Shreyas Gopal open up on cricket and life after cathartic quarter-final century

Shreyas Gopal has had a vulnerable position in the Karnataka side for the majority of his career as the all-rounder who gets replaced should the team opt to improve its bowling or extend its batting. However, Shreyas batted like a dream on Wednesday and scored a magnificent century, his first in the Ranji Trophy since the 2017–18 season, so that sensation was absent. He scored his sixth first-class cricket run total, which enabled Karnataka to lead Uttarakhand by a huge 358 runs at the end of the second day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match in Bengaluru. Winning and earning a spot in the semifinals now seem formalities.It was excellent. After the play for the day was over, Shreyas grinned broadly and stated, "Felt good." "The nerves were there; to say they weren't there would be a lie." I panicked a little bit in the 40s after I went out on 48 in the Kerala game because I got out on 95 [against Rajasthan] and very oddly. There were those nerves. When I returned, other cricketers from my age group were there when I was practising, and when I approached them, they just said, "Bhaiyya [brother], when you're near to 90, try to push a little bit, aur maar do [and hit out]" (laughs).Given that Shreyas hasn't had much of a chance to use the ball this season, the knock couldn't have come at a better moment for him. If you've played in 74 first-class games, it could affect you as a player more. To Shreyas' credit, he has maintained his composure and delivered when necessary.Shreyas, who is now 29 years old, has faced every difficulty a professional cricket player can experience. He has struggled with injuries, form declines, and confidence issues. He has had the highs of consecutive Ranji Trophy victories and an IPL hat-trick that includes wickets of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. A rejection earlier this year and losing out on Karnataka's first XI were also bad points for him.

All things considered, it wasn't like this season would make or break the team, but he still needed to build the strong body of work the team management expects from senior players, especially since they have spoken about promoting young players and not letting reputations influence them—their choice to completely cut Karun Nair from the squad this season is a prime example of this.On Wednesday, Shreyas entered the game with Karnataka 307 for 4, already leading by 191. And he immediately launched an assault against the bowlers. His use of his feet against spin, which alternated between powerful smashes through the covers and ventures out of his crease to strike against the turn through midwicket, was particularly brilliant. Manish Pandey was made flamboyant due to his fluency.It seemed as though a burden had been lifted off his shoulders once he brought up the hundred. He left with his arms up and a delighted smile that pained his jaw.

When questioned afterwards about needing to consistently show himself as an all-arounder, Shreyas was blunt in his response. He was frank in his discussion about overcoming rejection and low points.When things don't go your way or you aren't chosen or anything similar, "you do feel a bit guilty sometimes," he added. You do feel horrible, and it is really natural and a human nature to feel bad, to feel disappointed, or to perhaps come out in anger. Everyone handles things in their own manner. It was challenging, but I've always made an effort to hide my struggles. I try not to demonstrate it. I deliberately selected two or three individuals who are likely to see that perspective. Other than that, I make a lot of effort to hide it. That is how I handle things.

"However, somewhere down the way, it disappears a little bit when you get to the ground, when you're among your teammates, and when you're battling for a trophy and for triumphs." Although it occasionally continues to pinch you, when you're in the present, it at least briefly disappears. As a result, your goal is to win as many games as you can."I really want to make a difference when I come out with the bat," the player said. My goals are to hit some hundreds, some 150s, and perhaps my first double-hundred. I get the ball and want to claim 10 wickets throughout a match. why not You must continue to push yourself. You really can't mope around.For too long, those things. because doing that would just consume you more. You need to get up, pull your socks up, and take it on the chin, in my opinion. Perhaps your current level of performance is insufficient; you should aim to double or treble it. If you keep doing your hardest, the door will eventually open.

That is how I have viewed it.Shreyas got the chance to pick Brian Lara's brain last year as he served as his mentor at Sunrisers Hyderabad. He waxes poetic about such moments, but he is also eager to acknowledge the other batters who have supported him along the road.There are several coaches; if I forget someone's name, I'll be performing a lot of things incorrectly, he said. "I believe that I have communicated with Brian Lara frequently during the past 7-8 months. His views were very different from others' when I was at SRH. I was obviously attempting to consume his 400- and 500-metre brain because we were on the same squad and spent hours together. I simply wanted to find out how he managed to do it.At 100, I'm only halfway done, and at 400, he still wanted to score another 100 runs.

I'm trying to add a few points here, but there are so many little things about how he batted and handled situations. I have spoken about this with many different instructors and attempted to adapt to see if it will open up a new avenue for my batting, allow me to score more runs or be a more successful batter.Then, with my bowling, I could come in and aid the team and myself individually by picking up a few wickets. I watch their movies after having several chats with the batsmen who I practically worshipped as a child. to comprehend the predicament they were in and their coping mechanisms. Not in international cricket, but in first-class cricket, I've participated in many of such scenarios. But the circumstance is extremely comparable. I attempt to use what they did and what these coaches told me as a consequence.