"People don’t recognise what we do in domestic games" - Abhimanyu Mithun Interview

Abhimanyu Mithun has successfully spearheaded the Karnataka bowling attack after skipper Vinay Kumar suffered an injury. His performance (6/36 and 3/122) against Maharastra was a deciding factor that led to Karnataka winning the game and subsequently making the quarterfinal cut. The team will play Saurastra in Rajkot starting January 6.

Mithun and Vinay Kumar both had debuted for the Indian team in 2010 and even played a few ODI games in 2011 but in 2012, they never got a call from the Indian selectors. Does this mean that the competition to make the cut to the Indian team has gotten much tougher? Or is it that the BCCI selectors don’t want to put faith on any one player and want to simply keep on rotating a set of bowlers? It’s a plan we can’t predict and neither can the bowlers. All they can do is to perform at the domestic level without having their patience tested.

In a casual chat with Sportskeeda, Mithun talks of his recent five-wicket haul (6/36) which helped Karnataka qualify for quarterfinals and also about his experience in the Indian team.

Excerpts:

In the absence of Vinay Kumar, the onus was on you to lead the bowling attack. It must have been quite a responsibility.

I would like to consider it as an opportunity to be given that chance. I knew I had to give my best effort but I wasn’t sure of the end result. I wasn’t sure if we would win but on the third day, the way we took early wickets, everyone knew that we would win. Things went well for me and I am glad I performed for the team when it mattered most.

Unlike earlier days, Indian team is not going in for a permanent pacer in the team. They have been experimenting with quite a few of you. There’s Ashoke Dinda, Vinay Kumar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, you and a few others. Is the race to get into the team much harder?

It’s always been like that. It’s always good to have more competition to make the cut. After bowling at international level, we know the difference between playing at the highest level and in domestic circuit. After I played in the international matches, I know where I stand. I know what areas I need to focus on and make changes.

Since there’s competition among bowlers from other states to make it to the Indian team, do you follow their performances too?

No, not at all. I don’t even see the scores actually. I just focus on what I need to do and (focus on) my effort. I don’t need to do that [follow others] as long as I know I am doing well. I have done well in Ranji Trophy this year, compared to previous seasons and I know I will get a call again to play for India.

Have you been getting any valuable advice on how to bowl from Javagal Srinath?

I haven’t got too much bowling advice from him as such. But while playing the Mysore game (against Vidarbha), he asked me to take the lead since Vinay (Kumar) won’t be around for the next two matches. (Vinay is nursing an injury) He told me that since Vinay won’t be around for two more matches, I will have to take on the challenge and lead the junior bowlers.

When you and Vinay were picked to play for India, many criticised that you two wouldn’t have got the chance if it was not for the injuries to the senior pacers in the team…

I have done well when I played for India and I don’t think I wasted my chances at any point. It’s very difficult to take wickets in the domestic circuit, you know. Not many recognise what we do in domestic games. But the moment a bowler takes one or two important wickets in an international match, the world takes notice of it.

In domestic circuit, even if we do consistently well, we don’t get the same recognition as compared to (performances in) an international game.

Bowling in domestic games is hard. At times when you don’t get enough wickets, it’s frustrating.

Vinay has suffered an injury at a crucial time in Ranji season. Do you think he will be missed?

Yes, Vinay will be missed a lot. Whenever anyone of us needs any sort of advice or when things are not going accordingly, he always used to show us right direction. Vinay is a very experienced player and he will certainly be missed when we play the Quarterfinals.