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The Rediff Interview/Sadagopan Ramesh

'I feel comfortable when opponents sledge me, it keeps me on fire'

Allan Mullaly gave you a tough time during the World Cup...

Before the World Cup, Sachin once asked me who I thought would be the most difficult bowler to face. I told him McGrath and Donald. To my surprise, he told me that Alan Mullaly would pose a lot of problems to me. And after I played him, I had to agree with Sachin!

But that was the only over in the entire World Cup that I played bad cricket. Apart from that I was playing comfortably. Against Pakistan I was batting well and scored 20 odd runs, but the only thing was, I was not consolidating.

Who in your experience have been the worst sledgers?

The players from Pakistan and Australia are real bad. The only difference is, if the Australians feel that you are a good player they will pat you on the back when you get to a fifty or hundred. I played against them in '97 and we played at Vizag and I got a 68. Till then, they were getting after me but after I got 60 Shane Warne came to me and told me that I had batted well. On field they are tough, off it they are good blokes.

You've been accused repeatedly of throwing your wicket away, especially after you reach a personal landmark, say a 50 or a 100... Sunny Gavaskar in one of his columns said you should get your marching orders...

I was not throwing away my wicket. I have made it to the Indian team only on the basis of my big hundreds, so I know the value of big hundreds. I suppose it is because people think I am always capable of getting big hundreds, so when I get out they say I haven't played to my potential.

how about that game against Zimbabwe, weren't you guilty of throwing away your wicket? You got to 50 and threw it away, in fact Jadeja was trying to calm you down at the time, yet you played a bad shot...

Jadeja told me, if you want to hit it, hit it full. I suppose my dismissal in that game was lack of experience. I was trying to push mid on back, since he was too close at the time and I wasn't getting singles. So I thought, one good shot over mid-on and the fielder will be pushed back, so then I can pick a lot of singles. I tried to hit one ball and it went to long-off. I thought that having mistimed that shot, the bowler might think that I would not try to go over the top again. I thought I would take advantage of that, but it misfired and I lost my wicket.

How was the mood in the dressing room after that defeat?

It was embarrassing. We knew that we could defeat that side, and then we lost, that was very embarrassing, that too coming in a tournament like the World Cup.

Do you set yourself goals? Short term, long term?

I set myself small goals. Right now, my goal is that I will do well in Australia. I want to prove people wrong. I love challenges, this tour will be a turning point in my career. Long term, I just want to play for as long as I can for the country. My cricketing hero from childhood on has been Sachin and I just want to share the dressing room with him for as long as I can.

How was it opening with Sachin?

It was a great feeling. There is only one problem. When you bat alongside a great batsman, you will see him smashing the bowling around and at the other end, you will be struggling to put bat to ball and that embarasses you. The good thing though is that he always talks to you from your point of view. He might be able to smash a bowler, but I might struggle against that bowler. He will not come and ask me why I didn't hit that ball, instead, he will tell me it is okay, take a single, I'll take the strike till you settle down. He is very interactive, very helpful in the middle.

But that kind of constant guidance, doesn't that sometimes put you off?

No, I always feel comfortable with a partner who keeps talking to me or keeps firing me. My weak point is that I tend to relax for a moment. My lapse of concentration, you can say. My non-striker firing me or talking to me at that point really helps me. Batting with Sachin, if I play one loose shot, I get fired, right there and then.

You have such an aggressive attitude but you never show it on the field? What's the reason?

I think if you want to be successful, the lesser you react the better it will be for you. I think a batsman should never show that he is frustrated. Because if that happens, bowlers like McGrath or Donald will get more confidence. They will come back to you with more fire once they smell that they have a chance against you. So I shut that out by not reacting to them at all. I have learnt this from watching great batsmen. Steve Waugh was playing at Adelaide against Allan Donald and he got hit on the arm. He didn't react. He didn't even rub his arm -- just took his guard again and was waiting for the next ball.

I am that sort of a player. Even if I get hit 5 times in an over I'll play the sixth ball the same way.

