New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) Uttarakahand pacer Akash Madhwal believes tournaments such as the ongoing Dehradun T20 League are providing local cricketers with valuable opportunities to showcase their abilities as they prepare for the demanding domestic season ahead.
Madhwal, who is leading Mussoorie Thunders in the competition, said players from the state are approaching the tournament with the same intensity they would bring to an IPL or an India game.
“First of all, as players, we have to prove ourselves in every game. We do not approach the game lightly. Whenever we go to play, we enter the ground. For us, every game is like an Indian game, like an IPL game, whatever cricket we are playing,” Madhwal told IANS in an exclusive interaction on Tuesday.
The Uttarakhand pacer also underlined the growth of cricket infrastructure and opportunities in the state, pointing to the increasing number of tournaments being organised for players.
“And secondly, the cricket happening here in Uttarakhand used to be very limited before. Now, there are very good platforms. For example, this is our third district tournament, and it is being held at such a high level. And thanks to CAU, our association, which is giving us so much cricket,” he said.
Madhwal believes the increased exposure is particularly important for young cricketers looking to make their way into professional cricket.
“After this, our major tournament is coming up, the UPL, the Uttarakhand Premier League. So, all these platforms are very important for us as senior players and for all the youngsters who want to play. Because all this is happening live and someone is watching us from somewhere,” he said.
“Whatever is happening, thanks to CAU and thanks to Uttarakhand Cricket, we are getting very good cricket. And we are trying to encourage more players like me to come forward, make Uttarakhand proud, and do well in their cricket journey,” Madhwal added.
The 32-year-old said the Dehradun T20 League is also helping players carry the work done during the off-season into competitive matches.
“As I told you earlier, as cricketers, we approach every game in the same way as the big games. So, the off-season practice we have done, we apply it in our games,” he said.
Madhwal also pointed to the difficult weather conditions in Uttarakhand, particularly during the monsoon, which can restrict the amount of competitive cricket available to players.
“As you know, for all the tournaments we have, the conditions are not that good here in Uttarakhand. The monsoon arrives very early and lasts a long time. So, in all the cricket we play, we have the same mindset: we want to stick to our game plan and play for our state in the IPL or the Syed Mushtaq Ali. So, we have the same approach here,” he said.
With Uttarakhand set to enter the Ranji Trophy season, Madhwal feels the current competition can also serve as useful preparation for the domestic campaign, particularly with home matches scheduled to be played in familiar conditions.
“Yes, definitely. We have the Ranji Trophy season next. We have a home-and-away season. So, all the home matches will be played here,” he said.
“The conditions here, including the pitch and the weather, will help us in the tournament we are playing here. It will help us in our season. We will get to know the overall condition of the pitch. It will help us in some way,” Madhwal added.
–IANS
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