Resilience will continue to be Vinay's strength

BANGALORE: "It feels a little weird. But I can't do anything about it." That was how Karnataka skipper and Kochi Tuskers Kerala pacer R Vinay Kumar summed up his emotions ahead of his first-ever experience in the visitors' dressing room at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the Sunday clash against home side Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Such crossovers are usual in Indian Premier League but for Vinay, the homecoming lends itself to a whole new gamut of emotions.
The 27-year-old has justified his $ 475,000 price with a consistent show so far in the season, being the highest wicket-taker for his team with 11 scalps. More than the stats, Vinay looks the most consistent of all in Tuskers' bowling attack.
"I have opened the bowling in a few games and come on a later stage in some others. According to the strategy devised by the coach and captain, now they want me to bowl at the end. Overall it is going well," says the affable pacer.
Vinay feels it is the mindset as a bowler that does the trick in T20s, be it working with the new ball or the old one. "In T20s, even good balls are dispatched to the stands. If you concede either a six or a four off a good ball, you should realize that it's still a good ball. You should always stick to your strength. It is important to come back in T20. If you try variations every time you get hit, you end up feeding the batsmen and putting the ball wherever they want. You should be clever enough to bowl to your strength," explains Vinay who has featured in two ODIs and two T20 at the international level.
Vinay possesses enough variations in his kitty -- different varieties of slow balls, the slow bouncer, the yorker and a "special" variation he is likely to unleash often in the upcoming matches. But those variations primarily are delivered with a single aim. "In T20, you have to be different in every game. Ultimately, the 3/4th length and outswingers are my strengths, I am not expecting a wicket but a dot ball from these variations," avers Vinay.
Tuskers coach Geoff Lawson was all praise for the Karnataka pacer's effort. "He is a valuable player, who always gives his best on the field. I know he has played for India but he deserves to play more at that level. We are fortunate to have him and that's why he has played all the 10 games this season."
Vinay's body language in IPL 4 speaks volumes about his confidence and he associates the mental state to his experience. "After representing the country and playing the (T20) World Cup, the body language and mindset have changed. The experience with RCB has helped me and this is my fourth year in IPL. It helped me gain in confidence, making it easier for me when I joined another team," asserts Vinay.
Off the field, Vinay remains a down-to-earth person. It's true that he hasn't achieved the stardom but he is not complaining. "It is a batsman's game and the batsmen will always be recognized more. People in Karnataka have supported me right from the start of my career, be it Ranji Trophy or IPL. Hope it will continue."