At the Royals, we’ve always believed in and promoted raw, young talent, and many of them have gone on to have glittering careers over the past 13 years. “Discovering potential, championing dreams” is what we call it at the franchise, and it holds true for many in the current squad as well. Among them this season, is a young quartet of Indian fast bowlers, raring to go.
Just one day before hard quarantine got over, we spoke to the boys one by one on a video call - with the four of them in their respective rooms abiding by the strict rules of the IPL bubble. After six days in their rooms, they still had smiles on their faces despite being alone, and far away from their home and families. Maybe, just maybe, because they’re with another one.
20-year-old Kartik Tyagi joined us in 2020 after a superb U-19 World Cup campaign and went on to become a regular in the side last year, which resulted in him being part of the Indian contingent travelling to Australia. “The first time I joined the Royals family, I got the “shahenshah” (king) treatment from everyone. I had never been a part of a camp like this before, and the environment here is just the best”, says Kartik, stressing on how he felt at home from Day 1 even among international stars, who made him better. “Getting to play with world-class pacers like Jofra Archer made me even more confident about my own game. It’s made me improve, and I want to keep challenging myself more and more now. I am very competitive, and want to do as much as I can to compete against the best,” he said. As an example, he cites working with the coaching staff on his bowling speeds. “Our (fast) bowling coach (Rob Cassell) has moulded my training in a way that’s helped me avoid tiring myself out in the process of generating more pace, something that I’m very keen on,” he said.
The thirst for pace is quite the thing in our camp, as another young gun Kuldip Yadav believes that his pace is the only thing that matters when he holds a cricket ball in his hand. The quiet, soft-spoken left-armer remains a mystery to most IPL fans, but in the eyes of Zubin Bharucha, our Strategy, Development & Performance Director, he is a gem in the making, with just some polishing left to do.
Kuldip has played across formats and at various levels domestically, and yet he says that no platform has helped him be more confident with his skills than his time with the Royals (after being picked up in the auction earlier this year). He says, "So much work has gone into how I prepare mentally and how I take care of myself – I can feel a big difference in my confidence levels in the last 6 months.”
Chetan Sakariya, who was bought by the Royals for INR 1.2 crores in the auction this year, made his IPL debut in our very first game of the season and hasn’t looked back since – playing all 7 matches so far. At 23, the young man from Bhavnagar has experienced more in his life than most people do in their lifetime, but still hasn’t lost his golden smile, and remains one of the most positive influences in the squad.
Chetan returns for a promising second half of this IPL edition from a life-changing experience in Sri Lanka, where he made his international debut for Team India. He says he is indebted to the Royals for his dream-like career growth this year. He says, “For sure, without the support of the franchise, I wouldn’t have been able to even think about an India debut this year.” Chetan is one of the most honest, grounded cricketers you could meet – still like the sweet boy next door rather than an international level cricketer – and he speaks as openly about his doubts as he does about his achievements.
“I wasn’t sure about how I’d perform on a big stage like the IPL, to be honest. But you know, the moment I bowled my first delivery in that first game, I felt more relaxed than ever in my life. My captain Sanju bhaiya made me feel at home at this level. He was even there for me before my India debut, and told me to bowl as I bowl for RR,” he said.
Akash Singh, who joined the Royals with Kartik in 2020, is just 19 and has already imbibed life lessons from his coaches and seniors at RR. He is humble, dedicated, grateful for this platform and absolutely loves his captain. He is also a laugh riot – always up for a smile, and to make others smile as well. A close friend of Kartik and Yashasvi from that U-19 World Cup squad, Akash hasn’t played any IPL games yet, but has taken the time to hone his skills and is ready for any challenge when the team needs him.
“I’ve been with RR for two years now. I’ve been surrounded by good players, inspiring coaches, and an unparalleled environment. This experience has helped me understand my own game better,” said Akash, who is very much enjoying his stay at the hotel with a beach view. He was even wearing a dazzling beach shirt, matching perfectly with his effervescent personality, during our chat!
“These two years have been so different from all the training I’ve previously received in my career. There’s consistency in how the coaches train us, the sessions are planned. And you know what stands out? It’s that our bowling coaches are less technical in their approach and focus more on our mental abilities,” he added.
While Akash is all fun and games, he has the knack of surprising you every now and then with a moment of pure innocence. During the chat, he segued into how he maintains a diary during the IPL! When he joined us last year, he brought a diary with him to fill up with all his experiences and learnings from his teammates and coaches. He tells us that he quotes all of them in it, but particularly mentions Shane Warne and, of course, everyone’s favourite Sanju!
“Sanju bhai was the first person I met from our squad in Dubai last year. He has been by my side consistently. There was a time when not getting any games was affecting me, but Sanju bhai always kept reminding me to believe in myself and not sulk over the uncontrollables like selection. I’ve quoted him on that in this diary,” he gushed.
Kuldip, during the chat, made evident how grateful he feels to be ‘found’ by Zubin Bharucha. Before the trials held in Nagpur, he didn’t think he could ever be a part of this family, and now he feels that he always belonged. “On the day of the trials, I had no idea how I was going to bowl, but to be honest I wasn’t nervous. But yeah, I bagged a bunch of wickets with sheer pace. And that worked in my favour, he said with a smile. And just when we were thinking how childlike that smile was, he immediately showed us the other side of him. “Pace is my strength – it’s what I do. I don’t shy away from using my pace to hit unplayable areas, including the batters’ helmets. I genuinely count, every series, how many times I’ve been able to hit the batter’s helmet,” he said with a poker face that we never saw coming. And that was the common thread across conversations with the entire quartet. What’s instantly visible about all four is that they’re grounded, focused, and full of life. But delve a bit deeper and you know just how aggressive, determined and mentally tough they are as well. After all, they are fast bowlers. What really stands out though, is just how positively they approach the IPL and the entire experience. They’re grateful to have found a platform for their growth and exposure, and also happy to be part of the Royals – where they know they are valued as much as the senior-most player in the squad. And they value each and every member of the Royals family in the same way. Different backgrounds, contrasting journeys, yet converging into one Royals family - these four talents are an integral part of our squad going into the second half of IPL 2021. With every single member of the Rajasthan Royals squad, support staff and management firmly behind them, it’s their moment to light up the IPL – with a smile on their faces, and a fire burning within. What do you think of our promising young talents? Send in your views on Twitter at @rajasthanroyals or to me @cricketpun_duh
