Ranji Trophy: Won't Be Satisfied Until I Play For India, Says Gurjapneet After Four-for Against Uttarakhand

Ranji Trophy Elite Group:  After picking a four-wicket haul in Tamil Nadu's dominant day one against Uttarakhand in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh said there would be no satisfaction within him until he gets to play for India.

Playing in just his 10th first-class game, Gurjapneet picked 4-34, including three wickets in a probing first spell, as Tamil Nadu bowled out Uttarakhand, last season's semi-finalists, for 134. Gurjapneet had missed the side’s match against Rajasthan in Jaipur because of India A 50-over series against Australia in Puducherry.

"There is no satisfaction unless I play for India. That's the main job, and that box is still empty. I have to tick that. I was just trying to keep it normal, using the angles according to the wicket and batsmen, understanding the batsmen, how they are reacting," Gurjapneet said to reporters at the end of day one’s play.

Taking the new ball on a red-soil surface that had soaked up heavy overnight rain in Chennai, Gurjapneet took out Aarav Mahajan, before trapping Dega Nischal lbw and dismissing Kunal Chandela, apart from troubling India Under-19 batter Lakshya Raichandani. He completed his four-for by dismissing top-scorer Avneesh Sudha for 54.

"It (the way of dismissing batters) is just instinct. I watch his feet movement and how he (the batter) is reacting...One ball I bowl from over the stumps and I will (later) come around the stumps. Maybe his conscious mind is ready to play from that angle and the results were positive," he added.

Gurjapneet, who has battled injuries in the past, said he had worked hard to manage the switch from white-ball cricket with India A to the rigorous demands of the Ranji Trophy. "I was practising a lot with both balls. Coming into the Ranji Trophy, the workload is high and you have to keep maintaining that.

“It (my body) should not be under-prepared or like overcooked or something. I'm just trying to keep that energy the same because I know (in) red-ball cricket, it's difficult to bowl long spells. I'm trying to keep my body ready for all spells and deliver that."

Gurjapneet, who plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL and is a part of the BCCI's targeted pool of fast bowlers, also had stints as a net bowler with the Indian team, an experience he stated has given him a lot of belief.

"You will get the confidence to bowl good batsmen like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and all other players. So, when you bowl to them and when you come to the Ranji Trophy, you will get a different kind of confidence in your body.

Gurjapneet, who plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL and is a part of the BCCI's targeted pool of fast bowlers, also had stints as a net bowler with the Indian team, an experience he stated has given him a lot of belief.

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Article Source: IANS