Kulkarni and Tyagi Find Graduating tough

Pankaj Singh,Jaydev Unadkat,Abhimanyu Mithun,last season’s top-wicket taker,Samad Fallah,Prashant Parameshwaran,Pradeep Sangwan were some of the upcoming medium-pacers to featured in the Challenger Trophy list.

Tyagi scalped 41 wickets in 2007-08 to become the top wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy and Kulkarni picked up 42 wickets to top the list in 2008-09.

Tyagi featured in four One-day Internationals for India and was part of the team which toured Bangladesh for a Test series,while Kulkarni travelled to New Zealand as a member of the Test side but didn’t play a game.

Tyagi believed that his international experience,however limited would help him be among the wickets in domestic cricket. However,that hasn’t been the case. Injuries have also played a part in the Uttar Pradesh fast bowler experiencing a loss in form.

“I was on a high when I was picked to play for India. But since then things haven’t worked out for me. I was confident of getting wickets in domestic cricket but it wasn’t as easy as I thought. It got a bit frustrating. Last season I took 20 wickets in three games but then injured my shoulder. I was really bowling well at that point,” Tyagi said. Competition is rather intense in the Uttar Pradesh side when it comes to medium-pacers with the likes of Praveen Kumar,Rudra Pratap Singh and Bhuvanesh Kumar around.

But now,Tyagi has recovered from the shoulder injury. “I need to have another great year in order to make a strong comeback,” the 24-year-old said.

Kulkarni,22,hasn’t been immune to the fluctuations in fortunes either.

Kulkarni,who made his India A debut before he played a domestic game for his Ranji side Mumbai,has had his share of ups and downs. After he picked 42 wickets two seasons ago,Kulkarni got a call up to join the India Test squad for the tour of New Zealand.

“Sometimes I do get frustrated but I have decided not to think too much about what went wrong or why I am not part of a certain squad. I am ready to do whatever it takes to be back in the reckoning,” Kulkarni,who took 16 wickets in four games for Mumbai last season,said. Growing competition in the form of Varun Aaron,who is much faster,and other upcoming pacers is something Kulkarni is aware of.

“I can bowl upwards of 130kmph and can be consistent when it comes to line and length. It is bowling in the right areas that has got me wickets in the past. I am confident that the same formula will work for me,” Kulkarni said.

The Challenger Trophy snub is something Tyagi and Kulkarni have taken in their stride. They both hope to make amends as the season progresses.