Duleep Trophy: Composed Yash Rathod makes a statement

Bengaluru: Yash Rathod proves that aggression isn't only about six-hitting and sledging. In an era of batting glitz, glamour and everything in between, Rathod looks to play every ball on its merit. There’s no rush nor does he look fidgety when he bats. He also understands that his innings is on his bat alone.  

He is also introverted and shy. However, he asks his bat to do most of his talking. In the latest episode of the same, it was South Zone who were on the other end of a chanceless 194, struck sweetly in Bengaluru. 

“The plan was to play the ball as it came and not to overreact to the situation. The ball was swinging and seaming when I came in to bat. After I saw through that phase, I was thinking about how to dominate. After lunch, I started to react to the ball on its merit and keep things simple,” Rathod told reporters after the end of play on day three. 

In the vicinity, where flights take off and land continuously, Rathod took off on the BCCI’s 22-yard Centre of Excellence runway. And it seemed like self-belief and confidence were his best friends that accompanied him. 

“I always want to make runs. This is my fifth final. First in the Duleep Trophy. I’ve always scored runs in the semifinals. Even when the runs did not come in the semifinal here, I always believed that I would score in the final. There was always confidence that I would do well; there was a lot of belief within." 

The Vidarbha batter also has all the textbook shots in the book -- on the front foot and off the back foot. This was perhaps best showcased during his 194, where he was slashing and driving without a blink. 

The 25-year-old’s clarity is undoubtedly one of the biggest strengths in his game, and perhaps the strongest. 

“My gameplay is pretty simple. I like to play risk-free cricket, because four-day cricket is a long game. I feel that in risk-free cricket, you can perform really better. I know my patterns, I know my strengths, which helps me perform well. I love scoring down the ground,  playing into the gaps. I have my plans and that helps me to perform better.”

He faced 286 balls for his 194 and took the game away from South Zone before falling to Gurjapneet Singh when he breached his defence and knocked the off stump. 

Rathod credited his ability to cut out the noise, suppress the pressure, play to his strength and the work behind the camera for his success. 

“The pressure was there, this was my first Duleep Trophy. But I was very confident because I got 960 runs in the Ranji Trophy. I prepared well, practised here for a week and was ready for the game.”