Leggie Rahul hopes to make quick comeback

Rahul Sharma has seen the best and worst of cricket in the last year or so.

Rahul Sharma has seen the best and worst of cricket in the last year or so. Success in IPL opened doors to the Indian dressing room and he did well for India in the ODIs and T-20s. But just when he thought he had made it big,came the controversy involving the Punjab leggie just after he played the last game for his IPL side,the Pune Warriors,earlier this summer.

Picked up by Mumbai Police during an alleged rave party along with the South African Wayne Parnell,and then testing positive for drug usage,Rahul also had to face the ignominy of being dropped from the Indian team for the World T-20 last month. Rahul will have to pick up the threads and plot his comeback into the national side in the coming months. The Ranji Trophy games will give him a chance to make an impression on the new national selection panel as well.

Speaking with Sportline,Rahul spoke about his experience on the India A tour to New Zealand and on the Ranji Trophy being a comeback tool for him: I have always maintained that I have not done anything wrong and I will continue to do so. As far as my experience during the New Zealand tour goes,it was difficult to bowl on the New Zealand pitches but then that was the ultimate challenge. We will play against Hyderabad in the Ranji opener in the first week of November. I hope to do well in the match ahead of the national team’s selection for the England series. And even if I don’t make the cut,I would stick to the guns and work hard on my performance in the season under Bhajji paaji’s captaincy.

Rahul bagged seven wickets in four matches that India A played against the New Zealand A team.

When asked how disappointed he was on losing out on the World T20 spot to Piyush,the Jalandhar leggie said: One gets disappointed after losing the place in the national team. Having said that,I believe that selectors are the better judges and if they thought someone else was better for the job then it has to be like that. Anil (Kumble) ‘Bhai’ always had a big influence on my attitude and also the bowling. He had been constantly telling me to just focus on performances and not think much about selection. This is how I have developed my thinking. I need to better my performances,whether it is playing for India A or for Punjab in the domestic season.

He went on: Having spent almost over a year with the Indian team I have learnt to be patient and gained maturity. Not only have I become a thinking bowler,I have also realised how to work on my shortcomings.

Rahul,25,has played in 16 first-class matches and picked up 34 wickets while he appeared in four ODIs for India.

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One encouraging aspect for him will be former Punjab coach Vikram Rathore,incidentally also from Jalandhar,having been inducted on the national selection panel. Vikram Paaji was a visionary. He set the tone for all Punjab teams last season. He instilled self belief in the players,I remember talking to him on regular basis about my game. We are going to miss him but then we have Arun Sharma ‘Sir’ as coach.

The Indian team for the first Test match will be announced by the BCCI on November 5.

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