After a string of persuasive batting sorties in pre-season tournaments Hemant Kumar must have been wondering when the Tamil Nadu selectors would sit up and take notice. His big break finally arrived in Tamil Nadu's last clash in the South Zone league against Kerala at Kochi. The absence of Sadagopan Ramesh, Sridharan Sriram and Hemang Badani doubtless helped the lad force his way into the playing XI. [More]

Having made a century on debut against Kerala, Hemant Kumar must have been keen to sink his teeth immediately into other unsuspecting first class attacks. But his next opportunity came over three months later when the knockout phase of the Ranji Trophy got underway in March. Tamil Nadu were handed a home engagement against Delhi in the prequarters; the venue was shifted to the lush green IIT-Chemplast ground since Chepauk was getting ready to host the third Test between India and Australia. [More]

It was a bitter disappointment for Hemanth Kumar when he was left out of the Tamil Nadu squad for the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy in 1998/99. Being his last season in the Under-19s, Hemanth's ambition of playing for India at this level looked set to remain unfulfilled. When he couldn't make even his state team, the prospect of playing for the country seemed a distant dream. But unknown to him there was pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. [More]

Although India Pistons suffered a seven wicket drubbing at the hands of Chemplast in the final of the Moin-ud-Dowlah Cup in Hyderabad last September, the game served to bring the sublime talents of a slim, soft spoken 20-year-old Chennai lefthander to the fore. Hemanth Kumar pillaged a bustling century to lift his team to an imposing but, alas, inadequate 280/9. [More]