The match between Delhi and Jharkhand had a close finish. “With the curtailed season, you can’t go for the first-innings lead. We needed those six points, and I am glad to bag it. We have one more game to go against Tamil Nadu, and we need a win,” Jharkhand’s Virat Singh said while speaking to The Indian Express. Vice-captain Virat was guiding Jharkhand for the first time in the Ranji Trophy.
Well, he git 90 runs for the last two wickets. Thus Jharkhand reached 251. “I have led Jharkhand in each age group, even in the List A games.” He added, “I have led India Under-19, too. I never expected that the game would go down to the wire,” Virat said.
The youngster from Jharkhand showed unique Zen mode for sure. “I was lucky enough to share the dressing room with Mahi Bhai (MS Dhoni). Pehle toh fanboy moment hota hai (At the start, I had fanboy moments). After clicking selfies and taking an autograph, I got to know the person. Very soon, I realized why he was so special. You watch him going about his business and grasp things in a calm and composed demeanor. How to take the game deep and win matches for your side,” he said.
Dhoni’s advice to him:
While speaking to him, Dhoni said, “Failures on the cricket ground shouldn’t dictate your life. There is much more to life than cricket. It is a game, one day, you will score a century, and the next day, you might get out without scoring. “Well, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Virat for Rs 1.9 crores. It was for the 2020 season. Being a Dhoni fan, he likes to captain like his idol for sure. “We played our initial matches in Chennai, where everyone was struggling. But there is no excuse; I failed to grab my chances. Then in the second phase in the UAE, I warmed the bench,” he stated.
The southpaw, who scored 250 runs in five matches with an impressive strike rate of 150.60 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, found no takers at the IPL mega auction. “For a cricketer like me, the IPL contract means a lot. I used my IPL 2021 money for my stint in Durham, where I played many league games for Seaham Park. I am disappointed, but I will work harder and improve my game,” says Virat, who made his Jharkhand U-19 debut at the age of 14.
Early life:
Virat Singh started the Jharkhand U-19 journey when he was at the age of 14. “It was very disappointing; I scored some valuable knocks in that tournament. I scored a 61 not out against Sri Lanka, batting at 6, and won the match for our team. The team for the U-19 World Cup was announced the same day we landed in Sri Lanka. I was a bit surprised because initially, I was supposed to be the captain of the team, and then I ended up not being in the squad. It was a long night for me. I was angry, I was frustrated, I was sad. I don’t know what exactly happened,” he said. He added, “I moved on because you have to look for the bigger picture, and that is to play for the country, to play for senior India,” he adds. Virat rose to prominence in the 2017-18 Syed Mushtaq Ali Inter Zonal Trophy, representing East Zone.
“In the first two matches, I didn’t get the chance to play. The next match was against North Zone. It was an India XI, and everyone was there… Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Mohit Sharma. We were chasing 160 and lost two quick wickets. Then I had a great partnership with our skipper Manoj Tiwary (75 not out), and we finished the game. I remained unbeaten on 74,” he added.
Just after the tournament, the IPL auctions happened, and he went unsold. “I thought I was going to get selected in the IPL, but unfortunately, it did not happen. Then I was selected for the India U-23 Emerging Asia Cup Trophy held in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the single game over there, but it was an enjoyable experience,” Virat said.
The next plan:
The cricketer wants to represent India at the senior level. “I am working hard. I have spent lots of time in the nets, working on my fielding. I’m doing everything I can to be the best version of myself,” Virat said. “My inspiration is MS Dhoni; he has endured a lot of rejections during his early cricketing days. But he led the country for about ten years and helped India win the three ICC trophies. His journey tells us that it doesn’t matter where you come from; if you are willing to work hard, if you are honest with yourself, nothing can stop you from achieving your goal,” he further added.
