After being the highest run-getter for Delhi in his debut Ranji Trophy season (2015-16), Nitish Rana has kicked started the 2016-17 season with a century against Assam. Along with Rishabh Pant, he was instrumental in setting up a platform for the team. Coming together at 103 for three, both the middle-order batsmen scored 146 runs each to put their team on top in Vadodara.
“In my first Ranji Trophy season, I didn’t have much idea what it would be like. I had heard that the bowlers are better, wickets are better (and overall cricket is) more competitive. All I wanted was to score runs. I wanted to score three hundreds but unfortunately I got out in 70s and 80s two – three times. I discussed that with bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir), coaches and everyone said that it is because my concentration is breaking. I kept learning (working and improving) and then in the last game against Karnataka I scored a hundred,” he had said while talking to bcci.tv.Besides his 557 runs in seven Ranji Trophy matches, he was also Delhi’s top run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) 2015-16 with 299 runs from nine games. “My favourite player is Gautam bhaiyya, and the other person who I feel positive and get motivated watching is Yuvi paa (Yuvraj Singh). There is something about him. I would like to hit sixes like Yuvi paa and have patience like Gautam Gambhir,” says Rana while speaking about his favourite cricketers.
It is the advice and reinforcements from the experienced campaigners, which is helping Rana grow. Reflecting on his debut match against Vidarbha, Rana mentioned “Gautam bhaiyya was batting with me. He had opened the innings and I had come two down. I got out before him (for 61). He kept talking to me throughout and I think that helped me a lot since it was my debut game and whatever pressure was there on me, he had relived it.”
Recalling Gambhir’s advice he said, “He told me this is Ranji Trophy and all you need is patience. Show some patience, leave a few balls. He kept talking about being patient and I was trying but still my concentration broke and I got out for 61.”
A keen student of the game with a hunger to make his presence felt, Rana has seen some lows before entering the senior circuit. “I had flopped in Under 15, and everyone in Delhi would say to me, ‘You won’t be able to play days (multi-day) cricket’; because when I was young, I would play more shots. Then in a multi-day tournament I made four centuries in four matches and made a comeback in Under 16. There I got an idea what days’ cricket is all about. I am continuing to do the same to this day and hope that I keep doing that.”
Recalling the tough times, he said, “I spoke to my coach - Sanjay Bhardwaj sir. He told me, ‘stay at the wicket and try to play for as long as you can, because in days’ cricket, the more balls you face the higher the opportunity to score runs.’ Since I was young he didn’t say much, only told me what I could understand. I tried to apply what he had explained to me and thankfully it worked out. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have been here today.”
Asked about his preparations, the 22-year-old said, “I try to practice what I will be needed to do in the match. For example, if it is a days’ game I try bat for 5-6 hours. If it is a T20, I like to go bat in open nets on the centre wicket. The effort is to work on the big hits without getting out.
“Everyone has heard that you should bat in the ‘V’ in days’ cricket so when I practiced for days I would do that. Even for throw-downs, I try and hit in the front and would tell myself, not to play square of the wicket much. So how that would help is I was able to leave the ball outside off stump more easily. And so the chance of being caught behind and all that reduced,” he mentioned.
“The morning session is of two to two-and-half hours where there is barely an hour of batting and then fitness and all that is done. In the afternoon session – from 3 to 7 PM - I try to bat as much as I can. You get about 30 to 40 minutes of batting in the nets, but after that I do knocking or thrown downs and with all that together I try to bat for 4 to 5 hours,” he added.
The elaborate batting sessions are also divided between new and old ball. “In the morning sessions, I try and play with the new ball most of the time then towards the end of my day’s practice, I use the old ball. I bat with both balls. I have started moulding and adapting to conditions and situations and getting used to them.”
However, it wasn’t always about batting for Rana, who had begun his cricket as a leg-spinner. “My uncle played cricket and he wanted me to do so as well. I used to earlier bowl leg-spin and wasn’t so good, so he told me that it would be better if I batted and bowled as well. Then as I started to play local matches, club cricket etc. and started scoring well and my coach said focus on batting.”
Speaking about his approach, he said, “Cricket is a little aggressive in the north and I too am a bit. You have to adapt to the situation and see what the team needs. As you grow older, you gain experience.”
Rana is learning from seniors. “I have made a couple of technical changes to my batting after consulting quite a few people. Ricky Ponting and some others in MI told me to have a stance with a back lift. So then I took help from Gautam bhaiya since I have played with him for many years. We belong to the same club. If anyone gives me any suggestions, I go and discuss with him. He has helped a lot.”
Besides the IPL, Rana got another opportunity to interact with senior and international cricketers during the Duleep Trophy and tried to make the most of it. “I keep my eyes and ears open. I try to learn, keep notes and try to apply it.
“In my first IPL season, I thought probably I am not ready for this. Probably because I wasn’t getting to play and in addition to that, I would get very little batting in the nets as well so probably I am not ready. (But) I kept watching others. I saw Rohit (Sharma) bha batting and I observed stuff and felt if I bring a certain aspect in to my batting, I would improve further. When I came back, I tried implementing those things, like the back lift. Even now, I am working on it and it has helped in my batting,” he said.
“Then, when I returned to the IPL the following season and played practice matches for MI, Ricky Ponting told me that I have improved a lot over the year which also boosted my self confidence. He also said you might get chance any time so be ready, and so I would keep myself prepared ahead of every match and when I got my chance I made it count.”
It is also from playing across the country during Ranji Trophy that you learn and evolve, says Rana. “You become mature by playing on all kinds of wickets. You should be aware of your game. It’s not that everyone will score if the conditions are flat also. When the conditions favour the bowler, the batsman is more aware and cautious, watchful so as not to lose his wicket. On flat wickets, the awareness is not so much. You start playing shots and the concentration can break. A senior had told me that when the wicket is flat, you need to concentrate more because you feel that you can hit. I keep talking to seniors and try to keep learning from them.”
During the Duleep Trophy, he also spoke to Yuvraj. Speaking about his interaction with the all-rounder, Rana said, “I had asked Yuvi paa about some technical stuff and he told me, ‘Technique is not such a big deal. Stance, back lift should be such that you feel comfortable. Most important thing is performance.’ Hearing it from him made things clearer for me and told myself making runs is most important thing and so focus on that.”
