Haritha John | The News Minute | February 27, 2015 | 6.30 pm ISTKrishna Chandran Karat's first real cricket encounter was back in 2002-2003 when he represented the Kerala School’s Cricket Team in the National School Games.On Saturday, people of Kollengode village in Palakkad town of Kerala will watch the star from their village play the big international match as India takes on UAE at Perth.But some of them will be confused as to which team to root for, India or UAE?Krishna Chandran, the village star, is UAE’s primary all-rounder, and will be taking on the Indian team that includes his friends and contemporaries. “Our prayers and offerings are for the victory of UAE” says Karat’s father Ravindranath.Krishna Chandran, son of Ravindranathan and Shobha, started his career in cricket as an under nineteen Kerala team player, is now an all rounder in UAE cricket team. “He was the captain for Thissur, Palakkad teams in Kerala Cricket League (KCL) and Kerala Premier League (KPL) tournaments in the UAE, he is an excellent all rounder,” Ravindranath said.Though his dream was to play for India, and when that dream did not realize, he moved to the Emirates for a job, like many others from his state.Karat became a UAE national team member last April. The first ever Malayali in the team, he was a Ranji probable player for Kerala in the 2004-05 seasons, moved to Dubai to work for Global West Shipping Company.According to Karat’s father his son started loving cricket during his school days in Chennai St John's International school and followed his passion in college days.“In inter-school tournaments, Krishna Chandran played against Dinesh Karthik. When he moved to Bangalore, he was in the same school as Robin Uthappa, and in college, Stuart Binny was his classmate,” Ravindranath recalls.“It was not only him but also the whole family dreamt him playing in World Cup. His wish was to play for India. But for us it is the most prestigious and proud moment,” he added.Ravindranath recalls that Karat’s move to Dubai was troublesome as he was not able to adjust with the IT job being a player. Later he joined his current job as a customer service representative at the cargo wing of Emirates which enabled him to play club cricket as the company encouraged his passion.“Sitting in front of a computer was not easy for a player like him. But now he manages his work and play,” he said.He also added that the whole Kollengode village is proud of his son and Karat is the main topic of discussion there. “Now whomever I meet they ask me about him. I am sure that they all long for the success of my son’s team,” he saidKrishnachandran never really got the opportunity to make it big in the Indian domestic circuit. Although he got a couple of games for the full side in the 2007-08 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he could only rise as high as the Kerala Under-19 team, where he played alongside S Sreesanth, who not long ago was the face of Kerala cricket.Kizoa slideshow: Krishna Chandran Karat - SlideshowTweet