Talking of learning, have you been doing any work on your technique?

I am just trying to improve. I have been speaking to Sachin about it. I have some weaknesses and some strong points. My strong point is my mind, at least, that is what I believe. Even if I am not able to work on my technique I will compensate it with my mind and grit, because you can't change your basics at the age of 23. You should strengthen your strong points and just stick to them. All I can do is just avoid chasing the ball outside the off-stump. I will have to wait for the ball to come in instead.

You and Saurav are both left handers, but with different styles -- how does it feel batting with him?

Everyone has got different styles. I'll give you an example. I was opening with Sachin in Sri Lanka. Sachin hit one ball of Vaas to the boundary; it was a very good ball. After the match I was asking Sachin how he managed to hit that ball. I said that I would have just defended that ball. He said that it's just ability. He told me, 'You are able to flick the ball so well; I might not be able to do that. Everyone has different shots. So I can't play like you and you can't play like me.'

I have kept that in mind. Saurav is great on the offside, you can't say that he is weak on the on-side.

Today you have recognition, fame -- how does it all feel?

Nobody recognises me (*laughing*). Actually you will not believe me -- I went to a friend's place for dinner and everyone said the same thing, that I looked so different on TV. In fact, one friend did not believe that I was Ramesh.

If you are a celebrity there are a lot of problems. Even if you have not changed, they will say that you have changed and that irritates a lot. Patience is the key, I guess. Anyway, I think people mob you only after two years at the top, and I am a long way from there.

How do you yourself think you have changed, as cricketer and person, after getting into the big time?

I have not changed as a person at all. I have matured as a human being, though. I have become more responsible. I am representing 900 million, and that is a big responsibility. It shows in lots of little things -- earlier my mom used to pack for me, now I do it myself. Earlier I was late for everything, these days I try to be punctual.

As a cricketer I have become more consistent. I try to perform in every game. I have developed a lot of tolerance. I got fed up of the criticism at first, but then slowly I thought that I should not let these affect me. I don't even read the newspapers even if I score a hundred.

Funny incidents, memorable incidents that come to mind since you made your debut...?

The match that I played against Zimbabwe was a very memorable one. I did not knew that I was going to play that match. I was unaware that Sachin's father had expired, and I came down for breakfast and when I picked up my plate, Srinath came upto me and said all the best. Then Venky came upto me and told me I would be playing. When I learnt what had happened, I could almost feel the heat of tension, adrenalin, seeping into me. For three days before that, I hadn't touched the bat. When I reached the ground, I quickly went to the nets and middled some balls.

The toughest bowler you have faced till date?

Wasim Akram is the toughest to face. He has the ability to move the ball both the ways with both the old as well as the new ball. I am in any case always a bit uncomfortable against left arm fast bowlers. The angle makes all the difference. If the bowler makes the ball come in and then move away, it poses a lot of problems.

Akram can move the ball either way. I think on the whole I played him well. He is one bowler who can worry me irrespective of what score I am on. Usually, I struggle more against medium fast bowlers. Somebody who is of Mohanty's pace can pose problems for me. If the ball does not come on to the bat I find it difficult to score because my strength is timing. If you bowl quick, I can time the ball to the boundary. If you notice, in one dayers I generally get out more often to the first change or second change bowlers, rarely to the opening bowlers.

Have you worked on it?

I am trying to concentrate on that. During the World Cup, I used to bat in the nets when Srinath was bowling, and Jadeja told me not to bother, he told me to bat in the other net, against Venky (Prasad) and Mohanty. He told me that my problem is not fast bowling but medium pace bowling. So I guess it is just a matter of practising constantly.

Who have been your strongest influences?

No one in particular. My father was in no way connected to cricket. The first time my father stepped into Chepauk Stadium was when I played my first Ranji game. That was the day he found out that I was a left handed batsman (*laughing*). I came up on my own, on the basis of my performance.

I don't do anything for the sake of it. For instance, I won't wish a person simply because it is polite -- only if I respect him with all my heart will I wish him.

I motivate myself. And I don't let failures get to me.

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