Gymnastics is one of those very few rare sport in India where no male athlete has participated in the Olympics yet. Though, India had two female gymnasts participating in the Olympics; Dipa Karmakar and Praanti Nayek. But, why it is so tough to even qualify for the Olympics? Indian Army and International gymnast Debang Dey shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.
Debang, coming from Konnagar, West Bengal was built strong enough to start his journey at "Kishore Byam Samiti". Soon he would grab the eyeballs of the coaches and start processing from a young age. In 2015, he won his first gold in any national tournament. He earned the gold in the Junior National School tournament. In 2016, he won silver in the Senior National School tournament. That enabled him to join the Indian Army in 2017. After that, Debang participated in Asian Championship. Though, he did not manage to hand any success that time. As Covid hit every sport in the country he also had to wait for his chance to win his next medal till 2021.
Debang Dey has done a decent job for a young athlete. But he is not satisfied. He just like other gymnasts from India wants to represent India at the highest level. Although he wants to take one step ahead. With a jam-packed schedule coming in 2022, he is focusing on World Cups and Commonwealth game qualifications.
When asked about the current scenario of gymnastics in India, Debang was very on point about it. He thinks the game needs more exposure and international coaches for the overall development of the athletes. According to him, the athletes need more technical empowerment within their game to make it to the international and Olympic levels.
In addition to that, Debang feels that state governments also need to support their athletes when they are trying to make it in the game. "The state government of Bengal needs to provide jobs for sportspersons. Moreover, they need to take care of young talents to have more talents coming up the ranks", Debang said.
"Especially the gymnasts need more safe training place to train and prepare. In Bengal, we only have one SAI centre. We definitely need more safe training places for gymnasts"
Debang Dey on current gymnastics scenario
Debang also thinks that guardian needs to push their children to do something in sport. He believes that it will not only make them fit but also take Indian sport to the next level. "According to me, every guardian should make their children learn gymnastics", he added.
However, Debang feels more organisations like the Go Sport foundation needs to come in front and help young talents blossom. Debang is personally sponsored by the Go Sport Foundation currently.
Amidst all of these limitations, Debang is hopeful that India is very to have its first male gymnasts in Olympics. Debang is currently preparing for the next FIG World Cup in 2022.
Bengal Women's Cricket Exclusive: Two out of two finals, record chase against Haryana, Jhulan Goswami, WPL and more
In a Women's Cricket exclusive, Bengal senior team players Dhara Gujjar, Mita Paul, Priyanka Bala, Tanusree Sarkar and Sasthi Mondal shared their thoughts with Sportz Point after playing two finals in the domestic season.
Bengal Women's Senior Cricket team played two out of two finals of domestic cricket this season. Though they were not able to win any of them, they showed why they are India's one of the best.
In the BCCI Senior Women's One-Day trophy final, Madhya Pradesh defeated them. Meantime, in the T20 final, Mumbai outclassed them. Apart from those two games, they looked like the best team in the country.
After the completion of the One-Day tournament, Sportz Point was lucky to have a conversation with five of the stars of this team. Openers Sasthi Mondal and Dhara Gujjar along with all-rounders Mita Paul and Tanusree Sarkar, plus wiicket-keeper Priyanka Bala shared their thoughts before going for the Challengers Trophy.
Lots of runs and a fearless approach
Despite having a good team over the years, this was only the second time the Bengal Senior Women's team reached the final in One-Day tournament. But, the 2019 champions had to create some of their own records to reach the final after five years.
In the quarter-finals, they defeated Shafali Verma's Haryana by chasing a record 390. With that, they also became the team with highest successful chase in Women's List-A cricket. In the semis, they again chased down 301 to beat the defending champions, Railways.
History! 😲🔥
Bengal women's team creates history by chasing down Haryana's 390 in 49.1 overs in the quarter-finals of the BCCI Senior Women's One-Day Tournament. pic.twitter.com/SnMFkKPlGt
These run chases and high scores are a bit alien in Women's Cricket; especially in India. But, Bengal girls feel, that Women's cricket is improving at a rapid speed and this is just the start.
