In a needle clash between Jharkhand and Services in the Ranji Trophy at the Air Force Complex Ground, in Palam, a few days ago, Kumar Kushagra emerged as the Saviour for the visitors.
Kushagra scored 132 runs on Day Two of the four-day match, rescuing his team from a precarious 65/4, as Jharkhand eventually made 316 in their first innings. He also shared a superb partnership of 171 runs with skipper Virat Singh, showcasing not only his batting prowess but also his ability to navigate pressure situations.
The right-handed wicket-keeper batter, who recently secured a spot in the India ‘A’ squad for the last two four-day games against England Lions, said his priority lies in red-ball cricket over shorter formats.
Kushagra and Upendra Yadav will be the wicketkeeper-batters for India ‘A’ as K.S. Bharat and Dhruv Jurel join the Test side in Hyderabad. Kushagra sees the opportunity of being with India ‘A’ side as a steppingstone to entering the senior team.
“It’s a great opportunity for me, playing for India ‘A’. My focus is always on red-ball cricket. To play the longer format and improve my skills rather than changing my game for IPL is my aim,” Kushagra said to IANS.
While the IPL 2024 selection remains a significant milestone in his career, Kushagra holds the India ‘A’ selection in higher regard. “I still strive to develop myself as a longer format player. I want to play in challenging conditions in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and I am working on it,” he affirms.
This sentiment echoes his dedication, as he prioritises the multi-day game over T20 cricket. His recent selection in the IPL, as Delhi Capitals roped him in for a staggering INR 7.2 crore, is proof of the talent and promise he has shown so far.
Kushagra, though, remains steadfast in his commitment to using the IPL platform for skills enhancement rather than letting it overshadow his dedication to red-ball cricket, which he feels will be the genuine test of his cricketing temperament.
“The red-ball format, which is the most challenging format, often sees injuries occurring to players. But with me, it is a good chance at a young age to enhance my skills. IPL will be the first step which will serve as a stage to enhance my skills. Then, my sole focus will be on the red-ball cricket. With many big players in the team, will try to learn from them and improve my game,” he declared.
Outstanding performances have marked the young cricketer’s journey, including being the highest run-getter in the 2019/20 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, where he amassed 537 runs in eight matches at an astonishing average of 107.4. This stellar performance earned him a spot in the Indian team for the 2020 U-19 World Cup in South Africa, albeit with just a solitary game against Japan.
Reflecting on his selection for India ‘A’, Kushagra acknowledged, “I was very hopeful of getting named in the South Africa tour too, but in this opportunity, I will try to give my whole heart out there and want to inch closer to knocking on the Indian door.”
Kushagra’s cricketing journey took an unexpected turn during the Ranji Trophy game against Tamil Nadu in the 2021/22 season. Faced with a challenging target of 212 and the team struggling at 49/4, Kushagra exhibited resilience, crafting a fighting 50 off 121 balls that laid the foundation for a remarkable two-wicket win.
In the pre-quarterfinals against Nagaland, Kushagra scored a stunning 266 runs. He also broke Javed Miandad’s record as the youngest player to score 250 or more in a first-class innings.
Kushagra credits taking learnings from Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja about tackling the nuances of Indian conditions, which present different challenges to a wicketkeeper-batter. “I talked with Wriddhi bhaiya; he helped me a lot in learning how to keep in the seaming and swinging conditions. His guidance has been invaluable in developing my wicketkeeping skills,” he said.
He also sought advice from Jadeja on tacking the ball in spinning conditions, where the emphasis was on the importance of watching the ball until the batter used his foot to tackle it.
As Kushagra continues to rise in the cricketing world, the future holds great promise for this youngster who is inching closer to realising his dream of playing for India in the longer format.
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