New Delhi: India have to play a number of series across all formats of the game this year and the fast bowlers have already shown signs of injury. Skipper Virat Kohli will be looking to preserve his best bowlers for the T20 World Cup in Australia and look to share the work loads between them ahead of the marquee event 'Down Under'. For this very reason, you can't rule out Siddharth Kaul , the 29 year old Punjab fast bowler from the scheme of things .
Siddharth is again knocking the door of the selection committee with his splendid performance in domestic cricket . In the ongoing season the right arm fast bowler has taken 55 wickets so far across all formats with a hat-trick against Andhra Pradesh in Ranji Trophy a couple of days back.
The fast bowler spoke to ABP News sports correspondent Kuntal Chakraborty. Here are the excerpts of the detailed interview .
Q1.- Firstly, congratulations for the hat-trick you took in Ranji Trophy for Punjab. Have you achieved the target you had set at the start of the year ?
Siddharth -- There wasn't any target as such honestly that I will have to take 'x' number of wickets in a season. I always believe that whenever I am getting an opportunity to play I have to perform 110 percent. I keep on thinking about that process in my mind constantly. I never think in a way that I am going to a certain tournament and I must take 30 or 50 wickets. I try to perform more than 100 percent for whatever team I get a chance to play for .
Q2. - In the last one year how has been your journey . You performed well , took a lot of wickets but still couldn't find a place either in the Indian or India A side which I feel you should have. Does it feel bad anyway ?
Siddharth - This is really nice that you feel that way. But I don't give room for any expectations to build in my mind . My job is to perform . The rest is in the hands of the selectors . If they want me either in India or Indian A side they will select me otherwise not . My job is to do well for the team I am playing for at the moment with honesty and integrity . Touch wood, you can see my performance in last 5 years. Whenever I got an opportunity , be it in domestic cricket , IPL or international cricket, I have delivered my best .
Q3. - India will have to play at the T20 World Cup in Australia. The process is on to pick the right balance for team India . Are you looking at the IPL which is coming up to secure a place in the national side again . You must be eagerly waiting to perform your best for Hyderabad ?
Siddharth - I am not thinking that far now, rather I'm thinking about what's next , what's coming up for me. I always have set a short term goal first and that helps in the long run. At the moment Ranji Trophy is going on and I am only thinking about the match I am suppose to be playing in. Before the next match I will turn my focus on that. I am confident about my abilities and taking one match at a time . But at the same time I would say I am ready to deliver for the Indian team if they require me . I am giving my process to be built slowl . Let's see how does the future pan out for me.
Q4 - On which areas have you worked the most as a bowler in the last few months . Are there any key changes to your approach ?
Siddharth -- I am working even harder on my line and length . I am using the crease very well in both the longer format and limited overs cricket those I have played in the recent past . Trying to vary my pace according to the need of the match situations. Sometimes I am trying to bowl quick and at times trying with slower ones . I'm trying my best to deliver in the way my team require me to bowl.