Sindhu spins, bats and dreams on in marathon Duleep shift

At 21, Nishant Sindhu has already ticked a few significant boxes. He was part of India's Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2022, got picked by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL the following year, and was signed by Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy semi-final, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder delivered the kind of performance that demands attention.

After bowling 47.2 overs across two long days in humid conditions at BCCI's Centre of Excellence ground - more than any other spinner in the match - Sindhu picked up five wickets for North Zone to wrap up South Zone's massive 536-run total on Friday. His first bowled 12 overs on the trot, then three separate spells of eight overs each finished with an 11.2-over spell.

And on Day 3, with North Zone in early trouble and Ayush Badoni falling six overs before lunch, leaving the team at 101 for 3, it was Sindhu who steadied the innings alongside Shubham Khajuria. He took his time, punished the loose balls and controlled the tempo. The highlight was a beautifully timed slog-swept six off Tanay Thyagarajan in the 56th over, a quiet flare of aggression in an otherwise composed innings of a 148-ball 82.

"I was trying to take it till the end," Sindhu, who got dismissed late on Saturday after a rash upper-cut off left-arm quick Gurjapneet Singh, said. "But unfortunately, I couldn't do it. Let's see tomorrow."

Sindhu believes in sticking to his strengths, even if that means doing the "same thing in every match".

"[It's about giving] 100% for the team," he said about his preparation. "In any field, whether it's bowling, batting or fielding. I try the same thing. When I feel I am weak or have a problem in a match, I work on that more during practice."

His transition to senior cricket was quick after the 2021-22 Under-19 World Cup, where he picked up six wickets in five matches and scored an unbeaten 50 against England Under-19 in the final. He made his debut for Haryana across formats in 2022. In his first Ranji Trophy against Tripura, Sindhu made an unbeaten 93 at No. 7 and picked up two wickets. In a first-class career spanning 29 matches, he has scored six centuries and six half-centuries. In the Duleep quarter-final against East Zone, he made scores of 47 and 68.

But he's been making an impression at the domestic level even before getting to the senior level. In the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy in 2019, he scored 572 runs in seven matches including two hundreds and four half-centuries. He also led Haryana to victories in Vinoo Mankad Trophy (Under-19 one-dayers) in October and then the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy (four-day competition) in April 2022. At the senior level, he was part of the Haryana side that clinched the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2023.

That progression has been made smoother by the support around him, especially from the Haryana Cricket Association and his coaches, he says. He was initially trained by his father Sunil, who is a state-level boxer, before joining Shri Ram Narain Cricket Club in Rohtak, run by former Haryana first-class batter Ashwani Kumar.

"The association has backed us a lot," Sindhu said. "After the Under-19 World Cup, I came straight away to the Ranji Trophy. They have backed us a lot from there. That's the reason. When someone backs you so much, like Ashwani [Kumar] sir, I try not to let them down."

Sindhu's evolution from impressing in age-group cricket to becoming a mainstay in Haryana's setup has been fast. Though he's been part of CSK and GT at the IPL, he's yet to play a single game. But he said it gave him a window into the mental side of the game, how the top players prepare, manage pressure and keep it simple.

"I've spoken to players like Virat [Kohli] about how they handle pressure situations," he said. "I get knowledge from there, and I try to apply it in my game.

"Senior players have told me, 'Work on small parts. If you feel that you are weak, work on that in practice and in the nets.' In the match, you should not think that you are weak. You have to express yourself. I try to play my natural game."

He's determined to keep impressing to reach his ultimate goal: "Ek hi goal hai. Bas India khelna hai (I just want to play for India). Step by step."