Dhara Gujjar, who scored a stunning 123 in the semis against Railways feels, there is a change in the mindset of the players now. "As we have seen it in the knockout stages, honestly, I feel there is a change in the mindset of the players where they want to go and express themselves and play fearlessly," Dhara told Sportz Point.
Her opening partner, Sasthi Mondal echoed the same thoughts. Sasthi, who featured for India U-19sintherecentpast, made her senior debut this season. "Obviously, there is a change in the mindset of the players. But, for me, this is my style of batting and I love this kind of game," the 19-year-old all-rounder expressed.
However, senior players like Mita Paul and Priyanka Bala feel there is another thing which is attributed to high-scoring games. Along with the fearless mindset, the pitches are also responsible for the amount of runs we have seen this season. As per Mita, the pitches this season have been mostly great for batting. That allowed them to go for the shots and attack throughout the inning.
Priyanka Bala, who scored the invaluable unbeaten 88 in that chase against Haryana feels the same as well. "Pitches were definitely better. Earlier the runs used to be around the 120-run mark. Now, you can see 200s in T20s and 300s in ODIs. So, it is great to see such facilities given to us now," the wicket-keeper batter shared.
Not only that, Bala feels if BCCI can provide pitches like this, we are not far away from having 400s being scored in Women's One Day games.
Tanusree Sarkar, who laid the foundation for other batters with a 113 in that match can sense that there would be more records like this in future. "If you can get flat pitches like this, I feel anything can be chased down," Sarkar revealed.
But, even if you have the best conditions and circumstances, chasing down huge totals and doing that in back-to-back games, ain't a Bollywood movie script. For that, you need proper preparation and planning.
That record chase against Haryana
In both those games, each batter had their own plans and had their different roles too. For a young gun like Sasthi Mondal, there is only one way to play; smash the ball. She did that. "I am dominant from childhood. I like attacking the bowlers. I just did that. I did not go to bat thinking about the score," she said.
For Dhara, there were some initial doubts and she did not have any plan. She tried to take each over at a time and stay positive. "Honestly, there wasn’t any plan. And looking at the score, I didn’t believe that we would be able to get there. I just thought that I’m gonna go and play my shots and just take one over at a time," Dhara said while explaining her 69 runs at the top of the order against Haryana.
Tanusree meantime always had the belief that they could clinch the win. "I had the thought that we can win the match if we can stay positive. Once we had the momentum, we just wanted to keep the flow going."
Priyanka Bala and Mita Paul, who batted in the middle order during those chases in One-Day knockouts, had the same feelings. "Everyone had their role, described by the team management and the pitch allowed us to play shorts," Mita shared.
Bala, who averaged 69.33 with the bat in the tournament, always felt they were in the game in both games. "When Shafali (Verma) was hitting us like that, we did not panic. We knew we would have our chance. I think, being relaxedis what helped us a lot," she expressed.
Though the batters had one of their best times in the One-Day tournament, it was the bowlers who performed in crunch moments in the T20 format.
In the quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh, Bengal bowlers restricted the opponents to 116. Then followed it up by defending only 134 against a strong Himachal Pradesh in the semis. Captain Saika Ishaque with 13 wickets and Mita Paul with 8 wickets in the tournament, were always in the scheme of things. India pacer Titas Sadhu also did well whenever she was released for national duties.
Debutants, Young Guns and Jhulan Goswami
Throughout the season, along with the seniors, it was the combination of youth and experience that helped Bengal triumph. Prativa Mandi, Sasthi Mondal,Hrishita Basu, and Monika Mal were among the debutants in the season.
"The youngsters did really well. I feelbowlers like Chandrima (16-year-old left-arm pacer), Prativa Mandi (17-year-old right-arm pacer) and others knew their roles. This helped us a lot," Mita Paul told Sportz Point.
"We had lots of debuts this season. But, honestly speaking, they all were ready," Priyanka Bala expressed while talking about the youngsters of the team.
"This time there were youngsters in our team and they jelled up quite well with the team. I tried communicating with them and helping them out if needed," Dhara Gujjar added.
But why was it so easy for 16 and 17-year-old teenagers to perform at that level? Jhulan Goswami is the answer. Bengal team management has been lucky to have the services of the most successful bowler in Women's Cricket history.
Sasthi Mondal, who had the luck of training under Jhulan from a very young age shared, "The best thing about Jhulan ma'am is that she makes you feel confident. She lets me be myself. But, she also knows when to push me to get the best out of myself."
However, along with the youngsters, there was someone who was starting from scratch for the Bengal team. Tanusree Sarkar, who previously had led the Bengal U-19 team, had joined Railways before taking an N.O.C to rejoin her home state this year. Priyanka Bala did the same as well a few years back.
"You can say that it was a homecoming for me. From Bengal U-19 to Railways and then to Bengal; but, I never think of these things that much. I try to stay in present," Tanusree expressed.
"As an all-rounder, I always look to find ways to contribute to the team. I always try to take things as they come; even in batting, bowling and fielding."
WPL and its impact
With all of these wins and defeats, each and every women cricketer in India now has one thing in the corner of their eyes. It is the Women's Premier League. All these five cricketers agreed on the fact that WPL has changed the dynamics of Women's Cricket in India.
Be it playing more shots, being quicker and more agile across the turf or having more tricks up their sleeves as a bowler, WPL now has given everyone a reason to be better. "I feel, WPL has changed the approach of players, and also the mindset of the players has changed," Dhara commented.
Sasthi Mondal, Priyanka Bala and Mita did not even hesitate to agree with Dhara's thoughts. As per Mita, WPL is now like a bridge to play for India. If one can reach WPL and do well, they now have great chances of making it to the Indian team as well.
But, unfortunately, no Bengal players were able to attract bids in the WPL 2025 auction. Only Priyanka Bala and Sushmita Ganguly were listed in the final player's list in the auction, but could not find any bidder.
However, these things do not demotivate Bengal players. Rather, it gives them the push to be better. "I think, we all believe in performance. It is the last thing. If I am not getting picked that means there are lots of players like me. So, I need to keep getting better than them and focus on my game," Mita Paul stated.
After bidding goodbye to an eventful 2024, an exciting 2025 awaits sports fans as far as India are concerned. India will host several big competitions across sports this year. Here’s the complete list of major sports events in India 2025.
The year 2025 is going to be exciting for Indian sports fans as it promises an action-packed calendar. This includes world events in hockey, squash, boxing, badminton, shooting and cricket, alongside the National Games and Khelo India competitions. The country is set to witness a wide range of sporting events this year.
After bidding goodbye to an eventful 2024, an exciting 2025 awaits sports fans as far as India are concerned. India will host several big competitions across sports this year, including the Women’s ODI World Cup and the Para World Athletics Championships.
Apart from hosting competitions, India will also take part in several multi-nation tournaments internationally, including the ICCChampions Trophy which will be held in a hybrid model with matches taking place in Pakistan and UAE.
Several Indian athletes and teams, including the likes of Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker, will be in action this year. The India women’s cricket team will hope to end a long wait to possibly clinch the Women’s ODI World Cup.
Here’s the complete list of major sports events in India 2025.
Major sports events in India 2025
Event
Sport
Location
Dates
Ireland Women tour of India
Cricket
Various
January 10-15
Kho Kho World Cup
Kho Kho
New Delhi
January 13-19
India Open
Badminton
New Delhi
January 14-19
Mumbai Marathon
Athletics
Mumbai
January 19
Khelo India Winter Games
Multiple
Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir
January 23 - February 25
England tour of India
Cricket
Various
January 22 - February 12
National Games
Multiple
Uttarakhand
January 28 - February 14
Davis Cup World Group I play-offs
Tennis
New Delhi
February 1-2
Chennai Open
Tennis
Chennai
February 3-9
Delhi Open
Tennis
New Delhi
February 10-16
FIH Pro League
Hockey
Bhubaneswar
February 15-25
Pune Challenger
Tennis
Pune
February 17-23
Women’s Premier League
Cricket
Various
February 21 - March 16
Bengaluru Open
Tennis
Bengaluru
February 24 - March 2
WTT Youth Contender Vadodara
Table Tennis
Vadodara
February 26 - March 1
World Para Athletics Grand Prix
Athletics
New Delhi
March 11-13
Indian Premier League
Cricket
Various
March 14 - May 25
Indian Open
Golf
New Delhi
March 27-30
Khelo India Youth Games and Para Games
Multiple
Bihar
April
First Indian Open World Athletics Bronze Level Continental Tour
Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future
Who are the next cricketing stars from Bengal? Sportz Point presents you with seven U-19 cricketers from Bengal cricket who can play for India in future.
