<p>First, he was called in to the changing room to answer a congratulatory phone call from back home, then the match referee called him in again to present him with the man of the match award for his twin five-wicket hauls and his first ten-for in a first-class game.<br /><br />The 27-year-old has generally been the support medium-pacer in an attack generally led by R Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun, but with both away on national duty, with S Arvind being injured in the first innings and SL Akshay in the second, and the track suiting Binny’s style of bowling, he eased into the load of principal wicket-taker with consummate ease.<br />“With Vinay absent and Arvind struggling with his injury, I knew it was time to stand up,” said Binny. “Also, the fact that I had been specifically picked to bowl more gave me the thrust.”<br /><br />This has been a season of self-discovery for Binny. “At 27, I had started wondering where I was headed,” Binny conceded. “I was yet to establish myself, so my self-belief had taken a hit. But at the beginning of this season, I was told that I would get a full season. That made me feel like I belonged.<br /><br />“I had a chat with Sir (coach K Jeshwant) before the season and confessed to him my fear that a couple of failures would again lead to my being dropped. He told me not to worry and just play my game. He was also with the team when I had my first full season (2003) and so that added to my feeling of belonging,” he said.<br /><br />Being someone who can contribute with both bat and ball has added to his sense of belonging. “I felt I missed out on a flat track in Mumbai when everyone else was making a lot of runs,” Binny noted. “But I came back and took three wickets with the ball, and that made me feel that I too was contributing to the team’s cause.”<br /></p>
<p>First, he was called in to the changing room to answer a congratulatory phone call from back home, then the match referee called him in again to present him with the man of the match award for his twin five-wicket hauls and his first ten-for in a first-class game.<br /><br />The 27-year-old has generally been the support medium-pacer in an attack generally led by R Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun, but with both away on national duty, with S Arvind being injured in the first innings and SL Akshay in the second, and the track suiting Binny’s style of bowling, he eased into the load of principal wicket-taker with consummate ease.<br />“With Vinay absent and Arvind struggling with his injury, I knew it was time to stand up,” said Binny. “Also, the fact that I had been specifically picked to bowl more gave me the thrust.”<br /><br />This has been a season of self-discovery for Binny. “At 27, I had started wondering where I was headed,” Binny conceded. “I was yet to establish myself, so my self-belief had taken a hit. But at the beginning of this season, I was told that I would get a full season. That made me feel like I belonged.<br /><br />“I had a chat with Sir (coach K Jeshwant) before the season and confessed to him my fear that a couple of failures would again lead to my being dropped. He told me not to worry and just play my game. He was also with the team when I had my first full season (2003) and so that added to my feeling of belonging,” he said.<br /><br />Being someone who can contribute with both bat and ball has added to his sense of belonging. “I felt I missed out on a flat track in Mumbai when everyone else was making a lot of runs,” Binny noted. “But I came back and took three wickets with the ball, and that made me feel that I too was contributing to the team’s cause.”<br /></p>
