Sandeep dreams of another India gig

Given the remote likelihood of making it to the Indian team, it is surprising how often cricketers, even those barely on the horizon of a call-up, claim promised land is within reach.

Take Sandeep Sharma for instance. He last played for India in 2015. He featured in two Twenty20 Internationals against Zimbabwe and conceded 73 runs in seven combined overs. His shoulder gave way subsequently, and he cites the injury as the reason for falling out of consideration.

“If it wasn’t for that injury, I would have probably still played for India,” he says over the phone from Dubai. “The surgery changed everything. I was never the same bowler again.”

Perhaps, but the reality is, and as harsh as this may sound, he just wasn’t cut out for the gig.

He has a good in-swinger, the one that straightens on landing, and a decent array of variations, including a recently-incorporated knuckle ball, but he just doesn’t have the pace to make himself indispensable.

At this point, though, even added pace might not salvage his international career. What it could do is extend his life span in the Indian Premier League, and that’s perhaps a fitting reward for an athlete who is committed to the life.

“You have to take things in your stride, hope, and keep working. I believe I can play for India again and that drives me everyday. That motivated me even during the lockdown…” says the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer.

Sandeep reveals that his “big house” in Patiala, Punjab helped him stay fit during the non-working months of the pandemic, but all the “borrowed” workout equipment and all the basic cardio in the world doesn’t prepare an athlete for a world of non-competition.

“… what was worse was the uncertainty. I kept myself fit, but usually you have a tournament in mind. We didn’t until it was confirmed that the IPL would happen this year,” he says. “When it was announced, there was a new push.”

Even still, the 27-year-old is aware there is no garden-variety replacement workout for the cut-throat world of competitive sport. “It’s a whole other challenge to play at that stage. I have been bowling in a ground nearby for close to 8-10 weeks, and have been in good shape, but we won’t hit the stride for a while,” he confesses.

“We will be playing a few games amongst ourselves here (UAE) to get acclimatised. That might help,” he adds.

Part of this process is getting used to the pitches in UAE. “Most members of our outstanding support staff, mainly VVS sir (Laxman) and (Muttiah) Muralitharan sir, have said these pitches should play low and slow, but we are also being taught to be flexible, not have rigid ideas,” he says.

Sure, but he will be hoping they play as prophesied because then he will have ample opportunity to unfurl his variations. “If it plays slow, I can use the knuckle-ball more,” he announces before slipping into the nuances. “The only thing with the knuckle-ball grip is that you can’t back out once you have started running in so you need to read the batsman well. Yorkers, bouncers, slower balls, cutters… you can change before releasing, but not the knuckle-ball.”

Sandeep has the tricks and other little bits to survive, maybe occasionally thrive in the IPL, and he has with 95 wickets in 79 games since his Kings XI Punjab debut in 2013. But rarely will he rise beyond being as consistent as a shadow.

So rare that the game he dismissed AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, and Chris Gayle in a game-winning spell against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2017 is, by his own admission, is still his finest moment “…by far.”.