NEW DELHI:
Roosh Kalaria
is a quintessential Indian domestic first-class cricketer. He has managed to survive nine seasons, bowling within his limitations, even as his U-19 World Cup-winning captain
Unmukt Chand is struggling to hold on to a place in various state sides.
On Wednesday, the gentle left-arm seamer from Gujarat showed how discipline and game awareness are the more important than flamboyance to be consistent at this level. His five-wicket haul early on Day Two pushed Delhi to the edge of elimination from
Ranji Trophy.
Kalaria’s evolution as a consistent performer has coincided with Gujarat’s impressive rise as one of the top teams in domestic
cricket
.
Jasprit Bumrah is an exception in this Gujarat setup. It’s playing within themselves and complementing each other that has done the trick for Gujarat. That’s exactly how Manpreet Juneja and Dhruv Raval followed up Kalaria’s 5/78 which ensured hosts Delhi folded up for 293. Juneja and Raval were batting on 88 and 83 respectively as they recovered from 88/4 to finish the day at 269/4.
“It’s not a given that if you do well at U-19 level, you will become a successful cricketer. You have to keep working at it. I am a bit surprised that Unmukt isn’t playing for Delhi anymore,” Kalaria said after the day’s play.
Bharat Arun was the U-19 India coach when Kalaria lifted the World Cup in 2012, but Kalaria relies more on his wisdom and whatever time he gets with Bumrah. “I am not in touch with Arun sir. I work with the state coaches. Bumrah is an inspiration. But everyone has his own strengths,” he said.
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