Journalism of Courage
Seamer Ashok Dinda,in spite of being a member of India’s ODI side for over a year,was not picked for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The Bengal bowler,however,is not losing sleep over the axing. He spoke to Sahil Malhotra of The Indian Express about the road ahead.
Excerpts
You were not picked for the Champions Trophy. Some poor outings in the IPL hurt your case?
Ashok Dinda: I am very disappointed and sad because I have not been picked. I was with the team for the past 18 months but I realise that ups and downs are part of cricket. I am working harder than ever now and am focussing more on fitness. I don’t think the IPL performances can be considered for One-day International selection. But selection matters are beyond my control. I am working hard keeping the 2015 World Cup in mind.
You leaked a lot of runs in the death overs in the IPL. Were you trying too hard?
AD: I was not doing anything different. MS Dhoni played some great shots when I bowled yorkers to him during the death overs. Those were great death deliveries but Dhoni played some fine shots. You can’t do much when a batsman is sweeping yorkers for boundaries. Players like Dhoni and AB de Villiers did that,and I don’t think there was anything wrong with the bowling. I wanted to change my line after getting hit for boundaries off yorkers,but my captain insisted that I bowl yorkers. Had I bowled other deliveries,I wouldn’t have conceded that many runs.
Any particular reason why you were preferred for the death overs?
AD: Our side didn’t have bowlers like Dale Steyn and Lasith Malinga. Allan Donald told me that I will have to bowl three overs at the death. I didn’t say no because chances of Bhuvneshwar Kumar going for runs later on are high. They knew I have a good yorker and good slower one.
Maybe if I had bowled with the new ball,I would have gone for less runs. It is easy to bowl with the new ball. I told my team that the decision to bowl me at the death might affect my selection chances and what I was feared happened.
How was your stint with the Pune Warriors?
AD: We had some good players,but somehow couldn’t qualify. Despite such performances,all the players were together and enjoyed the cricket. As far as my individual performance is concerned,I took 16 wickets in 13 matches but conceded runs in some matches.
Playing for the same IPL team over a period of time helps?
AD: Of course. If you play with one team for a long time,you gel well with the team. It makes the job easier for both the captain and the bowler as the captain then knows where the bowler is more effective and comfortable.