Bengal has been a centre of sporting excellence for generations, having produced countless sports legends. In cricket, the state has a rich legacy since the 1960s and 70s in the Indian national team. Ambar Roy, Subhash Gupte, Sourav Ganguly, Jhulan Goswami, Wriddhiman Saha, Mohammed Shami, Richa Ghosh, and Akash Deep are some of the renowned cricketing personalities who have represented India in the international arena.
Despite this rich legacy, the state of Bengal has struggled to produce homegrown cricketing stars in recent decades, especially in men's cricket. Though talents such as Titas Sadhu and Saika Ishaque have successfully earned the coveted India cap, native top-tier players have rarely emerged in recent years.
Below are the seven homegrown U-19 talents from Bengal we at Sportz Point believe can go the distance and make their mark in international cricket. Please note, the list is in random order.
1. Ankit Chatterjee
Ankit Chatterjee is one of the most promising U-19 talents in Bengal at the moment. The left-handed top-order batter has all the skills to be a future star for Bengal and eventually in Indian cricket. In the recently concluded Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Ankit finished as Bengal's highest scorer and fourth-highest in the tournament. Ankit finished the tournament with 376 runs in 9 games with an average of 41.78 and a strike rate of 98.42.
Along with his dominance in white-ball cricket, Ankit has shown his skill in the red-ball format as well. Till now, he has scored 300 runs in Cooch Behar Trophy with an average of 50.00 and is Bengal's highest scorer in the tournament as well.
During his U-16s days, Ankit was also the Bengal's highest run scorer in the Vijay Merchant Trophy as well. Ankit plays for Shyambazar Club in Kolkata First-Division Cricket and has featured for Murshidabad Kings in Bengal Pro T20 League as well.
Medium pacer Yudhajit Guha has already featured for India U-19 in a series against Australia U-19 and also did well in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup where India lost in the final against Bangladesh U-19.
The 18-year-old pacer has been playing for Bengal in underage cricket since the U-16s and came through the ranks after doing well in those levels. Guha has a long run-up and has an economical action which helps him bowl longer spells without wasting much energy.
Guha's 57/6 against Saurashtra followed by a 23/7 against Jharkhand in this season's Cooch Behar Trophy impressed the BCCI selectors, which helped him don the U-19 jersey. He took 8 wickets in 5 games in Vinoo Mankad Trophy where Bengal played the final.
Yudhajit's father Koushik Guha, who himself is a coach in the Kolkata Club Cricket League, has played a major role in his career. Guha is currently also the vice-captain of the Bengal U-19 team as Bengal prepares for the knockouts of the Cooch Behar Trophy tournament.
During the inaugural Bengal Women's Pro T20 League 2024 tournament, Sportz Point had already written about this exceptional talent from Bengal. 5 feet 8 inches Tall, sharp and smart U-15 left-arm leg spinner Debjani Das already had impressed none other than Jhulan Goswami in her first trials and since then already made her mark by helping Bengal win the BCCI Women's U-15 One Day Tournament.
Debjani was very impressive during the Bengal Women's Pro T20 League and despite being one of the younger players in the tournament, attracted the attention of CAB coaches and selectors. The 14-year-old Kuldeep Yadav fan has a top-arm action which enables her to get that extra bounce which can trouble any batter in the world.
