Batman and Robin - two styles, single goal

No bowler likes to be faced with a Hobson's choice. Haryana's attack today encountered a pirate who can plunder runs and a conman who can pick them off slyly. Robin Uthappa and Barrington Rowland make a fine pair and their rollicking 213-partnership helped Karnataka gallop towards victory by the end of the third day's play against Haryana at Mysore.

Right from the start of their careers both were marked for bigger things. It was the classical Barrington, named after the famous English batsman Ken, who first moved into the limelight with a debut first-class ton. However, he faded gradually and hasn't managed a century in two years, and, ironically, it coincided with Uthappa's rise. The latter's stunning hundred in the 2005 Challenger Trophy brought him into the reckoning and he soon made his one-day debut a memorable one. At the moment, both their careers have reached the crossroads - while Uthappa is cruising along on the comeback path to the national side, Rowland is taking the longer route.

Uthappa has had an impressive start to this season. A 99-ball 92 in the Challenger Series in October was followed by a fifty and a 141 against Sri Lanka A in the Duleep Trophy. Incidentally, he rates that hundred as his best knock. "It taught me a lot as I learnt a lot about my own batting," he said at the end of the day. " I kind of know how my mind works, how my body works, and what I need to score runs. I am getting to know myself, my cricket and my game very well right now."

It's not a new-found confidence. His mother, Rosy, once told him to ask Rahul Dravid for an autograph but he fobbed her off. "I want to give, not seek autographs." And today, just before he sat down to have a chat, he was busy doing exactly that. "Ghulam Sandhani, who was my coach at St. Joseph's Boys' High School, was the greatest influence in my life. If I have anything regarding my game, it's him I turn to," Uthappa revealed. He also mentions Hanumant Singh, former Test cricketer who recently passed away. "In those days I used to only play shots, attacking every ball. My defence was not tight. Hanumant Sir helped me a lot during my time with him at the National Cricket Academy. He taught me how to tackle short-pitched bowling, about batting in general. That's the time when my cricket started changing."

He's taking one thing at a time, though, and not getting ahead of himself. Asked whether he is eyeing a recall to the national team, he adds, "I am not looking too far ahead, just concentrating on the process and sticking to what I am doing right now. It [a place in the Indian team] will happen. If given an opportunity, I won't let it go this time."

Uthappa's three ODI appearances for India included a sparkling 86 on debut but he points out the changes to his game recently. "It is just that I have now improved my shot selection and concentration," he continues. "I have always played aggressively and try to dominate the attack. That is my style and I am not going to change it. But I am watching the ball longer and more carefully now and looking to play forward. That's a positive intent. As a cricketer you learn as the time goes by. You learn by yourself, by self analysis, start thinking about the game a lot. I put everything into the one-ball that I play. I will put my life on line every time I play that one ball."

As for Rowland, he is quietly finding his way back into form, with religion being his biggest strength. "I am pretty spiritual and my faith is the cornerstone for me. It puts everything into perspective. At the end of the day this is just the game, there is more to life." Usually stodgy in his approach, Rowland was refreshingly aggressive today - 96 flowed in just 104 balls with seven fours punctuating the knock.

Was it just a response to the match situation (Karnataka were pushing for a declaration) or is he going to persist with a brave new way? "I will definitely be playing much more positively than what I have done in the past," he added. "I just have to back myself and play my shots. I have always had the shots but I have been curbing my natural game. Today I just decided to go out and play them. I badly wanted to get a ton today for my coach [Venkatesh Prasad]. He has been such a great motivator and inspirational figure for the entire team. Prasad and I have been talking about my game. I realise that if I play 40 balls then I have to score some runs. There is no use playing beautifully for 40 balls and get out for 5. I want to make it count, pile up the runs, and try to win the Ranji Trophy for Karnataka.

But is he looking beyond? Like Uthappa, does he hope to play for India one day? "Definitely. Everyone should be. If you are playing first-class cricket and if you don't have the goal to play for India ... there is no use playing this game, right? God willing, if things go my way, I will make it. I just want to enjoy my cricket."

And that's exactly the difference between the two. Barrington, usually an intense and serious player, is looking to start enjoying the game while the fun-loving aggressive Uthappa is thinking to turn on the intensity and think deeply about the game. Both have hit the right route and only time will tell how successful they become.