At the age of 21, right handed batsman Aneesh K.V. is aiming to make his first class debut for Karnataka State with the ultimate goal of playing for the Indian cricket team. He reached the finals of the Maharaja T20 Trophy earlier this year and also participated in the CK Nayudu Trophy. In this exclusive interview, Aneesh speaks about his favourite cricketer, experiences so far, approach towards different formats of the game, overcoming challenges and future goals.
Q1) Who was your favourite player growing up and what did you like about him?
It’s difficult for me to pinpoint one player as when I was growing up, I always used to admire different aspects of the game from different players. If I was given only one choice, I would pick Rahul sir (Rahul Dravid). The aura around him, the way he carries himself and the brand of cricket he played was very inspirational for me.
Q2) You recently reached the finals of the Maharaja T20 trophy, what was your experience like?
It was an amazing platform for youngsters like myself to showcase our talent. The tournament being televised especially on a platform like Star Sports only added to the benefits as I’m sure many people around the country and possibly the world were watching. All in all it was a tremendous experience and I learnt a lot from it.
Q 3) How is the experience of being part of the senior set up with the likes of international players such as Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey etc? What are some of the lessons that you have learnt from such International players?
It’s been a blessing in disguise for me. If you think of it, all the seniors have represented the country already and for them to be so welcoming is very encouraging. They always take their time out to answer whatever queries we have and make sure that we feel comfortable as players.
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Q4) You are someone who has played T20s and One days, do your tactics and other things such as stance and grip change depending on the format?
Not much as I feel that a batsman who has a good technique should be able to adapt to all 3 formats of the game. For me it’s just a small change in mindset and an emphasis on game awareness as in the shorter format, game awareness becomes crucial.
Q 5) What are some of the biggest challenges in your career so far and how did you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge or my biggest accomplishment so far was for me to believe that I can be a good 'white ball' cricketer. The moment I started believing that I could do it, I saw a few results falling my way.
Q 6) What are your future goals and ambitions? How are you planning to achieve them?
Firstly, to play for Karnataka in the Ranji trophy, thereafter hopefully for India in Test cricket. I’ve always been a huge fan of Test cricket, I believe it to be the purest form of the game and a format that I love and cherish playing the most.