Besides being a smart spinner, Debjani is sharp in the field and is an all-round athlete. In the BCCI U-15 Women's One-Day Tournament, Debjani finished with 21 wickets in just 8 matches and was the second-highest wicket-taker in the whole tournament. And, as a few legends have already mentioned, "she is the one for the future".
4. Sandipta Patra
Like Debjani, here is another player from the Bengal U-15 team who I believe can play for India in the near future. Sandipta Patra, the right-handed top-order batter scored 372 runs in just 7 innings in BCCI U-15 Women's One-Day Tournament with a staggering average of 93.00. She finished the tournament as Bengal's highest run-getter and second-highest overall as Bengal clinched the trophy under her captaincy.
Sandipta was part of Murshidabad Queens in the Bengal Women's Pro T20 League and played a vital knock of 45 in the final where they lost against Lux Shyam Kolkata Tigers. She also finished as the seventh-highest run scorer of the tournament as well.
Although only 17, the dashing right-handed batter from the district of Birbhum has been in the news of Bengal cricket since his U-13 days when he impressed one and all in the CAB Ambar Roy Sub Junior U13 tournament. Agniswar's batting has some unique style and flair which will make anyone sit and watch his game.
He announced himself in Bengal cricket with an unbeaten 250 against Goa in the Vijay Merchant Trophy last season and since then has played for Town Club in the last two seasons. This year has signed for Kalighat Club where he will have the chance to learn from players like Anustup Majumdar and Manoj Tiwary.
In the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, he has scored 295 runs at an average of 42.14 and surely has the guts and talent to become Bengal's next big thing in Men's cricket.
6. Toriya Singha Roy
Another player from the Bengal Women's U-15 team who has immense potential to play for India. A stylish left-handed batter who bats at the top of the order and has a bat flow like Smriti Mandhana must be a special player.
Toriya showcased her class while scoring 209 runs in the BCCI U-15 Women's One-Day tournament at an average of 34.83. But, mark my word, she is a better player than that. In just one year, she has developed herself into one of the most watchable young women batters in Bengal cricket and the is she can convert those into more big runs, she can surely go the distance.
The youngest in the list, but the most talented one. Adrija Sarkar was discovered during the CAB Women's T20 League where she played for Rajasthan Club at the tender age of just 8. Even at that age, Adrija's pace bowling had impressed former India cricketer Mithu Mukherjee who was astonished to see the young girl's pace at that age.
Five years later, the 13-year-old youngster played a stunning knock of 62 from 63 balls which helped her win the Player of the Match award in the BCCI Women's U-15 One-Day tournament final. Adrija finished the tournament with 209 runs at a strike rate of 112.36 and she was the only batter from Bengal to score a ton in that tournament.
A few other players who have been impressive as well
Along with these young talents, players like Vishal Bhati, Remondina Khatun, Snigdha Bag, Bidisha Dey, Prativa Mandi, Chandrahas Dash, Debangshu Pakhira and Ashutosh Kumar have been impressive so far in their careers and have the potential to become future stars of Indian cricket.
Vishal Bhati has been Bengal Men's U-19 team's best all-rounder and was the player of the tournament in Vinoo Mankad Trophy. Along with him, Bengal U-19 captain Chandrahas Dash, Ashutosh Kumar and pace bowling all-rounder Debangshu Pakhira have been splendid so far.
In Women's Cricket, Snigdha Bag, who took 16 wickets in 8 games and Remondina Khatun, who took 8 wickets in the U-15 tournament, have all the features to be a future star. Bengal Women's U-19 captain Bidisha Dey has been in and around the National Cricket Academy and another all-rounder Prativa Mandi, who made her senior debut recently are future prospects as well.
Exclusive | "He has the intent to play at the highest level," Bihar head coach on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Ashok Kumar, the current head coach of Bihar State Cricket team, feels that Vaibhav Suryavanshi has the intent and discipline to play for India in future and will change the future of Bihar cricket as well.
Imagine what you're doing at the age of 13. You probably were going to a school or playing at a local sports academy. But can you imagine at 13 years old age you can become a crorepati in India playing professional cricket? Yes, you can if you are Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was picked by Rajasthan Royals at a whooping 1.10 crore rupees in the recently concluded IPL 2025 mega auction.
