Expectations minimal, Enjoyment high: S Badrinath

At 36, Subramaniam Badrinath knows that he might not play for the national team or come under selection radar which hasn’t happened in the last 4 years but he still prepares himself with an extra net session for the upcoming fixtures. (Badrinath was last picked in 2012/13 season for Challenger Trophy)

Speaking on what keeps him motivated and his pursuit to play the sport, Badrinath told CricTracker that he is at a stage in his career where he wants to enjoy the game without thinking much about expectations. “Right now I am enjoying the cricket. The funny thing about this sport is when you try and enjoy your cricket, you automatically do well.”

“I know I don’t have a realistic chance of making into Indian team again. I sat and thought myself why I started playing the game because I love cricket. So I will play as long as I enjoy the sport by leaving all the expectations. At the end of the day, the sport which I had been playing professionally is enough for me to be motivated.”

In the 2016-17 season, Badrinath didn’t get off to the greatest of starts as he scored just 168 runs in 7 innings in the TNPL with a strike-rate below 100 and by the halfway stage in Ranji Trophy, he had just 133 runs at an average of a below-par 19 including two ducks. But soon he redeemed himself by scoring a century and a couple of fifties at crucial stages and even went past 10,000-run mark in first-class cricket.

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Talking about the contract performance, Badrinath said he was suffering from Tennis elbow at the start of season which didn’t allow him to play freely. “In the initial period of the season, I was struggling with a Tennis elbow on my left hand. So I wasn’t at the best of my rhythm as I was playing while managing the injury. So I thought I can’t get through the season with this pain so I decided to take on an injection to reduce the swelling and the pain.”

“So once I addressed medically over it, I started to play better cricket as I batted with a rhythm which helped me in playing some crucial knocks,” Badrinath said.

After Vidarbha’s qualification to the quarter-finals in previous two seasons, it was Hyderabad’s turn to succeed under Badrinath, the team finished 2nd last in Group C in the 2015-16 season but topped the same Group in 2016-17 season, with their captain and coach playing an important role in team’s qualification to the quarter-finals and ensured the team will feature in Group A and B from next season.

The experienced Tamil Nadu batsman had an idea of giving up the game and mentoring his state team but an offer from Hyderabad to lead a young side placed in Group C, which he never did in his career previously, served him as a challenge. Badrinath eventually accepted the offer. He is happy and enjoying the game with that decision.

“Honestly, I was thinking whether to take it up or not. But after a while I thought it is a good challenge to take up a team like Hyderabad which has not been doing well over the last 4-5 years. Life is all about challenges. So I decided to give it a shot. Ever since I have been here, I am happy about the way I played my cricket and also a chance to work with Bharat Arun, someone I know from a long time.”

He also lauded the support extended by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) helping him with various requirements. “They have been really supportive in giving me whatever I want. They have given me a good freedom to work through out.”

Badrinath, who is getting ready for the domestic T20 tournament in Chennai, is happy to be back home after a lot of travelling due to neutral venues during the Ranji Trophy. “It is a really nice feeling because we have been travelling quite a lot due to the neutral venues. So it will be a good experience for me to play a tournament in Chennai other than club cricket, which I haven’t been playing for last 3 seasons. So it will be nice to play in home conditions which I know very well. I am looking forward to travel from home to ground, which hasn’t happened in a while and I am excited.”

Since his last appearance for Chennai Super Kings in Champions League Twenty20 in 2013, Badrinath made just two appearances in the shortest format of the game. He went bid-less in auctions during 2014 and 2016 season while he was picked by RCB in 2015 but couldn’t make into the XI in any of the games.

The 36-year-old recently completed the formalities for going into the IPL auction for 2017 season and said that he is hopeful of some team picking him up but at the same time won’t be disappointed as much as he was a couple of years ago.

“At the end of the day, history is history. I am batting really well and enjoying the sport this season. I am going into the auctions only because if any team is interested in taking me. I don’t really have expectations to be honest. I am just fancying my chances.”

Taking about his future, Badrinath wants to make a development season by season. “It is difficult to say how many more years I can continue for but right now, I am thinking to take one year at a time and see further.”

When asked if he could turn a coach, commentary or has an idea of setting up an academy post his career as a cricketer, Badrinath said: “It is a really tough question. Right now I have not yet decided but I will wait for a job finding me rather than me going and finding a job. I played this game for a long time and have earned precious knowledge so along the line somewhere or other, I will be involved with in the game. But honestly, I don’t know what it will be. If I like it, I will definitely take it.” He concluded saying.