If the media can bring you all the glamour through the internet, it can dismantle your hopes and public image in no time as well. Harpreet Singh saw his hopes suffer a similar hit just before the IPL auction in 2017 as a blunder from the media, snatched a golden opportunity away from the southpaw. A mismatch in the name while reporting an accident in Mumbai, shook Harpreet’s chance of reviving his career through the IPL.Â
Briefly, the media mistakenly named Harpreet Singh instead of Harmeet while reporting the latter’s accident in Mumbai on the morning of the auction. As a result, the franchises decided not to bid for Harpreet because of his involvement in a criminal case.
Five years down the line, Harpreet Singh has become an inspiring leader of the Chhattisgarh cricket team. He was in top form during the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy league phase. Though he scored a couple of centuries in the VHT, his innings of 170 runs against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy was a highlight for him this season.
In this exclusive interview with The SportsLite, Harpreet Singh talks about his views about the Ranji Trophy, his career and his experience in the glamorous Indian Premier League.
Excerpts:
The incident just before the IPL auction in 2017 was a disconsolate one for you. How did you react when you heard about it for the first time?
It was baffling for me and my well-wishers. I was India’s highest run-scorer at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Inter Zonal Trophy and I was expecting a few teams to raise the paddle for me. Not just me, but my teammates and my family were confident that I’ll be picked up by a team at the auction. Even a few franchise officials congratulated me for my performances just before the auction and we felt I’ll definitely be a part of IPL this year.
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But the unfortunate incident that took place just before the auction where my name was mismatched with that of Harmeet, ruined my chances. It wasn’t Harmeet’s fault. Rather it was a blunder from the media’s end, but by the time we could react to it, the auction was over.
It did hurt me because I was in my top form and things could have gone my way had I been selected at that time. Because finding the right opportunity at the right time is very crucial. Nevertheless, I did not lose hope and continued working hard because as a professional player, you need to get over the past quickly and move on.
You have played domestic cricket in England. What was the reason behind your move and how was your experience playing in those conditions?
Ever since I have played the Under-19 World Cup for India, I have wanted to play cricket regularly for 12 months. The domestic season in India ends by April-May and I feel to perform consistently well in the Indian domestic circuit, you need to play a lot more. So, I decided to play in England during the summers to maintain that consistency and improve my game. Also, I believed it would help me in the future if I get to play for India in these conditions.
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In England, if you play 6-8 innings, about twice or thrice you’ll get an unplayable delivery early in your innings. But if you reach about 25-30 runs, you should convert that score into a big one.
You have played in England’s Premier League which is just below the County Championship in the hierarchy. What are the eligibility criteria for a domestic cricketer to compete in the league?
According to the ECB, any player worldwide who has played more than 5 domestic games in the last 36 months is eligible to play in the league. They changed the criteria for the County Championship as only the international players are now allowed to participate in the championship.
In the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, you scored at an average of over 60. Also, you hit a couple of centuries and a 98 in that tournament. You have been very consistent all this while but you haven’t yet earned your maiden call-up for the Indian team. How difficult does it get for a player to motivate himself after not yielding fruitful results even after performing consistently well?
As I said earlier, a player has to be professional. At times, you might score well and still not be selected. There will be moments when you will feel frustrated. But when you reach there after performing really well, you become so strong that the level does not matter eventually. You get so habituated to scoring runs that you definitely perform well at the higher level too.
At times, we might get a bit emotional. But it is important for us to channel that emotion into a positive direction instead of letting it pull us down. Eventually, we have to stay positive, get up in the morning and work. This is what we call a professional life. You should dream big, think positively and stay focused on your aim.
I don’t feel age is an issue as long as you are fit and work professionally. Even Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni have played at the age of 40. At that age, it does not matter if you have played 90 tests or scored over 10000 runs if you are not fit. Experience does matter and that is why I believe that fitness plus experience should always be chosen over fitness plus inexperience.
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You have played 70 first-class matches in India. How do you rate the Ranji Trophy’s format that has been used over all these years? What suggestions would you like to put up for its betterment?
According to me, Ranji Trophy is the toughest form of cricket. Before the pandemic, a home and away format was used which made things tougher for the teams. The best part of our circuit is that, among the elite teams, any team can beat the other. Earlier, teams like Mumbai and Tamil Nadu used to be the powerhouses of Indian domestic cricket. However, things have changed a lot of late. We(Chhattisgarh) have beaten Mumbai thrice in the last four matches we have played against them.
Credit should be given to the BCCI as they have worked really hard on this. The home and away format is expected to return next year. So things should get more interesting from next season. India is a vast country and you get to face different conditions in different parts of the country. A lot of time is invested in travelling. So you can’t work on your skills midway through the tournament. You have to prepare well in advance before the tournament starts. All you can do is work on tactics, once the tournament starts.
Ranji Trophy is really important. The players we see performing well in test cricket have performed really well in the Ranji Trophy. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar are all perfect examples. I don’t think a player who’s played less in the Ranji Trophy has gone on to represent India for a long time.
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You have been a part of 3 IPL teams. Which one was your favourite?
I had a great time in all the three camps. Thus, I don’t have any favourite team. As players, we just think to perform well for any team we are playing for. I got to learn a lot from the senior players I met in the league. Even today, I try to implement my learnings from the tournament.
I hope I’ll make a comeback in the league and play again. I have full confidence in my abilities and fitness. Experience matters a lot and I believe it would definitely help me whenever I get the opportunity to play in the IPL.
How do you look at your chances of being selected for the Indian team?
I think this is the best time for me to get selected for the Indian team. I have both experience and fitness. As I have mentioned earlier, entering the international arena late is also a good thing for a player. You have good cricket knowledge and you have already seen a lot of ups and downs by that time, so this helps a lot. Thus, I believe it’s the best time for me to earn my maiden call-up for the Indian team. I will definitely prove my worth if I get the right opportunity now.
We hope you liked reading this exclusive interview with Chhattisgarh captain, Harpreet Singh Bhatia. For more intriguing content, keep checking thesportslite.com!
