Led by new captain Shreyas Iyer, two-time IPL winners Kolkata Knight Riders finished with eight losses and six wins in 14 matches in the recently-concluded edition. The franchise missed out on a last-four finish and failed to pick the right combination as well. The team saw different opening combinations during its inconsistent run in the 10-team competition.
Kolkata also handed debuts to a bunch of players including Baba Indrajith, who was bought by the franchise for a base price of ₹20 lakh. The Tamil Nadu player was the leading run-scorer for his state team, with 396 runs in three matches, at an average of 99, with three centuries. But his debut season with Kolkata presented him with just three games, where he amassed 51 runs before getting dropped from the eleven.
Indrajith was ‘disappointed’ to not score in those limited chances but learnt from it as well. “That was fine. I mean, I understand why I was not picked after it. It was part and parcel of the game but after those three innings, it was difficult for me to get back to normal because I had to face a lot of things. I was disappointed that I was not able to get those runs in those three opportunities,” he told Sportskeeda.
“But during that time, I learned a lot that – ‘Yes, we do try sometimes, but not every time things go the way we expect them to go. Sometimes these things happen. This might be a lesson.”
The 27-year-old Indarjith, who bolstered Tamil Nadu’s middle order after S Badrinath’s exit, also spoke about earning praise from Ravichandran Ashwin. He revealed how the seasoned off-spinner texts him about his spot in India’s Test XI but also mentions staying patient.
“Look, when you get a compliment from Ravichandran Ashwin, who’s a legend of the game and one of the best all-rounders to have ever played, it feels good. I sometimes feel like, ‘OK, he sees something in me,’ so that gives me the confidence. He’s been doing this for a very long time.
“I’ve known him for a very long time, we’ve played league cricket together, Ranji Trophy together, so whenever I do well he messages me saying, “You have a spot in the Test XI, for some people it takes time so keep working hard your time will definitely come.” Those kind of compliments it means a lot to me,” Indrajith further added.
Indrajith himself wants to knock on the selectors’ doors and hopes he can get into the national side with consistent performances in domestic cricket.
And regarding my Team India ambitions, it’s definitely there. I have been doing well on the domestic circuit. I hope that somehow this year I can play for the Test team, let’s hope for the best!”