Emerging from the club level cricket to play in the Indian Premier League and then making his first-class debut at the age of 42, legspinner Pravin Tambe has been an inspiration to Rajasthan Royals’ undefeated campaign in the ongoing season of the IPL.
From making his IPL debut in 2013 at the age of 41 – the oldest to do so in the league’s short history – to appearing for Mumbai in first class cricket later that year, Tambe has been one of the biggest success stories of the IPL.
The Maharashtra man hadn’t played a single competitive game until his IPL debut. But since his induction into the Rajasthan team, Tambe’s career graph has been on a rise. Despite his growing age, Tambe sports a childish grin everytime he foxes a batsman on the field.
On Thursday too it was business as usual for Tambe who took two wickets giving away just two runs in his quota of four overs to restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 127 for 5. Tambe picked up Naman Ojha in the 15th over and struck in his very next over, trapping Eoin Morgan LBW while he attempted a reverse sweep.
“To see the ball turn like that was a joy to watch as a bowler,” Tambe said. “When I came to bowl, I knew he (Ojha) would attack me. When I started bowling, I saw that the ball was turning a bit. That very moment I thought I would try and get him by turning the ball from the leg-stump. The wicket delivery hit the right length and got the right amount of turn. Ojha was not playing well off his pads and that is the reason I pitched it outside the leg-stump and the plan worked,” Tambe was quoted as saying by iplt20.com.
Talking about Morgan’s dismissal, Tambe said: “Morgan was getting in the flow slowly and we all know how dangerous he can be once he gets going. The delivery before I got him, I tried to deceive him and play with his mind by bowling a googly. He stepped out and was beaten. As a bowler I notice the batsman’s feet movement. The next delivery I saw his feet and got an intuition that he would play across the line. He had tried reverse-sweeping previously as well and I pitched it just a tad faster. He fell for it and was trapped in front. Once I stopped getting assistance from the pitch, I had to look to contain runs.”
Tambe has carved a niche for himself and his reputation has grown in the ranks of Rajasthan Royals’ dressing room. The legspinner credits his success to a decent domestic season.
“My form in the recent domestic season has been great. I played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy competition recently and picked up wickets frequently. It is in this domestic season that I have played the maximum amount of cricket compared to the rest of the years.”
Tambe has played only two first-class games in his short career but says he has no regrets whatsoever.
“I have no regrets about playing less first-class games. Whatever cricket I have played so far, I have only enjoyed the process and the results that come along with it. I am playing with the same intensity since the time I first started bowling. I never think about lost opportunities or what I could have been. I am in a phase were I am just enjoying the game and will only look to enjoy till the time I have a ball in my hand.”
With age fast catching up, it is not easy for a 43-year-old to go through the rigors of T20 cricket. And Tambe is leaving no stone unturned to be fit and raring to go each time the situation arises.
“I have worked a lot on my fitness. I know I am 43 and I need to be in proper shape to play T20 cricket. I have controlled my diet and kept a tab of my protein intake. I am modeling my body to suit T20 cricket by doing short sprints and doing fitness regimes. My training sessions involve routines keeping in mind the fast-paced nature of the game and the amount of physical stress the body goes through during the course of the game.”
“I feel very comfortable in this dressing room. Never have I felt alone in a setup that is full of international stars. They bridge the gap between the domestic and international players quite easily. I enjoy being here. I am not someone who sets goals. I am here to enjoy the game and I will look to do so in the future as well.”
