazine Correspondent Tawseef Hamdani, one of India’s most beloved sports presenters and commentators, Jatin Sapru, opens up about his early memories in Kashmir, growing up amid change, shifting to Delhi, and eventually finding his passion and purpose in sports broadcasting.
Excerpts
KM: How do you think parents can encourage their kids in the right direction? And how do you reflect on your first years in Kashmir?
Jatin: I think it starts with simply being supportive of your child’s interests even if they don’t make immediate sense or lead to clear outcomes. As for Kashmir, I was too young to remember everything clearly. I was about three or three-and-a-half when we moved to Delhi. But I’ve seen photographs beautiful pictures and heard stories from my parents.
There was a garden outside our house. I used to sit in the verandah waiting for my grandfather. He would take me along to buy milk, paneer, dahi. We’d go boating on Dal Lake in a shikara, visit Tulmulla, Kheer Bhawani. It was a truly beautiful time. I may not remember it vividly, but I’ve always carried that feeling of ‘paradise’ within me.
KM: You started school after moving to Delhi. Was it a smooth beginning, or was there hardship?
Jatin: It wasn’t easy. Like many Kashmiri Pandit families, we had to start from scratch. The situation demanded a lot of adjustment. There wasn’t much space for extravagant dreams. I did have my own interests and passions, but I had to be practical.
I used to play cricket in the neighbourhood bat, ball, posters on the walls. I watched every match I could. I eventually became the captain of my school team. But joining a professional academy was difficult because it was expensive. So I made my way through school matches, zonals, and Delhi tournaments.
My father advised me to consider a secure career path, maybe UPSC or a government job. That’s when I shifted to science in Class 11. But science and cricket didn’t go hand in hand for me, and eventually, cricket took a backseat.
KM: Did you ever completely fall out of love with cricket?
Jatin: Cricket never left me. I might have stopped playing, but the obsession remained. I was crazy about it. I knew every player’s stats. I kept A4-size paper files with cuttings, records, and data. I’d make handwritten charts. It was my escape and my world.
KM: From there, how did you end up in sports media and commentary?
Jatin: To be honest, I never sat down 20 years ago thinking I’d become the voice of Indian cricket or that I’d be recognised for my commentary. It just happened organically.
During college, a professor told me about a digital media platform that was looking for sports content creators. I went there, worked part-time while still studying. That’s how it started. From there, I got internships with news channels, eventually landed at ESPN. I didn’t go there chasing fame. I went to learn and enjoy.
KM: What values shaped this journey?
Jatin: My parents always told me: work with a pure heart, and don’t chase greed. Don’t work only for money or fame. Work where your heart feels at home. And that’s exactly what I did.
I never had a fixed roadmap or timeline. I began my career in 2008. I did my first commentary in 2016 eight years later. But I was never frustrated. Every role, every day taught me something new. I kept setting small goals and focusing on doing each job well.
KM: Today, your voice is iconic. What does this success mean to you?
Jatin: I still consider myself very lucky. People say my voice paints a picture. That’s humbling. But I never set out chasing that. I followed what made me happy, what felt honest. I gave my best, step by step, and somehow, the path unfolded.
KM: You’re also known as a brilliant storyteller. How do you carry that responsibility in live broadcasts?
Jatin: At the core, our job is storytelling. See, we haven’t played international cricket. We’ve never stood in front of 50,000 people, with the pressure of hitting a winning run. We don’t know what that feels like. But we can tell the story of how someone reached that moment, how they built up to it, what it means in the larger picture.
The moment we start thinking we are the story, that’s where the problem begins. Someone might think people are watching the match because of my commentary, or that they’re tuning in just for me but that’s a misunderstanding. The story is always the game, the players. We are just the voices that carry that forward.
Honestly, I feel awkward doing interviews like this. Because I don’t think I’ve done anything that great. But I appreciate the kind words your line about gold passing through a hundred goldsmiths to become a beautiful necklace? That really touched me. If I am that necklace, it’s only because of all the hands and moments that shaped me.
KM: Let’s talk IPL. RCB finally won their first title. What was your perspective as a commentator and cricket lover?
Jatin: For me, RCB’s win was deeply emotional. I said it during the post-match show RCB has finally tasted the nectar of the IPL. For 17 years, they waited. Mocked at times, yes but never abandoned. They reached three finals before. They had some of the world’s greatest players like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli but the trophy eluded them.
When RCB first came into the IPL, Virat Kohli hadn’t even debuted for India. He was just a young prospect. But the fanbase kept growing, the loyalty became almost devotional. Even global audiences followed RCB without them winning a single title.
This year, cricketing logic finally prevailed. After the auction, they made the right changes. The team had to change to change their destiny. And to see Virat finally lift that trophy it was powerful. His jersey number wasn’t even 18 back then. He has since won World Cups, reached incredible heights but the IPL trophy remained missing.
KM: Was there a personal moment connected to this win for you?
Jatin: Yes, very much. I was telling my daughter about it. She plays cricket with me and gets upset when she misses a couple of shots. She’s a huge Virat Kohli fan. I told her look at him, the best player in the world, and he still hadn’t won this one title for 17 years. But he never gave up. That stayed with her and now, when she’s frustrated, she reminds herself of Virat’s patience.
So yes, it was a big win not just for RCB, but for everyone who believes in perseverance.
KM: Speaking of perseverance, do you feel T20 cricket has impacted Test cricket negatively?
Jatin: There are two ways to look at it. One is the nostalgic, old-school lens where you compare the present to the days when we wrote letters and waited patiently. The other is to accept the evolution. Technology changed. So has cricket.
