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Jagadeesha Suchith might not have got a call-up for the Sri Lanka series, but that hasn't dimmed his tenacity.
A combative left-arm spinner and a useful lower-order batter, Jagadeesha Suchith has spent most of his career in the shadows of experienced campaigners: Krishnappa Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal in Karnataka; Axar Patel and Amit Mishra at Delhi Capitals, Ravichandran Ashwin at Punjab Kings and Shahbaz Nadeem at Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The 27-year-old knows how to take disappointments in his stride and be a team man from the sidelines and keep looking ahead. Jagadeesha Suchith knows that with so much competition for places, his opportunities might be limited.
Nevertheless, he also has enough belief in his ability and knows that he could be one good season away from realising his ambitions of playing for India. "The dream is what keeps you going," he says, and he also believes in it.
Also Read: "I hoped to play in the SRH XI much sooner than I did" - Jagadeesha Suchith [Exclusive]
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jagadeesha Suchith gives an insight into his mindset, how he looks to learn from Ravindra Jadeja, how he wishes to make the selectors take notice of his performances and more.
Jagadeesha Suchith explains Karnataka's domestic dominance
In the last four years, Karnataka have won two Vijay Hazare trophies and an equal number of Syed Mushtaq Ali titles. It is no surprise that as many as six players from the state are currently a part of the Indian team for the England and Sri Lanka tours.
Having played an integral role in Karnataka's domination in domestic competitions, Jagadeesha Suchith knows what makes the team stand out from the rest. He attributed his state team's success to the conducive team atmosphere, a robust system set up by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the general mindset of every player to win games for the state.
"I came into the Karnataka team when it was at its peak. We won six trophies between 2013 and 2014. If I am not wrong, eight of the guys from that team were a part of the Duleep Trophy, and they won, and a lot of other cricketers were knocking on the doors of Indian cricket. We had a packed side and everyone was at their peak," said Jagadeesha Suchith.
He continued in this regard:
"When I went into the team, starting with captain Vinay Kumar, the atmosphere of the team was outstanding. Any youngster would love to be in an atmosphere like that. It really inspired all the youngsters, and that’s why we picked the team routines and the way the team practiced... I would say that the KSCA have done a great job by having a lot of tournaments prior to the domestic season. We play a lot of games and then get a lot of time to practice as a team. And the atmosphere - the team always comes first, and we look to win game,s and there are always players in the team, both seniors or youngsters, waiting for their chance to win games for Karnataka and not just be a part of the XI, and look after themselves. This is one of the main reasons why Karnataka have been so successful and consistent over the past few years."
Jagadeesha Suchith's dream of playing for India
Karnataka's rise immediately brought its pillars, both young and experienced, into the spotlight. When Jagadeesha Suchith and Gowtham started running through lineups in domestic cricket, many pinned their hopes on them being the heirs of the legendary Indian spin-bowling pair of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Jagadeesha Suchith still harbours that ambition to don India colours. He says he'll be the 'happiest guy' when that day comes, adding that it would be even sweeter if he has Gowtham alongside him.
"Every morning when you wake up, you dream of playing for the country. That dream doesn’t change, and as long as we hold that dream, the desire to perform in each and every game, the desire to win more will not go away. Every cricketer in India has the same hope and dream of playing for the country one day, and if you do that alongside your teammate with whom you have been playing for a very long time, nothing like that. The dream is what keeps you going; it’s what makes you work hard day in and day out. And if that happens any time soon, I’ll be the happiest guy," raved Jagadeesha Suchith.
As expected, Gowtham was named in India's 24-man squad for Sri Lanka. When asked if he expected a berth for himself, Jagadeesha Suchith, unfazed, looked at the brighter side of things.
He feels that India fielding two international teams is yet another example of how opportunities are there to be grabbed. Moreover, now that he has put up a couple of impressive performances for SRH, he believes he's only a few steps away from earning an India cap.
"It’s just an example of how important IPL is for a cricketer. It’s just a matter of one good season, and you can find yourself anywhere. The kind of opportunities we have these days, the number of matches you play... An international team fielding two different sides speaks volumes about the quality of Indian cricket and the number of cricketers that are playing currently. All thanks to the IPL and the exposure we youngsters get. It’s a matter of one good domestic season following one good IPL season. Now that I have started reasonably well for SRH, I hope to play a lot more matches in the UAE and give my best over there followed by the domestic season, and you never know what can happen in a year," Jagadeesha Suchith added.
