“I am not thinking about an India call-up”- Anuj Rawat focuses on crucial domestic season
The IPL has been an incredible platform for the likes of Anuj Rawat and many other youngsters to showcase their skills as well as rub shoulders with experienced world-class players.
Over the years, the IPL has been fast-tracking young and exciting cricketers to the international stage and Rawat understands the enormity of the opportunity that the league brings with it each season.
However, speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Anuj Rawat explained how focused he is on the upcoming domestic season for Delhi and not on India call-up. He said:
"I am not thinking about an India call-up as I am preparing myself for the domestic season again. First there will be Syed Mushtaq Ali and I am taking it tournament by tournament and taking the confidence of one tournament into the next. Eventually, if I have a good season overall then that confidence will go into the IPL."
Anuj Rawat on the importance of mental strength
With the amount of talent in Indian cricket and the competition for spots when it comes to domestic powerhouses like Delhi, it is natural for every budding cricketer to get dropped and grind through the comeback process.
Anuj Rawat also had been through such a phase earlier this year when he was dropped from Delhi's senior team. However, he spoke about the importance of being mentally strong and how the experiences helped him become more patient and focused on the process.
On this, he stated:
"It is very important to stay mentally strong in that phase. You need to believe that cricket is not over and for me, the motivation was that more matches are remaining in the season and I have to get back in the team. There was IPL too and I was feeling confident that if I do well in the chances I get then I will do well ahead and in the IPL as well."
Anuj Rawat was a part of the West Delhi Cricket Academy where he was coached by Rajkumar Sharma, who is a former Delhi cricketer and also the childhood coach of Virat Kohli. The youngster opened up on the golden advice that he had received from his coach and added:
"Rajkumar sir had told me one thing that I have always kept with me. He said that the one who is a good player will get his chance sooner or later. There were times during U-14,U-16 where I used to be in the initial shortlist but never made it to the final squad of fifteen. That's when he had told me to believe in myself and keep working hard and eventually I got the opportunity at the U-19 level."
With an explosive left-handed wicketkeeper batter being a rare skillset these days, an excellent domestic season could suddenly propel Anuj Rawat on the radar of the national selectors.