Sanvir Singh got off the mark on his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut with a slap over mid-on for a six off Mohammed Shami when Sunrisers Hyderabad played against Gujarat Titans in May 2023.
For an ‘excited and a bit nervous’ Sanvir, that shot gave him a lot of confidence and showed ‘that I can take on the best bowlers in the world’.
He only played two games in that season, but the experience was worth more than that.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to carry forward that confidence and experience into the season,” the 27-year-old said in an interaction with Sportstar.
Sanvir is one of the 18 players retained by SRH ahead of the IPL 2024 season. “It feels great,” he said.
A pace bowling all-rounder, Sanvir is a rare breed in the Indian cricket ecosystem.
In the inaugural season of the Sher-e-Punjab tournament earlier this year, Sanvir was the Player of the Tournament for his 502 runs with the bat and 15 wickets.
Sanvir said his time in the SRH camp and conversations with seniors like Brian Lara and Aiden Markram helped him.
“The advice, ‘don’t lose your shape, hold it, and hit the shots’, gave me good success even in Sher-e-Punjab,” Sanvir said.
SRH captain Aiden Markram with Sanvir Singh after he dropped the catch of Rohit Sharma during IPL 2023. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS FOR IPL
During the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), which Punjab won, Sanvir scored 142 runs at a strike rate of 208.82 and picked two wickets in the eight overs that he bowled.
With the introduction of the Impact Player rule, Sanvir is aware that the requirement is now to be highly skilled in both departments.
His training during the tournament included batting sessions “keeping match situations in mind” and working on his pace bowling to gain control over his line and lengths.
“I prepare myself as an all-rounder even if I don’t get a lot of bowling opportunities. Because of the Impact Rule, the all-rounders get less opportunities but I’m still working to improve my skills,” he said.
“With time, you realise what the team requires,” he added.
In the quarterfinals, Punjab needed 84 runs in seven overs when Sanvir arrived at the crease. He found himself in a situation he had trained for.
“I’m preparing a lot on how I can win matches from different situations.”
Sanvir scored 35 off 13 and won the game with five balls to spare. “I had already visualised how I can win a match from those points in a crucial game. It was a knockout game and that innings came at that point was very good,” he said.
Now, for his next visualisation, Sanvir is looking forward to working with his new coach, Daniel Vettori, when he once again joins the SRH camp.
“Hopefully I’ll win matches for the team,” Sanvir said.
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