'T20 approach doesn't work in Ranji Trophy' - Kerala's Sachin Baby reflects on essence behind success in first-class cricket

Kerala's Sachin Baby, often overshadowed by the glamour of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been a consistent performer in the domestic tournament, Ranji Trophy. Despite being 35, Baby's hunger for runs has only grown, as he was the second-highest run-scorer in the recent Ranji Trophy group stage, scoring a remarkable 830 runs from 7 matches.

Baby batting prowess was once again put on display, however, his team failed to qualify for the quarter-finals round of this year's competition. Inspired by former India pacer S Sreesanth's comeback to first-class cricket at the age of 39 after a ban, Baby opened up about having a never-give-up attitude.

“Sreesanth played the highest level of cricket. Unfortunately, he was banned for some (seven) years. Then he made a comeback to first-class cricket at 39 and performed well before quitting. Sreesanth’s never-give-up attitude was a huge motivating factor for me,” Baby told The Times of India.

The left-handed batter also spoke about the importance of valuing one's wicket and refraining from T20-centric approaches in longer formats.

“I know cricket is changing. But your T20 approach will not work in the Ranji Trophy. It might come off once or twice, but if you play 10 innings in a season, you are bound to fail in the other eight. Our batsmen should learn the importance of spending time at the wicket. The best example is Akshay (Chandran). He showed tremendous application and got useful runs,” the cricketer added.

'People labelled me as a white-ball cricketer' - Sachin Baby

Reflecting on his journey as a cricketer, the ace batter acknowledged the early success that branded him as a white-ball specialist. However, to prove his critics wrong, he has successfully transitioned into becoming a prolific first-class batter, hitting the most number of centuries (14) for Kerala.

“In the early part of my career, some people labelled me as a white-ball cricketer. I wanted to prove them wrong, and I am glad that I have done that. My hunger for runs keeps me going,” he added.

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Having represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals earlier in the Indian Premier League, Baby still wasn't picked by any squad for 2024 edition.

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