Picture Credit: IPL/BCCI
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the stepping stone for national selection for quite a many emerging talents. Over the years, consistent performances in the cash-rich T20 tournament have fast-tracked selection for quite a few cricketing stars like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya among others. And now, another such player feels he is ready for the challenges of international cricket.
After knocking the door of selectors through a series of consistent performances in domestic cricket along with the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Nitish Rana feels he is ready for international cricket. The southpaw is hoping to get his “reward” when the Indian team is picked for July’s tour of Sri Lanka. Notably, a second string Indian squad is all set to tour Sri Lanka in July as senior members will be part of the touring party in England.
“It is there at the back of my mind that my name should come (in the squad) and I am prepared for that because I feel my name would come,” Nitish said in an interview with news agency PTI.
“If you pick and see my record for the last three years in white-ball, be it domestic or the IPL, I have performed well and I feel that I will get the reward for it today or tomorrow," he added.
“And I feel I am ready for international cricket and I am waiting for that like they say one call away…I am waiting for that call…,” the 27-year-old said.
Rana reflects on suspended IPL 2021
The top-order batter reflected that it has been a kind of pattern for him that he starts well in IPL, stumbles in the middle and picks form towards the end. The same was the case in the limited matches of IPL 2021.
“To be very honest, from the last 3-4 years, it has been a pattern for me that I start the season well, in mid-season, I have 2-3 flop innings and then at the end of the season I play 1-2 innings well," he wrote.
“So always, the total (runs) scored are in between 330-400,” he said.
I am unable to understand whether I should be happy or sad with suspended IPL
Rana further stated that he is not sure how to react on the suspension of IPL 2021.
"We have got a break this season, so I am unable to understand whether I should be happy or sad. I should be unhappy because I have been reflecting on why my season goes this way as I am trying to be consistent for myself and my franchise," he said.
"So having worked a lot, this was the correct time to see whether it worked for me or not…but right now I am looking at it in such a way that it is better that I have got a break and as a batter, I can start afresh," he explained.