Aussie great Adam Gilchrist's advice to him is pretty simple – have a blank and positive mind every time you face a bowler. Don't think of anything else. When words of wisdom come from someone you admire as an icon and later even partner him in the middle, you are bound to be a different cricketer. And, Tirumalasetty Suman's fluency and brute arrogance are perhaps reflective of not just what Gilchrist told him but his abundant talent and great confidence against any bowler.
The 26-year-old dashing opener, who also bowls off-spin effectively providing vital breakthroughs, made optimum use of the just concluded Deccan T-20 Cup. He served a timely reminder to the selectors about his all-round capability. For someone who was reportedly ‘told to discipline himself in his approach with the bat', the State Bank of Hyderabad employee may have proved a point or two with his ‘player of the tournament' performance. In almost every match, he ensured a flying start to the Chargers, the eventual champions of the inaugural edition. It is an undeniable fact that this flamboyant batsman has the tendency to throw away his wicket despite having the bowlers at his mercy. So, there is no guarantee that despite some breathtaking strokes which could demoralize the best of the bowlers, Suman failed to cross the 30-plus barrier. More due to his failure to curb his tendency to keep going for those risk strokes. Because of this , the officials say he was selected to play only three Ranji games in the 2009-10 season. “Now, you can expect a different cricketer. I have decided to hang on and just hope to prove more and more my new-found quality,” Suman, whose six crucial wickets and 140 runs in the Deccan T-20 Cup once again proved his efficacy. “I constantly analyse my batting with my coaches and have been working on some minor aspects for better results,” says the cricketer who rarely mingles with the media.
“The next big thing is the South Zone K. S. Subbaiah Pillai Trophy (one-dayers). I hope to get a chance to play for Hyderabad and show that I am a different cricketer now, keen to stay in the middle and not get carried away with my early big strokes,” says Suman. “Then, the focus shifts to the third edition of the IPL and I am looking forward once again to the dream-come-true feeling of opening with Adam Gilchrist,” he says about the next edition. “This in itself is a huge learning process and I am hoping to be more consistent in the IPL-3,” he signs off before joining D. B. Ravi Teja with whom Suman combined a deadly combination at the top. There is no doubt that there can be very few better sights than the opening pair of Suman and Ravi Teja in full flow, both complementing each other with some stunning stroke-play.