Today’s Test matches are played with faster intent. Players like Aiden Markram, shaped by IPL, still bring proper defensive technique when needed. It’s about adaptability. The game has become quicker not necessarily worse.
We must accept that the attention span of today’s generation has reduced. People flip between four apps at once. A five-day draw with no results isn’t going to hold them. But if Test cricket becomes too much like T20, we’ll lose its soul. We need a balance gritty batters who can defend and accelerate.
KM: Let’s talk ODI cricket. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli nearing the twilight of their careers, do you think India is ready for the next World Cup cycle?
Jatin Sapru: I think our performance in the 2023 World Cup was incredible we just lost to a better team on that evening. But we corrected those mistakes in 2024, won the T20 World Cup, and then the Champions Trophy. The psychological block was lifted.
As for 2027, I believe Virat Kohli can still play that tournament. It’s the one format he’ll likely continue in. Rohit Sharma, if he remains injury-free, also has about 1.5 years to work on his fitness and stay in the mix. These two are still hungry. The format suits their rhythm and experience.
We now have a balanced core: KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma a fantastic group of 25 players. Much like the 2011 batch, it’s a strong mix of youth and experience.
KM: The next World Cup is in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Can India adapt and succeed in those conditions?
Jatin: Absolutely. The conditions will be faster and trickier, but India will go in as favourites. The team’s adaptability and depth are at an all-time high. The important thing is to remain injury-free, maintain the hunger, and trust the blend we’ve built.
KM: Can future generations ever replace icons like Virat Kohli?
Jatin: Different generations produce different heroes. If we mention Virat Kohli to our grandparents, they’ll say, “You didn’t see Sunil Gavaskar.” For us, it was Sachin Tendulkar. For the next generation, it might be someone we don’t yet know.
I don’t compare cricketers across generations. But what makes Virat special is that he became a national icon in the social media era an age of extreme access. His fans don’t just admire his on-field achievements they see his routine, his discipline, his personal life. That was unthinkable 10–15 years ago.
His fitness culture transformed Indian cricket and inspired millions outside of it. Even when people talk fitness today, they say, “I’ve seen what Virat Kohli does.” So yes, in terms of inspiration, his legacy is massive. Sachin gave us 24 years and 200 Tests. Virat gave us all three formats, all-out intensity, and left a lasting mark on how modern athletes are perceived.
KM: How do you view the role of state academies, especially in regions like Jammu and Kashmir?
Jatin: State academies play a vital role. I’ve spoken extensively with Irfan Pathan, who has spent time in Kashmir cricket. And the one thing he always tells me“Wherever you look in India, you’ll find talent.”
The emergence of players like Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik proves that J&K has talent. What’s needed is structure and opportunity. I don’t have a deep technical understanding of the current cricket setup in J&K, but I do know the Ranji team showed tremendous fight last season, challenging big sides right up to the knockouts.
There’s potential. What we need now is a competitive league something like the Sher-e-Punjab League, Delhi Premier League, or Karnataka League. As soon as that starts, IPL scouts will be there. The fact that Umran Malik came from Kashmir means there are more hidden gems waiting. And with someone like Irfan Pathan involved, the future can only get better.
KM: Has the IPL revolutionized Indian cricket development?
Jatin: Absolutely. We owe a lot to the IPL. It’s expanded the talent pool like never before. Earlier, selectors had to watch endless domestic matches Kooch Behar, Syed Mushtaq Ali, Ranji, Vijay Hazare with very little bandwidth.
Now, IPL scouting systems do half the job. If someone performs under pressure in the IPL, it tells you they’re ready for the big stage. The crowds, the global viewership, the stakes it’s almost like an international tournament.
We found Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav through the IPL. Today, we have someone like Priyansh Sharia, a 14-year-old scoring a hundred. IPL has created an assembly line of elite cricketers, easing pressure on selectors and fast-tracking careers.
KM: Looking at world cricket, who stands strongest alongside India today?
Jatin: It’s an interesting phase. Most top teams are going through transition. Take Australia their WTC win was brilliant, but their core is aging. Players like Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja might not last too long. England is experimenting with a new, aggressive brand. South Africa and New Zealand are strong but rebuilding.
India, however, is best placed. Our transition is smoother. We have seen players like Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Jaiswal, KL Rahul, all blend into the mix. We’re not relying on just Rohit and Virat anymore.
We might miss Pujara’s grit, Virat’s dominance, or Rohit’s elegance, but we’ve accepted change. In Test cricket, we must be realistic. There will be a couple of years of adaptation, but India will remain a top-two side globally. We will always enter tournaments as favourites, simply because our up-and-down period is shorter than others.
KM: A final message to young kids who dream of playing cricket?
Jatin: That’s close to my heart. I have a 6-year-old daughter. Two years ago, I was at an event with Pullela Gopichand. I asked him how we as parents can encourage our kids in the right way.
He said, “Your only role is to make your child fall in love with the game.” Let them enjoy. Be their cheerleader, not their coach or critic. Up to age 8–10, let them play every sport cricket, football, swimming, gymnastics whatever they like.
We tend to think of performance too early. That kills joy. Until 12, just let them play freely. If by then, you see genuine interest and potential, then look for a professional academy, with a good coach and a solid environment.
Around 14–15, do an honest evaluation not just as parents, but the player too. If they’re serious and talented, then go all in. Up to age 22–24, play like mad. Don’t hold back. But always balance education not everyone makes it. There are 250 players in IPL, but 20 crore kids dream of being there.
Have a backup, study, but give your dream everything. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll still have a strong foundation.
KM: Thank You Speaking with Kashmir Magazine
Jatin: Thank You
