Wicketkeeper-batsman N. Jagadeesan of Coimbatore is looking forward to score more for Dindigul Dragons in the second Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), which begins in Chennai on July 22.
In an informal chat with The Hindu , the Dragons opener said he was not interested in playing an explosive innings and then quickly fade away. “I believe in playing my natural game — play the ball on its merit and attack when needed. I am going with a clear mindset this time around.”
Jagadeesan, who scored 397 runs and emerged the player-of-the-tournament in the first edition, is aiming to better his performance.
“The second season may be challenging as the teams would have got to learn the other players’ strengths and weaknesses. So I have prepared myself accordingly. I have worked hard on areas where I could not score runs last time. I am looking to score more inside the ‘V’,” he said.
“It might take a few overs to settle down and some dot balls too but I can accelerate quickly as well,” he added.
The 21-year-old also said that he has learnt the art of handling pressure after playing in the Ranji Trophy and TNPL.
“There will be lots of pressure as a opener because you are expected to counter-attack. But I have decided not to give much thought to it. Also, I have Ganga Sridhar Raju as my opening partner. He is an aggressive player, so I can always play second fiddle.”
Jagadeesan was confident about his fitness. “I was not fit enough a couple of years ago. Later I was inspired by the fitness levels of my Ranji mates — Dinesh Karthik, Abhinav Mukund and Vijay Shankar — and worked hard,” he said.
The Dragons face a huge task in their opening fixture against TNPL topper Albert Tuti Patriots at Chennai. “I am looking forward to it,” said Jagadeesan.
The gritty cricketer understands that the team may have to play most of its matches at Dindigul and Tirunelveli.
“It’s a good batting track at Dindigul but Tirunelveli is a slow one and the ball grips a lot. The wind also plays a part and it becomes tough. One has to apply his mind,” he said.
Though Jagadeesan’s unbeaten 87 came at Tirunelveli against Thiruvallur Veerans, he rates his 71 against Madurai Super Giants as better. “It was our first match and an important innings,” he said.
With his confidence on a high, one can expect Jagadeesan to do similar feats for his team.
