Punjab’s rich sporting culture continues to evolve with the times, encompassing not just traditional games but also contemporary disciplines. Four cousins — Anmolpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Tejpreet Singh — have now made ensured that the state becomes a force to reckon with in cricket’s most modern format: the quick-fire T20.Sharing the field at the ongoing Sher-e-Punjab league, the quartet with their roots in Patiala have given a new meaning to “family affair”. They grew up playing cricket together in the backyard, learning from one another. Over the years, they managed to turn a childhood passion into a successful professional pursuit.Ramandeep with AnmolpreetBrothers Anmolpreet and Tejpreet grew up in the same joint family as Prabhsimran and Ramandeep. “I was around 10 when Anmol began playing. He was our Sachin Tendulkar. Prabh and I used to watch him and his aura pulled us towards the sport,” said Tejpreet, the youngest of the four.The competitive spirit was evident, but it was never about pulling the other down. Instead, their rivalry became a source of motivation. “We believe in healthy competition. Our conversations always start with cricket and end with it. Even when we decide not to discuss the sport, we still end up talking about it,” Tejpreet joked.The four have represented Punjab at various levels, starting from the Under-14 and Under-16 formats. Notably, each of them developed a different skill set. “We have been playing together since childhood. Anmol and Prabh were batters, I was a fast bowler and Tejpreet was a leg-spinner. So, whenever we played a match and needed to work out the combinations, we divided the roles among ourselves accordingly,” Ramandeep said.Playing with your own brothers has its advantages, but as Ramandeep admitted, it also comes with its share of challenges. “We have to tolerate each other’s outbursts. As the eldest, everyone has to follow my lead,” Ramandeep laughed.“There’s always room for improvement, so we help each other to rectify and fix out techniques,” he said on a more serious note.Tejpreet SinghThe brothers know each others’ games inside out. Anmolpreet, in fact, has immense belief in his younger brother’s abilities as an all-rounder. “He is very smart and an intelligent cricketer. He was already a good leg-spinner and could bat well,” he said.While the four share a family dream, Anmolpreet has his sights firmly set on the big stage. “The goal is to play for India,” he asserted. His father, an international handball player who represented India for two decades, ensured that sport was always encouraged at home. “We were motivated to pick sports from the very beginning and we had the family’s backing as our interest in cricket grew,” Tejpreet noted.“Punjab cricket has achieved some big highs. From hosting international matches to providing a platform to the youngsters, the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has been doing every possible thing to help develop the sport. The way our youngsters have been performing at national and international stages, it gives us immense pride,” PCA president Amarjit Singh Mehta said.