Fine-tuning: Virat, with the help of coach Rajiv, has worked on his scoop, sweep and reverse-sweep.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
Jharkhand’s Virat Singh, who followed up his 39-ball 72 (10×4, 2×6) against Tamil Nadu with a 36-ball 69 (4×4, 5×6) in the 36-run win over Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here on Monday, said his hunger to return to the IPL shaped his approach to the tournament.
“When I started the tournament, I thought I needed to make an impact because it’s been a while since I’ve been in the IPL (last played for SRH in 2021). So, it has been running on my mind that I have to do well and get into the IPL,” he said at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
On Jharkhand’s unbeaten run so far, he said: “We’ve got a really balanced team. Everybody knows their role really well. And luckily, everyone is out there executing their plans. We’ve have had long meetings, where we watched videos of the (opposition) players.”
Virat has often brought out the scoop this season. He said it was a tough IPL experience that pushed him to work on new shots with the help of CSK fielding coach Rajiv Kumar.
“Earlier, I didn’t know how to play the scoop, sweep, or reverse-sweep. Now, I’ve developed those shots because the last time I played in the IPL (vs DC in Chennai in April 2021), unfortunately I had to play on a turning track., that too, against Ravichandran Ashwin. At that point, I didn’t have those shots and struggled a bit. So, I worked hard on them with Rajiv Kumar, and now it’s paying off,” he said.
Published – December 08, 2025 10:24 pm IST
