by Abhai Sawkar The competitive nature of Indian domestic cricket regularly poses multiple obstacles for the players. At times it could be a sink-or-swim sort of situation. For Harpreet Singh Bhatia, a solid left-handed top-order batsman, it’s been a steady road, albeit modest at times.
A former India U19 player from ten years ago, Harpreet would soon work his way into all formats for his home team in Madhya Pradesh. In 2010, he’d earn his first IPL contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders and in the following year, with the Pune Warriors. All of that would amount to just one game. Six years later, the Royal Challengers Bangalore would draft him midway as an injury replacement, but the batting depth deprived him of game time there, too. On a more positive note, he’s been a consistent performer over the years and has amassed a respectable tally of runs in all forms. However, in 2018, there was quite the interesting turnaround of events. After a decade playing for MP, Harpreet opted for a change and shifted bases to Chhattisgarh. Since his arrival, he’s been a central element of his new team’s relatively younger batting lineup. Right from the get-go, he finished with the most runs for Chhattisgarh: through 8 games, he scored an impressive 838 runs, averaging 84. He made four centuries with a best score of 221 against Jharkhand. “It’s a responsibility which challenges you,” says Harpreet. “There were high expectations for me from people to perform in every single game. Yeah, I’d say it’s going alright from the last two seasons for Chattisgarh. It’s now my home state and I feel I'm playing as a pro here.” During the most recent season, Harpreet was tasked with captaincy. It’s something that came naturally to him - his prior experiences at U19 level as well as the consistency he’s maintained over the course of his journey with MP have all served as the catalyst for a new beginning. He’s embraced the challenges and is always raring to go when it comes to leading his team out onto the field. “As a leader, decision making skills at the right time are very important. Every time we play matches, it’s an opportunity for us to learn something new. But, at the same time we learn from our mistakes in previous matches, so I try to make things better in the future games. Finally, I try to ensure my communication is crystal clear with my teammates. Throughout a career spanning almost 12 years, Harpreet has established a solid reputation in all formats of the game. He boasts a healthy first-class batting average around 47, and averages close to 40 in both the shorter formats. Having played all around the country, he’s certain that one of the current Indian pace-bowling spearheads has been the most difficult encounter. “Without a doubt, I can say Jasprit Bumrah is the toughest bowler I’ve faced throughout my career.” Despite not being a regular feature in the IPL, the time spent during the tournament alongside some of the best T20 players from around the world is priceless. “The experience was great and I became more familiar with the requirements to play international and IPL standard cricket. It’s always in my mind it’s something I’m continuing to work on.” With a wealth of experience under his belt, Harpreet opened up about the strictness and demanding aspects of top-level domestic cricket. At times he’s felt flustered when he hasn’t been able to perform consistently enough, but at the same time, every moment is an opportunity to make the most of. “Indian domestic cricket is improving every year. I personally feel from time to time it can get very tricky. Small teams beating big teams is a very good sign for Indian cricket. Unexpected things can happen, for example you don't always know what sort of pitch you will get in your next away game, and you have only a couple of days to prepare yourself for that challenge. Sometimes you will get poorly prepared pitches, and every team wants outright wins for more points. As a batsman it’s frustrating when you don’t play on a true wicket and the game finishes on day 2, as a result that doesn’t make you a better cricketer.” As of now, Harpreet’s fondest memories include a record 184-run partnership with Naman Ojha during the 2010 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Both batsmen scored scintillating centuries, and Harpreet’s unbeaten 111 includes 8 fours and 8 sixes. “Our team scored 412/6 in 50 overs against Railways, and I remember Naman Ojha scoring 167 and then I scored 111 [my best score in 50-over cricket] and finished the innings well. It’s a game that means a lot to me. Also my maiden first-class century helped take my team to the Elite group after 10 years.” Upon completing his second season for Chhattisgarh, Harpreet has words of praise for how nicely the team has gelled together as well as the high potential to give stronger teams a run for their money. “There are several talented players in the Chhattisgarh team. This team is very young and capable of playing at the highest level. Recently in the 2019-20 season we played the Vijay Hazare semifinal in just the 4th year of CSCS [Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh] career. Ajay Mandal, Amandeep Khare and many more from the under-23 age group are top quality.” Then again, these are uncertain times for Harpreet, especially given the fact that he doesn’t have an IPL contract at the moment. With the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailing the amount of time spent outside, it’s been a period of reflection for him. In the back of his mind he might be disappointed about the fact that he didn’t get snapped up in this year’s IPL auction, but the focus for what’s to come ahead is what matters more. Considering that he’s in charge of one of the newest teams in the domestic circuit, he looks forward to how he can contribute to boost his side and push for further accolades. “Because of COVID-19 we have no set schedule, and there aren’t any proper guidelines from the government. At the moment we’re waiting for the instruction. But yes, we have many things in our head as a team where we can improve in all departments. I strongly believe this is the team you can see in future playing better quality cricket.” Harpreet’s story includes a few lessons to learn. As much as hard work over time pays off, readiness for forthcoming situations at hand is tantamount. His IPL stint may not have been as lucky, but the fact that he’s thriving and guiding his adopted home team to new heights is a testament to a robust and determined mindset.
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