A role model in Ravindra Jadeja
There are few better players to look up to than Ravindra Jadeja for a budding left-arm off-spinner in India.
Jagadeesha Suchith has many similarities with Jadeja: a rocket arm, razor-sharp anticipation for catches and a penchant for power-hitting.
Suchith 'definitely' sees Jadeja as an inspiration. He revealed that the two all-rounders often stay in touch during the IPL, and Jadeja has shared some invaluable tips with the youngster.
"Definitely, you know, since the time I started playing the IPL whenever I get a chance to talk to him either, he comes to talk to me or I go to him and I ask him about my bowling and batting. Yes, we have similar qualities. Not to mention he has been a longstanding performer for India. We all know he has won us so many games. In the last couple of years, he has even moved up a notch," gushed Jagadeesha Suchith.
Jagadeesha Suchith also said that he tries to 'match' Jadeja, accepting that coming close to the latter's match-winning ability is the only way to make selectors take notice. He said in this regard:
"Watching him perform, you also want to think that you are in the same category and almost try to match him. If you want to play for India, you’ll have to match him or at least get closer to him. These are the things that I think about when I watch him play, and if I can replicate that in the domestic circuit, I don’t see a reason why I can’t stake my claim in the international arena."
"If you stop evolving, your career will become stagnant" - Jagadeesha Suchith
In an environment as competitive as India's, it doesn't take long for a bowler to be 'found out'. But Jagadeesha Suchith is up for the challenge. He provided an insight into how he's continually adding new tricks to his repertoire while polishing his powerplay skills at the same time.
"I have been bowling the new ball. I bowl two overs in the powerplay in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. So I have been comfortable with bowling with the new ball from before. Even in my debut game in the IPL,, I bowled in the powerpla,y if I remember correctly. So, I have been comfortable bowling in the powerplay. But since last year, when I was a part of Kings XI Punjab, I worked a lot more on bowling with the new ball. I have added an arm-ball as well; I am bowling with different releases, bowling a lot of cross-seams," said Jagadeesha Suchith.
Jagadeesha Suchith also acknowledged the need to evolve himself to avoid becoming 'stagnant' in his career. He said in this regard:
"My arm-ball has especially been a wicket-taking option for me since the last IPL. I used it in the domestic circuit too and got a lot of good results and a lot of wickets. You need to keep evolving as a cricketer, keep trying to add a lot of new thing, and try to master a lot of new things if you have to survive in the domestic circuit and play for India. If you stop evolving, your career will become stagnant, and you won’t be able to move up the ladder."
Jagadeesha Suchith stakes his claim for the No. 7 spot in the Indian team
Providing yet another example of his sharp acumen, Jagadeesha Suchith noted that most teams, including the Indian team and SRH, lack a strong all-rounder at the No. 7 position.
He knows he hasn't stood up to expectations with the bat in the past to fit that role. But Jagadeesha Suchith said that he's close and waiting for the right opportunity to showcase his skills when an opportunity presents itself.
"You see these days, the Sunrisers team and the Indian team need someone who can bat really well at No. 7, and I think batting is where I have lacked all these years. Bowling, as I told you, I have been evolving for some time, but batting is where I got stuck in between. After my first season in the IPL, I failed to put in the performances that the team was expecting from me with the bat. Now that I have started batting well agai,n I look to improve myself with the bat a lot more, and (if I do so) a lot of opportunities will open up," said Jagadeesha Suchith.
He continued in this regard:
"You see these days, players who can bowl and field well while contributing with the bat are the kind of players that are required in any team. I am hoping for a lot more opportunities in the UAE, given the fact that some of the international players might miss out due to various reasons. I am looking forward to playing most of the games over there, performing the best I can and winning games for SRH."
There's a thin line between self-belief and misplaced confidence, which often defines the success of a sportsperson. But Jagadeesha Suchith has produced a few impactful performances, which have imbibed him with the necessary self-belief to flourish on the big stage.
Jagadeesha Suchith has the wherewithal to take the leap, and he doesn't want to let an opportunity go begging should it present itself.
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