Adrian Barath says he is fast learning the art of batting at the highest level with the desired consistency in all forms of cricket.
The Trinidad and Tobago opener, who delighted fans here last time with his flamboyant batting style in the 2009 Champions League Twenty20, says he is definitely not happy with the way his career has shaped despite a century on Test debut against Australia in 2009.
“I am making every effort to keep improving, looking up to big players such as Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnaraine Chanderpaul. It is true that I have often faltered on the off-stump but have been working on this flaw and hope to be a much better batsman,” he said in a chat with The Hindu here.
Huge challenge
The 21-year-old Barath, who will be one of the key players for T&T in the CL T20 qualifiers here from September 19 to 21, said it was always difficult to make the desired adjustments and adapt quickly to different forms of cricket for any player. “But at the same time it is also a huge challenge,” he added.
“Definitely, the experience of playing for King's XI in the IPL helped me a lot, having interacted with some of the big names such as Mahela Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh, Jacques Kallis,” said Barath. He also feels a bit unlucky at having missed out quite a bit of cricket owing to injuries.
“The huge disappointment of going back home with a hamstring injury in a practice game before the 2011 World Cup still haunts me. But, I have to take it in my stride and look forward. It would have been my first World Cup otherwise,” he said with a tinge of disappointment.
Not surprisingly, Barath refused to comment on the Chris Gayle controversy saying he was more concerned about his own career and how to make a big mark in the days to come.
Indian connection
The dashing opener also revealed that his great grandfather's family landed in the West Indies by ship about 150 years ago as they were then considered to be experts in sugarcane cultivation.
“Honestly, I am not sure from which part of India they hailed. But, we have a lot of Indian connections and I am really enjoying being in this part of the world where the passion for the sport resembles the fervour for English Premier League football,” said Barath, who has played seven Tests, making 350 runs with a century, and nine one-dayers for 273 runs.
“Definitely, the key to our success will be a good start by the openers, and I am looking forward to playing at a venue which we all Trinidad players enjoyed so much on our last trip,” Barath concluded.
