"Glad to be back to prove myself again" - Karnataka's KL Shrijith pumped up ahead of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023
KL Shrijith featured five times for Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy back in January 2021. He also scored a fine 48* off just 31 balls on debut and seemed destined for great things. However, he wasn't able to find a place in the team until a lifeline came his way in the form of Maharaja T20 Trophy 2023.
Shrijith played a crucial role in Hubli Tigers winning the title, scoring 393 runs in 11 innings and ended up as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament. This form helped him force his way back into the Karnataka SMAT 2023 squad.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, KL Shrijith opened up on his emotions after knowing that he has been picked in the Karnataka squad. He will also be a backup wicketkeeper, a role that he is prepared to take on if needed. He said:
"It has been a long wait as I wasn’t a part of the domestic squad for the last two years. So really glad to be back to prove myself again. To be honest I have kept wickets in the local games in Karnataka but I didn’t keep much in Maharaja. I don’t think of it as a competition. I just look at it as a role given to me by the team. I didn’t know I was going to be picked as a wicketkeeper for this tournament, but if they are at me in that role, then I am always up for it."
KL Shrijith further added:
"I had a fantastic debut for Karnataka and I am looking to contribute in the winning ways for the team as much as possible even this season. It is a high-risk high-reward format so sometime it will come off and sometime it won’t. But coming from 2020 to this season, I have a lot of clarity about how I have to go about my innings and my teammates, coach and captain understand that as well. So with everything going right, it will help me express myself better in the middle."
KL Shrijith is not worrying too much about not having got a red-ball call-up for Karnataka yet despite impressive performances at the U23 level. He wants to stay in the present and said:
"I think the last I played red-ball cricket for Karnataka, it was at the U23 level and I did really well, scored 3-4 hundreds and a couple of fifties. Of course the end goal for any player in domestic cricket would be to play in the Ranji Trophy and in the Indian Test team. So red ball is the goal but let’s see how the season goes. Hopefully, it goes well and then the red ball selection goes well and I will be really glad if I become a part of the Karnataka Ranji Trophy team."
KL Shrijith on the India dream
The Indian squad for the Asian Games showed that with the likes of K Sai Kishore getting their debuts, the domestic cricket and IPL performances are being recognized. KL Shrijith hasn't yet featured in the IPL, but is just 27 years of age and has a lot of time ahead of him to keep the India dream alive.
On this, he stated:
"I think the end goal for any cricketer playing at any level is to play for the Indian cricket team. You never know, we have witnessed players doing really swell in one season and straightaway playing for the Indian cricket team. I think we should just stick to our plans and go about it and if you’re really lucky then the T20 World Cup is also coming so the SMAT and the IPL become really crucial for the Indian cricketers who are a part of it."
A strong SMAT 2023 comeback could land KL Shrijith an IPL contract, especially given that he was a part of the Delhi Capitals camp and the Mumbai Indians trials in the past.