/sportzpoint/media/agency_attachments/5J7QNb4CjhIemgV0IYQL.png)
/sportzpoint/media/member_avatars/dp isl.jpeg )
Follow Us/sportzpoint/media/post_banners/139cff7c4b8f299dc8309d641045a155a0baf59ddfd8e700108b6b314a460bc3.jpg)
Prayas Ray Barman in 2018-19 was the teenage kid that everyone wanted to be. From playing for the Bengal team and then getting picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, he had everything going for him. But, as they all say, cricket is a great leveller; his debut for RCB in the IPL was not as great as he wanted it to be. Prayas Ray Barman, the youngest cricketer ever to play in IPL shared this story in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
At 16 years and five months old, Prayas was playing for his favourite IPL team, RCB, after having a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy for Bengal in 2018. Prayas was Bengal's most successful bowler with 11 wickets in nine matches at an economy of 4.45.
Read Also: "Not. Done. Yet," Wriddhiman Saha points out that he is far from finishing yet
The tough times of 2019-20
That performance for Bengal saw him getting picked by RCB for Rs, 1.5 crores for IPL 2019. Soon, he also made his IPL debut for them under Virat Kohli against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Unfortunately, both David Warner and Jonny Bairstow put up a record opening partnership of 185 and Prayas finished with a bowling figure of 56 runs in his full quota of 4 overs. Things got worse for him as he suffered a stress fracture in his back which ruled him out for a few months as well. Besides, he missed the 2019 U-19 World Cup and then got a finger injury which led to him missing the 2019 Vijay Hazare Trophy as well.
/sportzpoint/media/post_attachments/4b83926c90a9ac926eba0243ff17d154cc7ca3e5fbb28f90f62219b2daaf9cad.webp)
However, now, the leg-spinner from Bengal feels he is physically fitter and mentally stronger and only wants to focus on doing good for Bengal. Prayas is currently in the Bengal U-25 squad and preparing for the next season with full intensity.
Last season, Prayas played for the Bhawanipore Club which emerged as the League champions of Kolkata Club cricket. However, Prayas did not feature in all the matches as he could not fit in the "team combination."
Read Also: "Working on my mental strength," Abishek Porel now wants to play all formats for Bengal
Prayas Ray Barman signs for Tapan Memorial
This season, after signing for Tapan Memorial, the club which Shahbaz Ahmed plays for, Barman feels he will get more matches to do justice to the potential he has. "Last year I improved a lot as a player. I got some wickets as well. And the team won the trophy as well. Yes, for some reason or team combination, I did not play all the games. So, now I feel, at Tapan, I will have more opportunity to make myself established as a batter and bowler," Prayas said.
As of now, the young all-rounder has his eyes set on the Under-25 season with the Bengal team. Moreover, he feels if he can do well for the u-25 team and can win trophies as a team, there are chances that the doors of the senior team might open for him.
"Currently my goal is to do well for the U-25 team:" Prayas Ray Barman
"Bengal team management always looked at us as the future of Bengal. Currently, the Bengal senior team is doing very well. So, I feel I can do well for the U-25 team and win trophies, my door for the Senior team might open. I just need to keep knocking at the door with my performances," Prayas expressed.
Although at age level cricket, Prayas Ray Barman was always told as a proper all-rounder, he feels bowling is his main forte. However, he is working very hard to contribute with the bat as well. "I feel I am a bowler first. But, I love to contribute with my batting as well. Even, if you see the Indian team, now you have to be prepared to contribute in every section. So, I am preparing myself in every possible way," he added.
Post the 2018-19 season, a lot was expected from then, 17-year-old Prayas Ray Barman. Somehow, with injuries and tough times, he could not live up to that. However, the young leggie feels, he has learned from those early mistakes and is working every day to get better.
"I feel everything was too early for me. That time I did not expect that I will play everything at once. I played for the Bengal team, IPL and U-19 India at once. I made some mistakes that time. But, I have learned from those mistakes and am now prepared to face that level. Obviously, there were some expectations from me. But, at the end of the day, you have to be honest with yourself and have to be satisfied with yourself first," Prayas stated.