Contributing in every way

Key player

An all-rounder from Karnataka, Balachandra Akhil came into the spotlight in 1995 when he was playing for the under-19 side.

A lot has changed for the cricketer since then – from being part of the State Senior Team, he was picked up to be a part of the Bangalore Royal Challengers,  to play in the Indian Premier League.

The cricketer spoke to Metrolife about the changes in the game, his love for cricket and also about the upcoming Champions League Twenty20.

Talking about the changes in the game of cricket, he says, “Whatever the game may have undergone, it has certainly become more exciting. Not so much for the cricketers but more for the audience.”

 He went on further to explain how the change in format affects a player.

“There is a certain change in the mindset due to change in the pace of the game. In the 20-20 game, you have to quickly adapt yourself to the situation and decide everything very fast,” he says.

But he says that it’s a challenge in itself. “The kind of planning and work that goes into a 20-20 game is so much that it sometimes gets to your head,” he says.

“I can’t even imagine what the captain of the team must be feeling like,” he adds.
So when was it that he decided to become a professional cricketer? “About eight years back. Initially, I used to play cricket just for fun,” he says.

 “I enjoyed playing for Karnataka and once I got picked up for Royal Challengers Bangalore, there was no looking back,” he adds. He also informs that his style of playing suits the game.

 “I am an all-rounder which is suited for a shorter game,” he says.
“You can contribute much more in terms of scoring runs and taking wickets. This is an advantage that I have over others,” he explains.

So does he enjoy other sports too? “Yes. I play other sports like football, volleyball and tennis,” Akhil says. Then why did he choose cricket as a profession? “I liked the game,” he clarifies.

He goes on to say that the popularity of the sport didn’t have a hand in choosing this profession.

“When I started, sport didn’t have this much of money. I opted for cricket because I was passionate about it. If you have passion for something then you can surely take a chance,” he adds.

Talking a little more about his favourite players, he informs that he admired Mohammad Azharuddin when he was young.

“Now, I like Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar,” he says. Coming to the Champions League, he says that he is very excited about it.

“We are better prepared and we are familiar with the ground now,” Akhil says.
“And one of the Indian teams is surely going to win this year,” he adds.