Ranchi, Oct 8 (PTI) While India’s star-studded top order was sending balls flying into the stands at the JSCA Stadium here on Thursday, another Jharkhand cricketer quietly made the most of his moment in the nets during their practice on the eve of the second T20I here.
From a distance, 24-year-old Rajandeep Singh looked like Arshdeep Singh, but a closer look revealed another Jharkhand fast-bowling prospect making his mark.
With Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi taking turns at the nets, Rajandeep bowled with confidence and discipline, occasionally beating the bat and drawing edges and miscued shots and also earning praise from them.
For a youngster from Jharkhand who once came close to giving up cricket because of financial difficulties, sharing the nets with India’s leading T20 batters was a moment to cherish.
“I got a chance to bowl to the senior players. I got to know what I can do better and what are the crucial things I need to work on,” Rajandeep told PTI.
“I also got the experience of knowing that I can’t bowl too loose. It was a good feeling to bowl today.”
His opportunity to bowl to India’s batters at the JSCA Stadium was another small but important step.
Rajandeep said he took confidence from the feedback he received from the senior players, including Samson.
“The batsmen were saying that I was bowling well. Sanju sir was also saying that I was bowling well,” he said.
For now, his ambition is clear: to establish himself as a white-ball all-rounder.
“I have been told to play for the white-ball team, so I am preparing for that. I want to do well with my bowling.
“I have learnt a lot from bowling and I will try to continue improving. I want to do well in the future.”
Rajandeep is another product of Jharkhand’s growing cricket system and was part of the state’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy-winning side under Ishan Kishan, who helped him develop a clearer mindset and reminded him to “enjoy his cricket”.
“In age-group cricket, it is mostly about your skills, but at the senior level you need more mental toughness. Ishan bhaiya gave me clarity and told me to enjoy my cricket. I was lacking that mental clarity earlier, but I have recovered it now.”
Rajandeep also recalled their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title winning campaign.
Against Punjab, he returned impressive figures of 1/30 from his four overs in a match in which Punjab scored 235/6 before Jharkhand chased down the target in just 19 overs to win by six wickets.
He finished the tournament with five wickets from eight matches and also contributed with the bat, scoring 200 runs in seven innings at an average of 40 and a strike rate of over 186.
He had also impressed in the Jharkhand Premier League, taking eight wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 9.24.
Those performances have brought IPL interest, although Rajandeep is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
“I am not looking at it right now. It is good to be in a team, but I will focus on the upcoming season. I will focus on the trials and the matches.
“The domestic season is about to start, and I am ready for everything.”
There was another spotlight moment in the CK Nayudu Trophy this season, where he scored a remarkable 400 not out from 387 balls against Meghalaya, an innings that has put him firmly on the radar of IPL scouts.
Mahi, Yuvi the Inspirations
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His love for cricket began with two of India’s most iconic names — Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Dhoni, in particular, remains his biggest inspiration.
“My idol is MS Dhoni. My batting order is also similar to him, so I learn a lot from him. Being on the field, I learn a lot from him,” he said.
There is also a more immediate role model in Kishan, who has become an important figure in Jharkhand cricket and led the side to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.
Rajandeep said Kishan’s advice has helped him understand what it takes to be a genuine all-rounder.
“Ishan bhaiya had a very good team and he shared a lot of his experience with us. We benefited a lot from him,” he said.
“He had told me that if you want to be an all-rounder, you have to do well in both departments. He focused on that and did well in the CK Nayudu Trophy.”
Early struggles
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The son of school bus driver Kulwant Singh and Surinder Kaur, Rajandeep left studies after Class 12 to concentrate fully on cricket.
His performances have since attracted interest from IPL franchises, with two or three teams calling him for trials.
There were difficult years when his family struggled financially and he came close to walking away from cricket in 2016.
“But I told them just give me one year and I went to represent Jharkhand U-16 side and since then I’ve been a regular,” he recalled.
His family has since returned to their native Jalandhar after the death of his grandmother and to cope with financial struggles here, but Rajandeep has chosen to stay back in Jharkhand and continue pursuing his dream.
“My family has full support and they want me to excel. There were difficult times, but things have fallen into place. My father still drives a school bus in Jalandhar and things have finally become normal. My full focus is now on cricket,” he signed off. PTI TAP KHS
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