After the mega auction, Vaibhav was a household name in India. But, you will be shocked knowing that he has been playing cricket under BCCI since the age of eight and has already played at the first-class level. He has already featured in five first-class matches and played a T20 game for Bihar earlier this year.
Moreover, he became the youngest overall and fastest India centurion in Youth Test Cricket's history, when he slammed a 58-ball ton in an unofficial test against Australia at M.A Chidambaram earlier this year.
After his record-breaking inning, Sportz Point got to have a word with the young sensation during the Bengal vs Bihar Ranji Trophy match, which was called off due to rain and wet outfield. Vaibhav at that time had revealed that all of his aggression and quick scoring come naturally to him and he is a great fan of Brian Lara. As a left-handed batter, he loves to watch the former West Indian legend's old highlights and how he used to dominate bowlers during his era.
Vaibhav has been getting support from his family, friends and coaches from an early age to get where he is currently. Bihar's head coach Ashok Kumar is one of those coaches who has helped the teenager to be able to come this far now. After his record-breaking IPL deal with Rajasthan Royals, Sportz Point got to know more about Vaibhav via Ashok Kumar.
A few players like Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, who are actually from Bihar, had to move to Kolkata for better opportunities in cricket. Due to the lack of infrastructure and exposure, many players from the state have gone unnoticed in recent decades. But, this was not the case for a sensational talent like Vaibhav and for that, Ashok Kumar wants to thank the Bihar Cricket Association for giving this "once in a generation" talent a chance so early.
"Congrats to Vaihav. He is a great talent we all know. I have been watching him since he got the chance in the Bihar U-19 team. Watching this kid grow as a player, has been remarkable for me and everyone in Bihar," Ashok Kumar told Sportz Point.
"But, I want to thank and congratulate everyone associated with Bihar Cricket Association for identifying this talent and giving him a chance so early in his career," he added.
Vaibhav from his early days had the skill and temperament to dominate senior bowlers and score big runs. He burst onto the scene with an unbeaten 332 in a U-19 tournament in Bihar; Randhir Verma Tournament. Ashok Kumar wants Vaibhav to continue with the intent which has helped him so far.
"I have been fortunate to coach the Bihar U-19 and senior team and have seen him up and close in the last few years. I know, with time, many teams will try to watch out for a weakness in his batting. But, the only thing that I always advise him is to keep the intent he has as a batter. He is not afraid of any bowler and his natural ability to hit bowlers will take him very far in his career," Ashok Kumar expressed.
Vaibhav's father Sanjeev Suryavanshi has been his formal coach. He also consults Wasim Jaffer from time to time for advice, whom he had met during a U-19 tournament in Bangladesh in November 2023. Luckily for the youngster, he will now be coached by former Indian Men's team head coach Rahul Dravid, who has developed many U-19 stars into future Indian players during his time with the U-19 and senior team.
Also, Rahul Dravid and Rajasthan Royals were the franchise that gave young Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag an early chance in the Indian Premier League to showcase their talent. Ashok Kumar feels, that having Rahul Dravid as his coach will only enhance him as an overall player and a human being.
"With Rahul Dravid sir, we all know Vaibhav will learn a lot of great things about his game and I feel his time at the Rajasthan Royals will help him be more disciplined as well. Rajasthan Royals have helped a lot of young players in the past and I am hopeful Vaibhav will also emerge as one of the stars from the franchise," Ashok Kumar stated.
"Vaibhav's presence in the Indian Premier League and the U-19 team will influence many kids in the state to play cricket. They will now believe that if you have the talent and work hard on it, anyone can play at the highest level even from states like Bihar. I feel, a brighter time coming for Bihar State Cricket, via champion players like Vaibhav."
Exclusive | "Felt like my debut:" Bengal pacer Ishan Porel now wants to enjoy his cricket after a solid comeback to first-class cricket
Ishan Porel, the 26-year-old pacer from Bengal had sustained an injury during the Bengal Pro T20 League. But he made a great comeback to domestic cricket with a Player of the match performance against Kerala in Ranji Trophy 2024-25.
