Stuart Binny returned from his near two-week sojourn in New Zealand with his involvement limited to one game and one over bowled therein.
But he hadn’t fretted in the least, he said, over his painfully short introduction to international cricket. On Tuesday, Binny’s faith seemed vindicated, when he found a place in both the Asia Cup and the ICC World T20 squads.
“It was not disappointing at all,” he said of his first appearance in India colours.
Very special“To make my ODI debut was very special. Yes, I would’ve loved to get an opportunity to bat in that game but the situation demanded a partnership at the time.
“Also, bowling that one over was what was needed at that time from a captain’s point of view.”
Almost as if in response, in his very first game back home, Binny walloped an 82-ball hundred.
His performance in the Irani Cup, however, was just a coincidence, he felt. “I don’t think it [the debut] played too much of a role.
“My only intention was to put as many runs as possible on the board,” he said.
Binny is 29, an age that would put him in the ‘late bloomer’ category.
His journey has been a long one, from the ICL and up through hard graft in domestic cricket.
“I don’t feel this opportunity has come pretty late in my career,” he said. “But, at this age I’m more mature as a cricketer. I have evolved much.”
SpecialHis hundred at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday made him and Roger Binny the first father-son duo to score centuries in the Irani Cup.
The latter had made 158 for Karnataka in the 1983 encounter. “It’s special I guess. It’s satisfying,” he said.
Asked what his father thought of his international debut, Binny smiled.
“I didn’t play enough for my dad to assess me.”
