SARAVANA RAMESH
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Mohit Sharma's journey from the small town of Ballabhgarh in Haryana to being on the verge of earning an India cap in far-away Zimbabwe is a story that epitomises the struggle of a cricketer dreaming to represent the country. When the dream looks set to transform into reality sooner than expected, it feels surreal, says Mohit, whose phone hasn't stopped ringing since he was named in India's squad for the limited-overs tour to Zimbabwe starting July 24.
What was to be a gruelling training session in Vijay Yadav's academy in Faridabad came to life midway, on Friday evening, when Mohit's friend and hostel mate, Aniket Upadhyay, broke the news of his selection. Mohit, who admits to have been surprised by the news, says that the feeling of joy he experienced then was something he'd never be able to explain.
"It was not just a surprise, it was something more, I'm very happy and thankful to everyone who has supported me," he tells Wisden India, the sense of gratitude shining through. "I was clear in my mind, I had a goal and that is to play cricket and be a fast bowler because I enjoyed playing since I started playing ten years back. I definitely dreamt of playing for the country, but that wasn't my focus at this time. I was just using the off season to focus on my fitness and my training regime."
Mohit, who made his Ranji Trophy debut for Haryana in the 2011-12 season, may lack raw pace and his record in the last two Ranji seasons may not be the most impressive either, but it is his ability to adapt from being a support cast to a strike bowler that has played a part in his transformation, says Ashwini Kumar, the Haryana coach.
Harshal Patel being sidelined for the first three matches of the 2012-13 season due to a side strain paved way for Mohit's inclusion in the team, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. "I was happy with my rhythm but I wasn't picking many wickets, so I was initially worried about that," Mohit admits. "But the coach and captain's encouragement helped me come back on track and after that I was a different bowler. I knew I can't just be looking at the wickets column."
Mohit ended the season as the fifth highest wicket-taker, with 37 wickets in eight matches, including three five-wicket hauls. He was a bright spot in Haryana's otherwise disappointing campaign, where they failed to make it past the group stages.
That prompted the talent scouts at Chennai Super Kings to pursue his case for selection as an uncapped player after Andy Bichel, the bowling coach, and the team management were convinced of his potential. He was one of the five uncapped players signed by the franchise ahead of the 2013 season. While Mohit wasn't guaranteed a berth immediately, he quietly believed the groundwork he'd laid over the last two seasons would stand him in good stead.
"Haryana Cricket Association has made me what I am," says Mohit. "Anirudh Chaudhary, our secretary, has played a vital role in my development, like he has with many other players in Haryana. He organised off-season camps that I benefited from. That is where I learnt more than just bowling in the nets and thinking of lines and lengths."
Chaudhary, on his part, says it was merely a case of identifying Mohit at a young age and preparing him for bigger challenges. "Selection is never easy and, as administrators, it is a challenge for us too but, when we saw Mohit, we knew this guy had something about him. Apart from our training camps, our offbeat camp focused on character building, team bonding, team exercises and other aspects, and Mohit's confidence came through and that's credit to him."
Chaudhary also praised the backroom staff, particularly Amit Tyagi, the Haryana physio, for Mohit's rise up the ranks. "At one point, before the domestic one-day competition last season, we had to take a call whether to play him or rest him since he had a shin injury. We rested him eventually, but he remained in the cricketing environment, where he worked on his fitness and upper body, and that came through in a hectic tournament like the IPL, and the credit goes to the physio."
Initially perceived to be a weak link in a strong outfit, Mohit went on to become the 'go to' bowler for Chennai Super Kings. He ended the tournament with 20 wickets in 15 matches. MS Dhoni's captaincy and his role in helping the young bowler cope with the demands of the IPL also left a lasting impression on Mohit.
"Before I joined the CSK camp, I was a little nervous," he admits. "Mahi bhai (Dhoni) backed me. His advice was simple. He wanted me to focus on my strengths and stick to it irrespective of what the outcome is. Sometimes, when I got hit, merely his eye contact gave me a reassuring feeling. That made me more confident and I personally learnt a lot from how he approached a pressure situation, it helps to have a captain like him."
Dhoni apart, does he look up to anyone? "Of course. Dale Steyn. He is my favourite bowler, but I can't bowl as fast as him," chuckles Mohit. "Steyn came up to me and spoke to me briefly in the IPL after seeing me bowl in one of the matches on TV. It was nice of him. He just asked me to focus on my swing and accuracy, rather than worrying about pace all the time. That I thought was a really nice gesture."
Mohit, who will join a conditioning camp for bowlers at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore from July 7-20, may fail to intimidate with his height or pace, but he has proved what can be achieved by focusing on the present and one's strengths. With the likes of Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma being rested, Mohit is likely to make his international debut in Zimbabwe.