"Whenever in doubt, remember why you started," this is a motivational quote that athletes often use whenever they face some unwanted trouble in their career. Ishan Porel, once touted as the "one of the best in domestic cricket" by none other than Rahul Dravid, had somehow lost his way after a stunning start to his career.
An injury during the Bengal Pro T20 League 2024, had ruled to him out of the first two games of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season. In fact, he was not even in the preminilinary Bengal squad for the season as well.
But, he is BACK! With a stunning 6 wicket spell against Kerala in Ranji Trophy 2024-25, the tall pacer has announced his his return to first-class cricket. Ishan was nearly out of the game for four months and this tough period has made him rethink why he started playing this game.
Just like any other kid around his place, Ishan used to play cricket because it was fun for him. It brought him happiness and joy. Many years later, after sustaining a few injuries and rough patch, the 26 year-old Bengal pacer wants to play cricket to have fun and enjoy every bit of it; the success, long spells, appeals, outs and denied decisions.
After his return to first-class cricket, Sportz Point tried to get into his head and soul via an exclusive interview with the pacer.
Q: First of all, congratulations on the Player of the Match performance against Kerala in your comeback match. You played after a long time. Did anything feel different?
Ishan: "It felt like a debut. A different feeling altogether. Getting out of the squad, due to injuries or any other thing, was something new for me. But, this has helped me to have a different perspective on the game. Ups and downs are just part and parcel of life. Now I feel there are lots of other things other than cricket.
Now, I am playing cricket to enjoy the game that I love, like I used to do as a kid. Even in this game, just like my debut, I wanted to enjoy the game and have fun. I feel this is the way to go for me now."
Q: For any athlete, this period of uncertainty, rehab, and staying away from the game is very tough. Who were the people who kept you going during this period?
Ishan: "During the Bengal Pro T20 League, I got injured. It was first a plantar fasciitis. But then I got injured in the ankle. You can never tell when you will get injured. Sports science does not work like that. Truly speaking, psychologically I was very down during this time. I did not know what to do.
My parents were there with me like always. Bibhas (Das) sir was there as well. From everyone in the Bengal team, including trainers, doctors, Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da, all motivated and took care of me so that I could make this comeback."
Q: Generally, we see some changes in the bowling action or in general whenever a bowler comes back from an injury. Is there anything that you changed in your bowling action after the injury?
Ishan: "No, I did not have to make any changes to my bowling action. But, I know that in the longer process, I will have to keep doing certain exercises so that I give myself the full chance of not getting injured anymore. I had bowled a lot before playing this match. Nearly about 100-120 overs.
"I was bowling at my full rhythm nearly from the last 30-35 days. Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da even made me bowl 8-9 over spells in the practice. So, the body never felt anything new. Mentally, I just wanted to enjoy cricket and not put any pressure on myself."
Q: Many of the players who were with you during your U19 days have somehow gone ahead in the competition now. Does that somehow make you feel sad or bother you, knowing that you have fallen behind a bit?
Ishan: "No, it does not bother me at all. Everyone has their own perspective on life. Everyone has their own journey. Yes, everyone has one dream of playing for India. I know that if I do all the things correctly and follow the process, I will reach where I was and surpass that as well. So, I just try to win matches for my team and keep the intensity high while bowling."
Q: Bengal has two important away games against Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh before we move to the white-ball format. How are you looking at those away games?
Ishan: "Every Ranji Trophy game is important. Even when we played the final last time, we were not in a great state after a few games, and then we came back with some wins. So, you have to take every game as the most important one. We have the squad to beat anyone."
Q: Last time when Bengal faced Karnataka at Eden Gardens in the 2020 semi-final, you took 5 wickets in the first innings and had bamboozled the batting order. Will that success go through your mind when you face them this season?
Ishan: "Four years is a long time. The past is past. Yes, when you do well against an opposition, it makes you feel good. But, every match is a new beginning for every cricketer. At this moment, I just want to enjoy my game and give my all for my team."