All the players who played at my time were better than me: Rajat Bhatia [Exclusive Interview]

Rajat Bhatia played 112 first-class games, 119 List A matches, and 146 T20s in his illustrious career. He bid adieu to all forms of cricket in July 2020.

Bhatia was one of the better seam-bowling all-rounders in the Indian domestic circuit. He gave several memorable performances during his career, including a century in the Ranji Trophy final against Uttar Pradesh in the 2007-2008 season that helped Delhi win the coveted title for the first time in 16 years.

Bhatia also represented four Indian Premier League (IPL) teams during his career and won the title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012. He gave his best for whichever team he represented but unfortunately, the India jersey remained elusive. However, the Delhi-born, who has now become a revered cricket analyst, told CricTracker why he is content with whatever he achieved in his career.

Bhatia is currently playing in the Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2023. He is representing the Gujarat Giants. The 44-year-old said that tournaments like these bring back fond memories from his playing days. Bhatia also gave his take on India's heartbreaking defeat in the finals of the ODI World Cup 2023.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

You played over 100 first-class matches in your career but how much do you regret not wearing the India jersey?

Look, during my time, the players who played were better than me. I can finish this topic by admitting this. If I keep a grudge, it means that I retired as a child and not maturely. When I was young, I played and enjoyed the game. By God's grace, IPL started and I was able to build my house. Even today there are people who don't have jobs but I got my job thanks to cricket. If you keep regrets in life, you won't be able to move forward. Maybe I am getting the compensation now.

You have played 95 IPL matches. Are you satisfied with your performance in the league?

Absolutely. I played for 10 years in IPL but not played for the country. There were very few cricketers who played 10 years in the IPL but didn't get a call up for the national team. Since the IPL started, whenever I played, I performed well. My records also suggest that I did well, so, I don't need to tell anybody about how I performed.

The IPL is a great platform but the Ranji Trophy is still considered as the base for any player. What advice would you give to players who want to play Test cricket?

You can become a good cricketer only by playing in the Ranji Trophy. You can hit big sixes in T20 cricket, and you can showcase your talent in front of the crowd but I have seen very few players who have done well in the IPL but returned to Ranji Trophy and continued their purple patch. There are a few exceptions but it is quite rare. Instead, there are many cricketers who did well in the Ranji Trophy and followed it up with good performances in the IPL. That is why I say that the Ranji Trophy makes your base, and your technique strong. It teaches you to bat for longer durations and make big runs and a lot of things. It is a real test and that is why it is called Test cricket. 

The fans are heartbroken after India's loss at the ODI World Cup 2023. The players will also be devastated after the result. How can they bounce back from the setback?

Losing one match doesn't justify how India's overall campaign was in the tournament. It is very important to understand that we didn't lose to Australia because we played badly. We lost to them because they played very well. When a team plays better cricket and wins, there is a lot to learn. The Indian team will only go upwards from here. They have come a long way but just couldn't take the final step. That needs to be addressed. As far as controversies are concerned in the World Cup, they have only made the game more popular, nothing bad has happened.

How big a platform is the LLC for the retired players?

It is a platform where you once again get to meet the players who you played IPL with or watched them play on the television. I feel that leagues like these should happen every year and it will allow you to stay connected with the game, be it as a player or as a coach. Cricket of this kind also reminds you of your playing days.