By: BCCI
22-year old Sandeep Sharma is just a step away from realizing his dream of representing India at the national level. Striving towards the goal the youngster has been working diligently with coaches and picking brains of seniors to improve his skills. While speaking to bcci.tv after receiving the call for the forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, he said that the guidance of legends like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh besides the inputs of his coaches has helped him evolve and come this far.
Since rising to prominence during the 2012 ICC Under-19 World Cup, the pacer from Punjab has been performing in the domestic circuit and making his presence felt in the Indian Premier League. While he also credited the role of the NCA in his development as a bowler, Sandeep has gained from the experience of working his way through different levels of domestic circuit and the Under-19 team.
Here he speaks about the journey that has brought him closer to what is every cricketer’s ultimate goal – to play for his country.
Excerpts from the interview:
Age-group cricket to India – is a dream come true. What does this call-up mean to you? How do you look forward to this opportunity?
Yes, it is a dream come true. For every player who plays cricket has this one dream to play for India one day and share the dressing room (with the senior players). That was my dream too and for it to be fulfilled feels amazing. I can’t describe the feeling. I am very excited to go there and play against Zimbabwe in the blue jersey, getting the cap and getting the tag of being an India player. That feeling is amazing. This is a big opportunity and I would try to make the most. I will back my strengths while bowling there and will try to learn as much as I can from this opportunity.
How do you look back on the journey?
Since the time I was playing Under-15 and then went on to play other age-group cricket I have been going to NCA (National Cricket Academy) and that has helped me a lot. I have been to the NCA camps as part of all the age-group teams that I have been part of. Therefore I have been to NCA camp every year for six-seven years so I have learnt a lot there, from the coaches and being able to use the facilities that are available and the guidance that one receives there. I have learnt how to maintain my physical fitness and also about mental toughness which has helped me while playing senior cricket in Ranji Trophy and in the IPL (Indian Premier League). When I used to go to the NCA we would get to bowl to the players in the Indian cricket team who would be practicing there; players like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman who would come there to practice. Bowling in the nets at the NCA was a boost to the confidence. Age-group cricket took me to NCA and from there I have picked a lot of things which have given me the results.
What do you think has helped you receive an India call-up?
I have been doing what I have done right from the beginning – which is swinging the ball and bowling in the right areas, nothing new. That is my strength and in the future too I would continue to do the same wherever I get the opportunity, even in Zimbabwe. I would back my strengths and keep doing what has brought me results.
Over the last year you have worked a lot on your skills, you had recently spoken about: adding a yard of pace, bowling the slower-one, yorkers and variations. Could you elaborate on that?
Last year when I played in the IPL I experienced that I am bowling very well with the new ball but as it becomes older I would get hit (concede runs) in the death overs and my analysis which would be good (economical) earlier would even out. So I talked and discussed my bowling with seniors like Viru paaji (Virender Sehwag) who is in the Kings XI Punjab team with me, Yuvi Paaji (Yuvraj Singh) who plays with us for Punjab and Harbhajan Singh. They obviously are legends (with a deep understanding of the game) and they guided me. They told me that everyone knows that I bowl well with the new ball and so batsman are ready for that and play cautiously early on and thinking that they can score off me when the ball is older. So they told me that I need to improve my bowling in the death overs.
I also discussed with them about how to practice for the same. My coach, Munish Bali sir helped and also our Indian team’s bowling coach, Bharat Arun sir. I discussed a lot with him too. He has been coach at the NCA as well, where I have worked and also at the U19 level and knows me very well. We talked about what kind of practice is required for which skill and I worked hard accordingly and got results.
I feel lucky that I have played in the IPL where I have Viru paaji with me who guides me so well and then in Ranji Trophy there is Harbhajan Singh and Yuvi paaji who guide me.
Along with swing how do you plan utilizing these skills in the ODI context?
In T20 we use the variations more because the batsmen too are trying to hit you hard and the number of overs are also less, but in one-day cricket that is not how it is. In one-day there is more opportunity for the new ball to swing and take wickets upfront. As the game progresses in to the middle-overs use of variations come into play, and because the ball becomes a little older, you try the bouncer and the slower ones. Then in the last ten overs the use of variations increases further – like use of yorkers, slower balls, slower bouncer, bouncer, the use of the length ball cut off. With the new ball the use of the length delivery is more while the use of variations increase when the ball is older.
How do you work on using the slower-ball judiciously?
It depends who has the power to hit the slower ball; so to those batsmen the bowlers mostly try to bowl yorkers and concede only maybe a single and bring the other batsman to the striker’s end. So the use of the variation depends on the batsman who you are bowling to. For those who have the power to hit the slower ball you try and bowl the yorker. The yorker is one such delivery which if you get it right every batsman will struggle to play it.
Would you say the new rules for ODIs benefit the bowler?
Yes, there is a bit in them for the bowlers. The batting power play has been removed and the close catch-in fielders have been removed so you can move the field around as you want. These things are now in favour of the bowler which I think is good.
Having worked with R Sridhar and Sanjay Bangar do you feel that would help you ease into the situation?
It will be a bit comfortable as we have worked together before. It will be easier while adjusting. There will also be Harbhajan Singhji and Axar Patel who I have played with.
What would you expect from conditions in Zimbabwe? What would you think would be the key to bowling there?
I am only thinking and working on my strengths and being able to implement them and give my hundred percent on the tour. The weather is cold so I will try to swing the ball. The key to bowling there – swing along with accuracy. In-swing and out-swing finishing on the off-stump is always the key in under any conditions. Accuracy is important.
What would you be looking forward to on the tour?
Personally I would be striving to do well here and make a place for myself in the Indian team and become a regular in the national team.
