Been there done that,again

Post-match though the 38-year-old with salt and pepper hair had been almost apologetic about his own role in the run-out. “To be fair to Gautam,the run-out was my fault. I called him for a run and then sent him back. I said sorry to him on the pitch and he said it was all right,” said Sandeep.

That was one of the rare moments of bad judgement in the course of Sharma’s innings — in which he hit 14 fours and three sixes. The knock powered ONGC to 344 runs in 40 overs and an eventual victory by 131 runs. Unlike others for whom performances at the club level may trade-off with the chance to be selected for state duties,Sharma,a former captain of Himachal Pradesh,who retired after the 2007 Ranji season,is content performing at the lower level.

“Its been four years since I retired from first-class cricket. I felt then that it was the right time to go. The previous season I had led Himachal Pradesh to victory in the Ranji Trophy Plate division. We were preparing to take part in the Elite level for the first time,but just ten days before the season,I suffered a ligament injury. The following year we had been relegated once again and I didn’t think I would be able to make the journey once again,” says Sharma who played 79 first class games over the course of his career.

Sharma also shepherded new players like Manvinder Bisla into the side in his final season. That however didn’t mean that he was quitting from the game entirely. “While I have to play considering I am a contracted employee of ONGC,the fact remains that I still enjoy the game too much to quit completely. Right now I am hitting the ball well and am feeling confident. I guess at some point in time,I will have to stop playing but that isn’t something that I will consider for at least the next couple of years,” he says.

Despite not competing at the first class level,there isn’t any let up in training either. “It isn’t as if I just show up for the matches now. As an employee of ONGC,I am expected to train full time. I show up for practice everyday and even if I try to take it a little bit easily,Gautam Vadehra (ONGC manager) will insist I focus with full intensity,” he says.

With his wealth of experience,Sharma is keen to contribute beyond his role as a player. “Last year,I was coach of the Himachal Pradesh U-16 team,which reached the quarterfinals of the Vijay Merchant trophy. You can never get tired of coaching youngsters because you always get to learn something new,” he says.

Brief score: ONGC 344 all out in 39.4 overs (Sandeep Sharma 120,Gautam Gambhir 81,Deepak Sharma 3/72); Vidya Jain Academy 213 for 9 in 28.4 overs (Deepak Sharma 46,Karan Negi 42,Rajender Bisht 40,Sultan Ansari 38,Taruwar Kohli 4/36,Suhail Sharma 2/47)