'Once you turn 32-33, no one looks at you in India even if you perform well: Sandeep Sharma [Exclusive]

Rajasthan Royals’ veteran pacer Sandeep Sharma has emphasised on the importance of sticking to the preparations made in the nets and executing the same while bowling in matches.

Sandeep also acknowledged that younger players deserve more opportunities, as they can contribute for much longer unlike the senior players with limited time left to play. The pacer further added that cricket should always remain a source of joy. While money and fame are inevitable parts of the game, Sandeep reckoned that such things should never overshadow the 'why' behind taking up the sport.

Excerpts 

You played only two international games. Have you received any message from the selection committee or team management after being dropped from the team?

Nobody messaged me and sometimes it is like that. No complaints and no hard feelings. When you are playing in India, you got so much to do. So many players coming in. Once you get injured, especially two years. And then India is so big. You got so much of talent. Suddenly people come and fill your place and then if they are doing well, you don't get that opportunity. So, it works like that in India. But that communication, I never got.

You talked about that match where you successfully defended against Chennai Super Kings. Dhoni hit two sixes. What were you thinking at that time? 

Obviously, it was a highly pressure game. First, after getting hit for two sixes on first two balls, when you are defending, you feel like the match is slipping out of your hand, right? But when I was in that moment, I told myself that whatever I have practised, whatever I have prepared, let me bowl those balls. 

If I lose the match by bowling those balls, so I will take it. I will go back and sleep at least. Whatever I was practising, whatever I was preparing in the nets, I have bowled the same ball. For example, if I have to bowl a yorker or a good slower ball, I was practising a lot of that in the nets and all.

So I thought I will back myself to bowl those balls and after that if we lose and if Mahi bhai end up scoring runs on those balls, I will take it on my chin and go back and sleep peacefully that yes, whatever I knew, whatever I practised, whatever I prepared, I tried to do. Tonight it was not my night and I will go back and sleep. 

But if I do something else, what happens in that pressure situation, mostly bowlers start doing what they haven't practised or what they haven't prepared for and then obviously you are playing in batsman's hand.

And after that, you know, after going back, you don't even get peace that maybe I would have done this because you have never practised that thing. Suppose if I hit a bouncer or try something else, then what happens? As a bowler, you feel bad that at least I should have tried what I know and what I have practised. Then it is like you are playing one of the best leagues in the world of cricket and then you got batsmen, who even if you are bowling well sometimes, they come and get you. They come and get some runs. 

And then you sleep peacefully that I have tried to do what I know, what I have practised and after that also, if it goes, it goes. Sometimes it goes, sometimes it comes.

Do you still feel you have enough fuel in you to make it to the Indian T20I team?

I think I have. But at the same time, I feel personally once you turn 32-33 in the Indian circuit, even though if you are performing so well, people don't look at you. People always go for younger players. And that is how it should be. 

If somebody, personally if you ask me, even if I am a selector. So if you ask me whom do you pick, you will pick Harshit Rana or Sandeep Sharma, If both of them are performing similar, I will always pick Harshit Rana. Because he got that future. If he gets settled down, he will give you 5-6-7 years good fast bowling. 

If you have a 33-year-old player who is performing similar, he will play maximum 2 years of that quality cricket. Maybe 3 years. And then what? But if you are giving 2-3 years to a young player to groom, and after grooming, that person can give you next 7-8 years good years in all formats, then you should be picking that young player. 

If someone is outperforming someone a lot, that is a different case. But suppose as you said fuel, obviously I think about it and I am doing my preparation or hard work for that. But if you see in IPL, I am not outperforming all these people by a big margin. If we have a similar performance, then I would say Harshit Rana or somebody like Prasidh Krishna or some young player. Like now in our Indian circuit, there are very good young players coming. So obviously, if I am selector, I will be picking those people.

Shikhar Dhawan was one asked about who should be picked between him and Shubman Gill. He said Gill should get the chance. It’s great to hear something similar from you.

That is how it should be. And that comes with acceptance and at the same time satisfaction. I am satisfied that whatever skill, whatever talent I had, I have used it all and after that, I don't have any regrets that I didn't play much for India or for anyone. 

I started playing this sport, I started playing cricket because I used to enjoy this sport. I used to enjoy it. We used to play in the sun at 2-3 in the afternoon. So it was fun. But with the time, you know, all these selections because of money, all these things, people forget that why did we start this sport? For fun. It should be fun to play. And I enjoy playing. I enjoy playing anywhere. And because of that, I am content and I am satisfied. And after that, I can see also that what should be the right decision.