Vidarbha spinner Harsh Dubey on Friday said helping his side take the crucial first-innings lead in the Ranji Trophy final against Kerala was his top priority and not the record he set for most wickets for a bowler in a season. Though no clear favourite has emerged after three days of play in the Ranji Trophy final, hosts Vidarbha have an edge with a 37-run lead in the first innings with Dubey taking three for 88 to take his wickets tally to 69 this season. In the process, Dubey broke the earlier record set by Bihar’s Ashutosh Aman in 2018-19 with 68 wickets.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“I was not thinking about the record, honestly. I was only thinking about helping my team take the first-innings lead. The record, obviously is an achievement for me. I am feeling proud and happy, I just spoke with my parents at home,” he told the media after day’s play.
“Even though it was very hot, I wanted to contribute for my team, put in as much effort as I possibly can, because this is the last game and last effort.
“I was not thinking about how many overs it had been but I was only focussed on getting my team into a good situation and that was my plan,” he added.
The 22-year-old Dubey said tips received from India great Ravichandran Ashwin while playing in Chennai helped him improve his batting — he has scored 472 runs so far in the Ranji Trophy this season — to prove his all-round credentials.
“I have had several interactions with him on batting and bowling. He shared a few points with me which I try in my game,” Dubey said.
“He did not share much about bowling since all was going well but about batting, he told me to try and have all kind of shots but to remember that not everyday I would be able to execute them all.
“… and that there will be certain pitches on which you can play only certain shots but some of them you won’t be able to execute,” he added.
Dubey said he did not try anything different for his record wicket haul but credited the feat to getting a regular run in the premier domestic tournament.
“I didn’t do anything different but I got enough opportunity to play in this season. Last year, I played five matches at U-23 and then I came here. Even then I had a total of 55 wickets combined in U-23 and Ranji. I got opportunity to play this full season, VCA had faith in me,” he said.
Dubey reckoned Kerala skipper Sachin Baby’s (98) dismissal when they were still 55 runs away from taking first-innings lead was the “changing point”.
“He played a good knock. He held one end and I thought his motto was to take it till the end. He batted well, but had a brain-fade moment and gave away his wicket. It was a changing point (in the game) as he was having a good partnership with Jalaj Saxena,” he said.
Dubey added that Vidarbha will look for a long batting innings as the pitch at the VCA Stadium remains conducive for batting.
“The odd ball is turning but the pitch hasn’t become unplayable as such. If you bat well, which Sachin Baby showed to us, you can definitely make runs on this wicket on which not a lot is happening yet the odd ball is turning. But if you apply well, runs are still on offer,” he said.
“We have a good lead of 37 runs and we will look to bat as long as we can, till tomorrow or day after,” Dubey added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
from: NDTV Sports-Latest