Justin Langer's tips helped - Uthappa
On the sidelines of Karnataka's match against Saurashtra, where he scored a breezy hundred, he took time off to speak to Cricinfo
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Being a part of the Indian team for a few months, though I only played three games, was very good. The experience on the field was exhilarating, and I learned quite a bit even off the field. Even from practice sessions, talking strategy and things like that, you pick up a lot, especially the work ethic. It's helped me in my game. I've learned to analyse my game much better now. I understand my body and my game much better, I know when I'm feeling good and going to score runs and other days when I have to work harder for my runs. On that front, the last couple of months have been very good.
There is a significant difference between international cricket and domestic cricket. It's similar to the difference between Ranji Trophy cricket and under-19 cricket. As a batsman the number of bad balls that you get gets much less as you move from step to step, under-19 to Ranji to international cricket. The pressure is the big difference, and the intensity.
Eventually it is up to each cricketer to know what his game is all about. At the end of the day you should feel that you gave 100% no matter what happened. It's pretty obvious that you can't succeed every time you go out to bat. What you need to think about is how to be successful consistently over a period of time. There is pressure from the expectation of people but that's not what you want to think about. Every cricketer wants to be successful and do well for his country. No-one walks out to bat thinking, "if it happens it happens, if it doesn't it's ok." Every player wants to do well each time he plays. I don't think of the pressure, rather I focus on the game, the situation, and how I want to go about doing what needs to be done.
I have been working on my approach since the Duleep Trophy where I got my first hundred. I was putting in effort to ensure that I stayed out there in the middle for twenty overs. I spoke to [VVS] Laxman and he underlined the fact that if I spent time at the crease I would get runs. I understood that if I have to play big cricket I need to make big runs, and for that I would have to spend time at the crease. So I had to change my approach. I didn't change the way I batted, but it was more about shot selection. I've also worked on my defence. These are the two things that I had to work on. I rotate the strike pretty well, so if I'm at the crease the scoreboard tends to tick over.
I always knew I was batting well, even when I was dropped from the Indian side. I was middling the ball well, was on the top of my game and had nothing to complain about. But I wasn't spending enough time at the wicket |
I always knew I was batting well, even when I was dropped from the Indian side. I was middling the ball well, was on the top of my game and had nothing to complain about. But I wasn't spending enough time at the wicket. I then decided that every time I went out to bat I would try and play 150 balls, which would amount to me staying at the crease 50 overs or more. That was the big goal for me. I spoke to Justin Langer about building an innings and then decided I had to break the innings up into smaller goals. Langer gave me some tips about preparing for an innings, what to do when in, how to plan towards lunch and then on.
I like the responsibility of the team on me. Right from my school days when I played for St. Joseph Boys, I've always enjoyed the pressure of doing well for the team. I like to perform under pressure. Going in to bat opening the innings, the aim is obviously to lay a foundation - whether that is 30 off 10 balls or 100 off 120 balls. The key is that the openers need to give the side a good platform.
The seniors would always make it a point to come around when we had practice. They were always around to have a word. I've spoken to Rahul [Dravid], Anil [Kumble], Venky [Venkatesh Prasad], Sri [Javagal Srinath] ... all of them as I was growing up. They've always spoken to us about how it was up to the youngsters to fill their boots at the Ranji Trophy level, and do Karnataka proud. As a team we've worked really hard this season - Venky has been phenomenal as a coach and in motivating us. We've trained hard, practiced hard, and there has been real passion for Karnataka in this team. That is paying off now.
Any selection is a byproduct of a person doing well. If you're doing well and performing, the recognition that this kid is good and doing well takes you to the next level. I've been there |
Any selection is a byproduct of a person doing well. If you're doing well and performing, the recognition that this kid is good and doing well takes you to the next level. I've been there. I know I can perform and that I have the potential to play international cricket. I believe in my ability and I know that if I perform in domestic cricket consistently it will come off. In the past I've made the mistake of thinking too far into the future. I don't do it any more. I now take it just one day at a time, not even looking a few days ahead. I control what I can control, what is beyond me I don't really think about.
There are a lot of advantages in playing domestic cricket. Obviously when you do well in under-19 cricket for India you are keen and eager to make it to the next level and you want to play for India. But you learn a lot playing domestic cricket. The initial years are often tough for a cricketer, getting to know your team-mates, you learn all those small points that make a huge difference. All that plays a big role. Once you play more and more cricket you learn about your game and learn to analyse it yourself, to the point that you don't have to run to your coach at the end of each game. Playing domestic cricket brings out the maturity of a player and shows his class.
I set some goals for myself at the start of the season and I think I've lived up to them. Having represented India from Karnataka I realised it was for me to stand up and perform in each game in the Ranji Trophy.
When you're a batsman who plays a lot of shots you will know when you are playing well and when you are not. There are days when you can bat really well and get out after making twenty and there will be the days when you're not playing so well but will still end up with a hundred. The days when you're struggling you have to back yourself and back your instincts and feed off your self belief. You have to put your life into everything you do on the field, especially batting, and it will pay off.
I tend to switch on and switch off quite a lot. I'm naturally an intense person, but I realised, after playing international cricket, that you have to be intense only in brief periods. At all other times you have to relax. It helps a lot if you can switch off and switch on because it prolongs the period you can concentrate for, and in turn prolongs your innings.
Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Cricinfo