Ranji Trophy: Shivam Sharma’s Five-Wicket Haul After a Long Journey Back to Red-Ball Cricket
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Synopsis
Shivam Sharma's impressive five-wicket haul during the Ranji Trophy match against Railways highlights his comeback journey after two years. His success reflects the hard work and dedication put into returning to red-ball cricket, as he aims to secure his position in Delhi's lineup for future seasons.
Key Takeaways
- Shivam Sharma achieved a remarkable 5-33 in the Ranji Trophy, leading to victory.
- His comeback was fueled by participation in numerous local tournaments over the past two years.
- Coaching and strategy discussions played a crucial role in his performance.
- Shivam emphasizes the importance of rhythm in bowling, especially in red-ball cricket.
- He remains optimistic about the future of Delhi's spin department.
New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) On the third day of the Ranji Trophy clash between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a small group of fans in the Gautam Gambhir and Mohinder Amarnath stands were cheering for Virat Kohli, even as it became evident that his second batting opportunity would not arise.
However, Kohli wouldn’t get a chance to bowl either, as Delhi's bowlers, spearheaded by Shivam Sharma with figures of 5-33, dismissed Railways for a meager 114, sealing victory by an innings and 19 runs. Although this bonus-point victory didn’t propel Delhi into the knockout stages, there are positives to take from their campaign, notably Shivam's third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket during his comeback season.
“As a cricketer, facing challenges is part of the journey. My comeback has been in progress for two years. During my absence, I focused on returning through local tournaments, training, and practice. My aim was to perform well without fixating on selection,” he shared with reporters post-match.
Reflecting on his time away, Shivam spoke about the effort he invested over the past two to three years to re-enter the red-ball setup for Delhi. Besides honing his off-spin, which is his primary delivery, Shivam engaged in tournaments like the Goswami and Ganesh Dutt tournaments, the Lala Raghubir competition, and the Gold Cup in Dehradun.
Shivam didn’t stop there; he also competed in the J.P. Atray tournament, participated in various events in Maharashtra such as the Aurangabad Premier League, and traveled for matches in Gujarat, Calcutta, and participated in two to three tournaments in Assam. With the guidance of his coach Naresh Jain, Shivam shifted away from bowling too quickly, a habit developed from playing T20 cricket.
“In recent years, I've traveled extensively to gain experience, and I believe I am starting to reap the rewards. I focused on single-wicket bowling practice and bowled many deliveries in a day. In red-ball cricket, it’s essential to bowl long spells, so I worked on my accuracy,” he explained.
“Yes, T20 cricket had an impact on my bowling. Over the past 6-7 years, I’ve been playing T20s, which led me to bowl faster. I had to work intensively to adapt to the demands of red-ball cricket, where one needs to be prepared to bowl 20-40 overs,” he added.
Before the third day’s play commenced, observing the variable bounce from the previous day, Shivam consulted with bowling coach V Aravind and head coach Sarandeep Singh to devise a strategy aimed at securing a favorable outcome for Delhi. They concluded that Shivam should bowl with increased pace to dismiss batters.
This tactic proved effective as four out of his five wickets in the second innings were left-handers. While Vivek Singh and Mohammad Saif made poor shot selections, Karn Sharma and Rahul Sharma faced little chance against Shivam’s bowling.
“I discussed with them (Aravind and Sarandeep) this morning about what I could do on this pitch. The ball had been keeping low in certain areas on day two. They advised me to maintain a faster pace because of the low bounce and wear on the pitch. Warming up before the match and consulting the coaches was immensely helpful,” he mentioned.
Shivam’s stellar performance in disrupting Railways’ second innings will likely be a point of consideration for Delhi selectors when forming the team for the upcoming domestic season, especially following the standout performances of Nishunk Birla from Chandigarh and experienced Ravindra Jadeja from Saurashtra who outperformed Delhi’s spinners.
He expressed optimism regarding Delhi’s spinners, including leading wicket-taker Ayush Badoni, stating they are still in their developmental phase. “There’s been a slight struggle in the spin department as our spinners haven’t taken many wickets,” he noted.
“The previous match presented a good pitch, and we could have done better, but we are gradually learning. Our spinners are young and developing, so I see potential in them. Although their match performances haven’t been stellar, they are capable bowlers and will continue to improve.”
“Ayush has a lot of potential. He has a good understanding of bowling and exhibits street-smart cricketing instincts. While he may not spin the ball significantly, he possesses a solid off-spin mentality,” he added.
With Ravichandran Ashwin retiring, India is searching for its next off-spinner in Tests, and Shivam believes the talent pool is promising. “There are capable off-spinners in India at present. Tanush Kotian is performing well, and Washington Sundar is also in the mix. Thus, there is room for off-spin in the Indian team. However, I focus on one match at a time. I don’t dwell on the next match; my priority is to excel in the games I participate in,” he concluded.
He admitted that the swift conclusion of the match took him by surprise but expressed satisfaction in having regained his red-ball bowling rhythm on a day when fans were eager to see Kohli bowl. “I didn’t anticipate the match finishing so quickly. I expected a more favorable outcome for us,” he remarked.
“However, the quick finish was unexpected. Achieving rhythm is vital. Having played three matches, starting with the game against Jharkhand, I feel I’ve found my bowling rhythm. Continuous play helps in establishing that rhythm.”
