'I handle pressure better now'
Vinay Kumar talks about Karnataka's historic treble, how his bowling has improved, and his thoughts on making a comeback to the India side
It feels really great. We did not know how big an achievement this is. Our success mantra has been to take one game at a time. After winning the Vijay Hazare we thought, let us now aim for the next: Syed Mushtaq Ali [domestic T20].
We lost to Mumbai in Mysore in the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy final by six runs and I could never forget that pain. The next year we lost in the semi-finals (to Baroda), and the following year we lost in the quarter-finals [to Haryana]. Last year we again failed to get past the quarter-finals, losing to Saurashtra.
We stressed to the batsmen that they [needed to] take the team to safe positions. In the 2011 final in Mysore against Mumbai, Manish Pandey was playing with such freedom, and in the dressing room we were making jokes and thinking we would win the match easily. But as soon as he got out, we folded. I have never been tired of reminding him that only if he had batted for another 15 overs we could definitely have won the match. Such small factors play a decisive role.
That match was as big as the Mumbai match. UP were also one bowler short after RP Singh got injured early in the first innings. I told Mithun we have better bowlers than the opposition, considering both of us have played for India. If we bowl even 90% to our strengths, to our potential, then very few batsmen can tackle us. This is the day we need to deliver.
"This domestic season I have learned a lot about myself and how to bounce back from difficult situations. I really want to come back to the Indian team"
That was a quarter-final. It was not a league match. If we had not performed in that match then again we would have been out of the tournament. I did not want that to happen. That day we were never going to be tired despite bowling long spells. If you have the hunger to want to get them all out, you will not be bothered by exhaustion.
I am at my best as a bowler. I have lost about 3kg. When you look fit, it adds to your self-confidence. It has helped me run quicker in my bowling stride. My rhythm comes from my run-up, so losing weight definitely helped in many ways.
Possibly. In the semi-final, against Punjab, we were playing in Mohali in really cold conditions. I had a catch in my back, which hampered movement in my left shoulder. I was advised to take an MRI scan. But I did not want to take any chances. That was because during the Mumbai match we had conceded the lead by barely ten runs. At that point I was not on the field because I had felt a niggle in my calf and had to visit the hospital for a scan. I had sat out for more than three hours in the process. If I had stayed at the ground I could have stopped Mumbai from taking the lead.
In bowling, I agree. If there is a difficult situation I will take the ball immediately, because I know if I take a wicket or two that will help the team. Take the crucial match during the zonal stage of the Vijay Hazare, when we tied with Hyderabad. In the Powerplay I got three wickets in two overs and that was vital. In the Irani Cup, Dinesh Karthik and Harbhajan Singh were playing really well for Rest of India. Their partnership was building fast. I had not bowled much in that phase and decided to come back, and took Bhajji's wicket. Next over Robin took a superb catch to dismiss Karthik. The match was in our grasp soon.
Virat had played [the ball] towards midwicket. I was into my follow-through leaning to my left, but midway I stopped, changed my body position, jumped across the pitch, intercepted the ball, and threw it in one action to break the stumps. I had run out Unmukt Chand against Delhi during the league stage in a similar fashion.
I would say yes. You can see, I am always striving to perform and take a wicket. But one bad match in Bangalore (against Australia)...
When a batsman can score 200 runs, at least one bowler will go for 100. Most of the bowlers went for 80-85 runs. In hindsight I could have bowled more yorkers. Instead I stuck to pitching more back of a length, even if I was getting hit for a six. Usually I would bowl a slower delivery or a yorker the next ball. Ironically I had been doing that the whole series [bowling short-of-a-length deliveries], making breakthroughs in Powerplay overs. I think I was the highest wicket-taker among the fast bowlers.
Like I feel I am my team's go-to bowler, I feel - and I might be wrong - he sees me as one of his go-to bowlers. He has thrown me the ball during the Powerplay and death overs. Only if a captain has confidence will he give a bowler such responsibility. Once, after the 2011 ODI series in England, he told me I bowl well and have variations but I can get predictable. He had asked me to work on that area. I always make sure I bowl against him during the team training because he is a dangerous batsman. If you can restrict him, that gives you extra confidence. So yes, I remain confident about my chances of making a comeback.
My performances with the red ball in both the Ranji and Irani tournaments were very good. In Perth I played as a fourth bowler on my Test debut. Eric Simons, India's bowling coach then, told me that my duty was to give less than three runs an over. Straight away I was on the back foot: I just needed to try and bowl dot balls.
I cannot bowl 140kph. I can't do that. I have to perform within my limits. I can bowl between 130-135kph, but the margin of error is very less. I have to be consistent and move the ball both ways. I have now also developed the inswinger, so I can definitely trouble the batsmen. Hopefully I will be part of the Indian squad for the World Cup, since it is happening in Australia and New Zealand, where the pitches and conditions suit my style of bowling. These three to four years are my peak ones and important for me. That makes me positive.
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo