Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals | Self-belief and solid preparation unlock Gharami’s true potential

Sudip Gharami’s off-season work paid dividends with the gifted batter finally realising his potential with his career-best knock of 299 and virtually putting Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semifinals.

Gharami always had the shots in his armoury but could prove his talent only occasionally. Even as he fell short of a triple ton by just one run, his magnificent knock, which came in tough circumstances against Andhra in the quarterfinals, had all the ingredients to be a career-booster.

The 26-year-old knew the Bengal Cricket Academy ground, where he made his mark with a hundred in an under-16 match against Tamil Nadu 10 years ago, like the back of his hand, but he still needed to apply himself to deliver what the team expected of him.

Gharami credited his preparation for his success. “I had technical issues. I worked with Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) bhaiya and Joydeep (Mukherjee) sir. It has made a difference to my game; the last two innings were good. The problem was also because of my mindset [owing to ups and downs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy]. My teammates and friends boosted me.”

With his childhood coach and mentor Debesh Chakraborty standing through his innings on the sidelines, Gharami – who, in his teens, was driven around by Debesh in his small car to play matches and termed the vehicle’s registration number ‘1720’ as his club – flourished in the middle and made the 66-year-old proud. “My coach has always been there for me. He told me ‘Since you’ve the shots, you have no problems.’”

The renewed self-belief has made Gharami wiser enough to overcome his disappointment instantly. “I could’ve survived with more commitment. That’s the difference between scoring 299 and 300,” said Gharami, dedicating his seventh century to throw-down specialist Bahar Ali for his wholehearted support.