Nov. 11: Ten days after being bowled out for a record low score in Ranji Trophy, Hyderabad found a new hero in Bavanaka Sandeep, who hit an unbeaten ton on debut. The 18-year-old smashed 24 boundaries in his 190-ball 130 that helped Hyderabad to 349 for 5, a 149-run lead against Jharkhand on the second day of their Plate Division match in Ranchi on Thursday.
The left-handed middle-order batsman became only the fifth Hyderabadi to score a century on debut, after Syed Mohammad Hadi (1930), Hirji Kenia Jayantilal (1967), Maturi Venkata Sridhar (1988) and Daniel Manohar (1997).
Sandeep, known as Sunny in cricket circles, was included in the Ranji side after four seniors were axed following the humiliating 21 all out against Rajasthan in the season opener.
On Thursday, he combined with two more seniors in the side to lift Hyderabad from a precarious 117 for 4 to a position of strength. Sandeep raised 109 runs for the fifth wicket with allrounder Ahmed Quadri (50) and then added another 123 with Ibrahim Khaleel in an unfinished stand for the sixth wicket.
The youngster was understandably ecstatic. “There is nothing better than this in my life at the moment. I can’t really describe the feeling,” he chuckled as he spoke to this newspaper at the end of day’s play. Speaking about his innings, Sandeep was modest. “I just stuck to the basics, played it straight and left the ones outside the off-stump. I got good support from my seniors Quadri ‘bhai’ and Khaleel ‘bhai’, who encouraged me all through our partnerships,” he said.
Sandeep also thanked Vivek Jaisimha, who had advocated the youngster’s inclusion after quitting as batting coach of the Ranji side following the Rajasthan rout. Vivek was in-charge of the Moin-ud Dowla tournament-winning Hyderabad President’s XI team of which Sandeep was a member. “Vivek sir instilled a lot of confidence in me during the Moin-ud Dowla tournament and I can’t thank him enough,” Sandeep said.
Vivek, on his part, was a content man. “Sandeep has justified the faith reposed in him. It feels really good. I am very happy for him,” he beamed. “I always felt he was the type of batsman who cannot be kept quiet. He is always looking for runs, getting them steadily as he causes damage to the opposition even before they realise it,” Vivek said.
“This is very good for Hyderabad cricket. I am glad things are changing,” he said. Former Hyderabad cricketer and coach at the National Cricket Academy R. Sridhar too was all praise for Sandeep. “He is technically very sound and very balanced as a batsman,” Sridhar told this newspaper.
“The ability to adapt to the conditions and the intent to accumulate runs is what makes him special. Also, he’s always thinking about the game and is in pursuit of perfection, qualities that will take him a long way,” Sridhar opined.