Ranji Trophy: Rohan Prem, the milestone man

KOCHI: When a young Sachin Tendulkar was making waves in Indian cricket as a child prodigy, Prem Bhasin, in Thiruvananthapuram, a sales executive and an avid cricket follower, took his four-year-old son for cricket practice to the Central Stadium. There were many who wondered what's wrong with the man. "Cricket is not very popular in Kerala. And what do you expect your son to become, a Sachin?" their queries bordering on ridicule went.

Around two-and-a-half decade later that little boy, Rohan Prem, has pursued his passion and grown on to become the most dependable batsman of his state team. Rohan, the Kerala captain in longer formats, registered a rare triplet of batting milestones in the Ranji tie against Goa which ended at the Brabourne stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday. He became the first Kerala batsman to reach 4000 first-class runs when he reached 62 in the second innings on Wednesday. Earlier, in the same match, the left-hander emerged as the highest run-scorer in all first-class cricket from Kerala as he went past Sreekumar Nair's record of 3,921 runs. during his century knock in the first innings. He followed it up with a crafty 70 in the second innings during the course of which the Thiruvananthapuram lad surpassed former Kerala skipper Sunil Oasis' record (3906 runs) of most runs in Ranji Trophy cricket.

"I was never bothered about these records. And I would have been much happier if we had won the match. However, it's a good feeling to reach landmarks like this. " Rohan told TOI after the drawn match against Goa.

Sreekumar Nair, another southpaw, whose first-class record Rohan bettered, believes there would be many more milestones ahead. "Rohan is capable of getting to 6000 or 7000. In the last couple of years, he has become fitter and concentrated on the processes than the results and that's helping him score big," said Nair, who captained Rohan on his debut for Kerala in 2005.

In many ways, the 30-year-old Rohan has been Kerala's man for all seasons with the bat for a while. The team needs someone to set the game up with a big knock in the first innings; there pops up Rohan, cue his hundred in the first innings (130) against Goa. When the team needs someone to grind it out and avoid a collapse; Rohan puts his hand up, his 70 in the second innings a case in point. And when the team needs someone to push along and set up a target; Rohan takes the mantle on himself, his century against Chhattisgarh (123*) certifies. The skipper is the leading run-getter for Kerala this season with 525 runs from nine innings at a healthy average of 65.6. He has two centuries and three half-centuries to his name already.

In his first full season as captain, leadership hasn't weighed down Rohan's batting. "I like to test myself with challenges. Captaincy can be tiring for a No. 3 batsman. But I'm really enjoying it and when I bat, I focus completely on that," said Rohan. And going by the way, Rohan has applied himself in the last few years, the 30-year-old looks hungry for more.

Stats:Rohan Prem: First-class career



Most career runs in first-class cricket by Kerala players