Waiting for graduation

Chandigarh’s talented and young cricketer Taniya Bhatia shares a great rapport with the Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Bhullar,who is also her Punjab team mate in the domestic circuit. Whenever 15-year-old Taniya is in a fix,needs a cricket advice or wants to share her aspirations,Harmanpreet is always there to guide this wicket-keeper-cum-batswoman,who is touted to be the next big thing in the Punjab women’s cricket circuit in the coming years.

Talking to Sportline ahead of the upcoming domestic season,an opening batswoman Taniya said,“Harman didi is my guide and also a mentor. We have been in touch since the last three years. She is a phenomenal cricketer and inspires youngsters like me. Whenever she is around,I soak in everything she has to tell me about my game. Her international experience and success has made her a top-class cricketer and she tries to pass on that to youngsters like me as much she can. There were few shortcomings in my game,but she came to my rescue and told me to make some adjustments. She keeps telling me about the new drills she learns and practices being in the Indian team. I have gained lot of confidence in the last three years with players like Harmanpreet being around and also due to the amount of cricket I have played so far.” Taniya’s brush with cricket started at DAV Senior Secondary School,Sector 8,few years back,when Yuvraj Singh’s father and former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh spotted Taniya’s flair for the game. She honed her skills under Yograj Singh for few years before joining the Guru Nanak Dev Public School Cricket Academy in Sector 36. Also,she became the youngest cricketer (She was 13 at that time),to make the cut in the Punjab senior state team for Inter-State cricket tournament two years back. Taniya caught the Punjab selectors’ eyes after amassing 180 runs for the Punjab U-19 team in the North Zone cricket tournament held in Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir,the same year. The opener feels that the upcoming domestic season will be an important one in her career and she needs to put in all the efforts and hard work to cement a place in the Punjab senior team.

“I might have done well in the U-19 category,but it is time for me to graduate to the senior level and become a permanent member of the team. I am aware of the fact that I need to do exceedingly well both at the U-19 and senior level at the Inter-District level to reach at the goal. I am very focused on my fitness and also on performing well in each and every match I get to play in. Now that I am through with my Class X Board exams,my total concentration is on cricket,” shared Taniya.

Taniya might well be able to succeed in her mission as the Punjab senior team’s only wicket-keeper from Amritsar,Sharanjit Kaur is in the later stages of her career in the first-class cricket. In order to get into the senior Punjab women’s team,Taniya will have to remain focused and also follow in the footsteps of India star cricketer Harmanpreet Bhullar for the inspiration and motivation. And with age on her side,Taniya surely can achieve this.