"When the moment arrives, I'll be ready," he says with confidence.
http://sports.ndtv.com/images/stories/mohit-sharma_300.jpg
What was to be a gruelling training session in Vijay Yadav's academy in Faridabad came to life midway, on Friday evening, when Mohit's friend and hostel mate, Aniket Upadhyay, broke the news of his selection. Mohit, who admits to have been surprised by the news, says that the feeling of joy he experienced then was something he'd never be able to explain.
"It was not just a surprise, it was something more, I'm very happy and thankful to everyone who has supported me," he tells Wisden India, the sense of gratitude shining through. "I was clear in my mind, I had a goal and that is to play cricket and be a fast bowler because I enjoyed playing since I started playing ten years back. I definitely dreamt of playing for the country, but that wasn't my focus at this time. I was just using the off season to focus on my fitness and my training regime."
Mohit, who made his Ranji Trophy debut for Haryana in the 2011-12 season, may lack raw pace and his record in the last two Ranji seasons may not be the most impressive either, but it is his ability to adapt from being a support cast to a strike bowler that has played a part in his transformation, says Ashwini Kumar, the Haryana coach.
Harshal Patel being sidelined for the first three matches of the 2012-13 season due to a side strain paved way for Mohit's inclusion in the team, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. "I was happy with my rhythm but I wasn't picking many wickets, so I was initially worried about that," Mohit admits. "But the coach and captain's encouragement helped me come back on track and after that I was a different bowler. I knew I can't just be looking at the wickets column."
Mohit ended the season as the fifth highest wicket-taker, with 37 wickets in eight matches, including three five-wicket hauls. He was a bright spot in Haryana's otherwise disappointing campaign, where they failed to make it past the group stages.
That prompted the talent scouts at Chennai Super Kings to pursue his case for selection as an uncapped player after Andy Bichel, the bowling coach, and the team management were convinced of his potential. He was one of the five uncapped players signed by the franchise ahead of the 2013 season. While Mohit wasn't guaranteed a berth immediately, he quietly believed the groundwork he'd laid over the last two seasons would stand him in good stead.
"Haryana Cricket Association has made me what I am," says Mohit. "Anirudh Chaudhary, our secretary, has played a vital role in my development, like he has with many other players in Haryana. He organised off-season camps that I benefited from. That is where I learnt more than just bowling in the nets and thinking of lines and lengths."
Chaudhary, on his part, says it was merely a case of identifying Mohit at a young age and preparing him for bigger challenges. "Selection is never easy and, as administrators, it is a challenge for us too but, when we saw Mohit, we knew this guy had something about him. Apart from our training camps, our offbeat camp focused on character building, team bonding, team exercises and other aspects, and Mohit's confidence came through and that's credit to him."
Chaudhary also praised the backroom staff, particularly Amit Tyagi, the Haryana physio, for Mohit's rise up the ranks. "At one point, before the domestic one-day competition last season, we had to take a call whether to play him or rest him since he had a shin injury. We rested him eventually, but he remained in the cricketing environment, where he worked on his fitness and upper body, and that came through in a hectic tournament like the IPL, and the credit goes to the physio."
Initially perceived to be a weak link in a strong outfit, Mohit went on to become the 'go to' bowler for Chennai Super Kings. He ended the tournament with 20 wickets in 15 matches. MS Dhoni's captaincy and his role in helping the young bowler cope with the demands of the IPL also left a lasting impression on Mohit.
"Before I joined the CSK camp, I was a little nervous," he admits. "Mahi bhai (Dhoni) backed me. His advice was simple. He wanted me to focus on my strengths and stick to it irrespective of what the outcome is. Sometimes, when I got hit, merely his eye contact gave me a reassuring feeling. That made me more confident and I personally learnt a lot from how he approached a pressure situation, it helps to have a captain like him."
Dhoni apart, does he look up to anyone? "Of course. Dale Steyn. He is my favourite bowler, but I can't bowl as fast as him," chuckles Mohit. "Steyn came up to me and spoke to me briefly in the IPL after seeing me bowl in one of the matches on TV. It was nice of him. He just asked me to focus on my swing and accuracy, rather than worrying about pace all the time. That I thought was a really nice gesture."
Mohit, who will join a conditioning camp for bowlers at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore from July 7-20, may fail to intimidate with his height or pace, but he has proved what can be achieved by focusing on the present and one's strengths. With the likes of Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma being rested, Mohit is likely to make his international debut in Zimbabwe.
"When the moment arrives, I'll be ready," he says with confidence.
http://sports.ndtv.com/images/stories/mohit-sharma_300.jpg
