New Delhi: Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar can’t help feeling sad when he thinks about his non-selection for India A after being a consistent performer on the high-pressure stage of IPL over the past five years.
The 30-year-old has delivered for his IPL franchise Punjab Kings since joining them back in 2019. He did not get a lot of opportunities in his first two seasons but he finally earned the dressing room respect in 2021 when he dismissed the high-profile trio of Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Ab de VIlliers in a single game.
Kohli was his first wicket of the IPL and that is something he would be proudly sharing with his “kids and their kids”.
Brar plays domestic cricket for Punjab and there too his journey has had a fair share of hurdles. After warming the bench for last five years, he finally made his Ranji Trophy debut last season and made instant impact with 23 wickets in four games.
He has made a name for himself in the T20 format but he finds the red ball game so “beautiful” that he is ready to do whatever it takes to reach the highest level.
A natural progression in his career would be to first play India A in the format he has already proven himself in (T20).
Brar at times feels sad that “others” who performed in the IPL after him got their opportunities for India A and his wait keeps getting longer. Having said that, he is far from reaching the stage of giving up.
“I have to perform and be ready. Because, there can be a call anytime. So, you can only keep yourself positive. Otherwise, when a person is alone, there are many times when a moment comes that you ask yourself, when will my name come?
“Although, I have been doing well for the last five years in IPL, I feel sad when sometimes an India A team is formed and my name is not there. The boys who came to IPL later, they have played first.
“Having said that, I believe my name will come someday,” Brar told PTI.
He finds inspiration to excel from his Punjab teammates — Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Abhishek Sharma — who are proven performers on the international stage.
He never misses the opportunity to pick on their brains when they are training together in Mohali.
“I get inspired by my own people. All three have also played for India. So, I also push myself. Sometimes, when they come to practice at Mohali Stadium, I come, I bowl to Shubman. Abhishek stays in Amritsar but Shubman stays here.
“Arsh also comes, so, I train with him. I keep asking them, how do you train in the India nets and training programs etc. So I get that push (to keep working hard,” he said.
During India’s Test tour of England last year, Brar, who was staying close to Edgbaston with his family at that time, had joined the team nets on the invitation of Gill.
Need to bring down my IPL economy rate from 8 to 7
Brar had his most productive IPL last year when he ended with 10 wickets from eight games, playing his part in the team’s first final appearance in 11 seasons.
He can bowl the tough overs in the powerplay and more often than not, controls his end in the middle overs. An economy rate of 8 after 49 games in the IPL is more than acceptable but Brar has higher expectations from himself.
“It has increased, sir. It used to be less,” pat came Brar’s response when reminded about his economy rate in the IPL.
“It’s (8) considered good, but personally, I want to reduce it a little. Because I feel that a bowler like me should be around 7.”
Ricky, Shreyas remain positive in high-pressure situations
Brar has worked with multiple captains and coaches at Punjab Kings. He did not compare them and instead highlighted what he likes about Ponting and Iyer.
“If I talk about Ricky, the way he’s played cricket in his career, he has a similar mindset as a coach.So I like that about him. He says, whether you’re playing or not, your attitude shouldn’t drop. If your shoulders are drooping in a tough situation, you’ve already lost half the game.
“When were able to defend 111 last year (an IPL record). Any team would give up in that situation. But it was a miracle and that will stay in the mind of all players that we can win from from any situation.
“About the captain. You know all the teams he has played for in the last 3-4 years, he has taken them to the finals. So, his record as captain is very good. And personally speaking, he and Ricky Ponting have a lot of similarities attitude-wise,” added Brar.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
