Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: He didn’t get the opportunity to play all nine matches that Assam played this season in the Ranji Trophy. But Ranjeet Mali, the right-handed pacer, finished the season with 39 wickets, the best performance among the bowlers from Assam. In an interaction with The Sentinel just after today’s match Mali, who once learned the art of swing from former Team India Member Manoj Prabhakar, shared his experience and future plans just after the conclusion of the Ranji season. Here is the excerpt.
The Sentinel(TS): In the 2019-20 season you are the highest wicket-taker for Assam in Ranji Trophy. Your reaction?
Ranjeet Mali (RM): Oh! Feels great. I bagged 39 wickets from eight matches and I am happy with my performance.
TS: How you prepared yourself for the season?
RM: I planned my training schedule much before the season start and work according to it. The schedule included everything like a number of balls I have to deliver on each day in the net, weight training, improvisation of swing, etc.
TS: Which match you will identify as the best one for you this season?
RM: I feel it was the match against Uttarakhand at Deharadun which we won by an innings and 90 runs. I took ten wickets in the game.
TS: You and Arup were the most senior players in the team when it comes to bowling. Was there any pressure on you because of the extra responsibility?
RM: No. Actually I and Arup have very good understanding and we try to assist each other in the ground when we bowl together. Promising pacers like Mukhtar Hussain and Mrinmoy Dutta made our job easier by delivering good performance. We played throughout the season like a unit and it helped a lot to our team.
TS: What is your next plan?
RM: I always try to use the off-season playing cricket in the other parts of the country. This time also I am planning to play club cricket in Delhi and will try to take each and every steps to keep myself fit for the next season.
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