Washington Sundar is a phenomenal talent: Lakshmipathy Balaji

Former Indian pacer, Lakshmipathy Balaji, is one of the most prominent cricketers from Tamil Nadu, to have represented India on the international stage. He has played 8 Tests, 30 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 5 T20s for India, and is known for his wicket-taking ability. He has been a key figure for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy over the years.

He will play for Tuticorin in the first edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). In an exclusive interview with the official TNPL website, the 34-year-old talks about his thoughts on the league as well as young talent to look out for…

How is your team shaping up and what do you look forward to in the TNPL?

I think it’s a very good initiative from the TNCA. I think it will open up a lot of hidden talent from the state. If you see, in the last couple of years, we have not had the kind of talent that we normally are used to.

I think it’s a very good platform for the district as well as the urban cricketers, to get along and showcase their talent and potential. This will definitely help them to grow and progress to the next level, be it domestic or international cricket. This is a very good initiative.

Have you interacted with the players from your team?

We had a couple of get-togethers and practice sessions, and slowly are getting to know each other. It is definitely the initial phase. But, once the tournament starts, and we start travelling and playing together, we will know everyone better. We are very fortunate to get a team that has known faces. It is a very good sign.

Given that you have played in the IPL, what do you expect from the TNPL?

I don’t think there’s any major difference or anything. I’m looking forward to having a good tournament which produces lots of potential players (from the state). Lots of cricketers will come up. I have seen a couple of unknown cricketers who are very talented. It (TNPL) will open doors for cricketers in each and every team.

They should grab the opportunity. It’s a wonderful initiative; I wish it had happened a long time ago. It would have definitely helped me when I was in junior cricket. Nevertheless, this is something that the state and cricketers are dying for. I’m sure that this will be a very interesting league and a trend-setter for many other states and cricket administration.

How will your experience help the team?

After playing for 16 years, the experience definitely has to be there. Every day, you learn a lot, every cricketer learns a lot. Every day is a phase where you make mistakes, correct your mistakes and learn from it. So, I feel I am nothing different from them (players). Whatever I know, whatever I understand, I’ll definitely try to pass it on to my players.

They are willing to sweat it out and give their best. I’m still learning despite my experience. I’m a youngster when you think of me phasing into the next career or stage of my life. So, let’s see how it goes.

What is your pre-tournament team strategy?

This league is new with so many unknown cricketers, so you really can’t think of strategy. Once the league gets going then you know what the strengths and weaknesses are. You know the basic ingredients of the opposition and can start working on that.

All things can be planned only once the league starts. You have to be patient and do what comes to you naturally. It is necessary to stick to the basics. The desire to win is the same everywhere, so keep that at the forefront.

Which young player has the potential to shine in the TNPL?

Washington Sundar (Tuticorn) has tremendous talent. He has played for India U-19 and did very well. I see him as a phenomenal talent. It is important for him to transform that talent into consistency. We have to give the players, the platform and opportunities to excel. I look forward to seeing him (Sundar) score big and win matches.