Robin Uthappa: A lost warrior

Indore, INDIA: Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa raises his bat to the crowd after completing a half century (50 runs) during the final One Day International (ODI) cricket match between India and England at The Usha Raje Cricket Ground in Indore, 15 April 2006.

April 2006 – India vs England, 7^th ODI. A young batsman, playing in his first-ever international game, caught the eyes of every Indian fan, player and selector alike with a spectacular innings of 86.

Mid-2008 till date: injuries, form slumps, the occasional brilliant innings whenever recalled, always on the fringes of selection, relegated to the dust bowls of domestic cricket.

Robin Venu Uthappa has seen extremely turbulent times in his stop-start career. From the highs of being the first Indian to score a 50 in a T20 international, to the lows of having been demoted to a Grade C contract by the BCCI, the powerfully-built lad from Kodagu, Karnataka, has been through a roller-coaster ride in the last 5 years. Once considered a long-term prospect at the top of the order, Robbie (as he’s nicknamed by friends and family) is now consigned to plough a lonely furrow in domestic competitions, and occasionally in the IPL. And most unfortunately for die-hard fans of this power hitter, he looks completely lost – a shadow of his former self.

Like any in-form batsman, Robbie is a treat to watch when he is in full flow. He is equally adept at playing both spin and pace, and has made the reverse sweep his own. Along with Matthew Hayden and Gautam Gambhir, he’s known for his tactic of walking down the track to the bowler and playing an aggressive shot. Till early 2008, the young lad figured quite prominently in the Indian think-tank’s scheme of things. None of his die-hard fans will ever forget his ice-cool knock in the 6th ODI of the NatWest Series against England in 2007-2008 that helped India level the seven-match series, or his unyielding, determined 51 against Australia at the SCG the same year. Post the highs, however, were the lows – a troublesome shoulder, a tendency to chase too many deliveries outside the off-stump, a growing vulnerability to spin (especially to the wizardry of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis) and a prolonged form slump – all these have relegated the “Walking Assassin” to the hinterlands of domestic cricket.

Consistency has never quite been his forte. It has dogged him for much of his playing career – especially at the wrong times. Uthappa would have been an automatic choice for the 2011 World Cup had it not been for a lacklustre and indifferent performance in the Ranji games. Besides, in the few T20 appearances he made against South Africa and England, there was hardly anything to write home about. He entered the IPL with a determined air, focused on pacing himself through his innings – and the old malaise of inconsistency struck him again and again. A lacklustre performance during the Ranji Trophy (barring the occasional superlative knocks) also hampered his chances of making a comeback to Team India.

One could argue that Robbie hasn’t been given his fair share of the proverbial long rope, as evidenced in the case of Rohit Sharma. In terms of skill and flair, the latter probably has a slight advantage. But when it comes down to performing successfully over a period of time, both are, sadly, still greenhorns despite their exploits. Yet, Robbie was shunted aside in the menagerie of what we all know as the Great Indian Cricketing Circus, while Rohit has got his “second wind”, and grabbed the opportunity gleefully. However, Robbie hasn’t done justice to his full potential, not even in the wilderness of Ranji cricket. He has been a let-down at crucial junctures in his innings, and has more often than not got out playing rash shots after getting his eye in.

Since he made his way into the national side following superb performances in the Challenger Trophy, I’ve followed Robbie as he set about trying to establish himself as a premier batsman. Over time, I’ve seen reason enough to believe that inconsistency and a few technical flaws have been his perennial bugbears. His ploy of walking down the pitch to charge the bowler is now long gone. Footwork against both pace and spin is very vital for a batsman aiming to play a long knock. Sadly, Robbie seemed to have forgotten how and when to move his feet. He is one of the few who can play the short ball extremely well, but come game time, Robbie’s nerves seem to get the better of him. Each time he walked back after getting out early during the IPL, his body language and demeanour betrayed his feeling of hopelessness. He looked lost, forlorn, jaded.

But Robbie isn’t going to fade away without a fight.

He knows it will be a long haul back into the national fold. He knows it may be his last chance. He looks slimmer, fitter and much more determined than the rookie of 2007. Gone is the arrogance, the swagger that marked his walk to the crease – replaced by a measure of quiet confidence and a will of steel. He may not have the grace of a Yuvraj or the solidity of a Dravid, but he is tenacious, and tenacity often makes you reach heights that have never been scaled before. Captaining the Karnataka Ranji side occasionally has also made him a more responsible, mature player. Despite his best efforts, he is still unable to break the shackles of inconsistency. Forgotten by selectors, by the public (except for his still-loyal fans) and by those he once shared the dressing room with, Robin Uthappa remains the lost warrior of Indian cricket for now.