Interview with Manoj Tiwary: "If opportunity comes, I am ready for it"

2013 was a bad year for you, apart from the IPL misadventure, you had a shoulder injury and a knee surgery. It’s a year you’d want to forget. In 2014, you scored heavily in List-A matches, but weren’t considered for the World Cup, as you hadn’t played much international cricket in the lead up to it. Saying all of this, what are your expectations for the upcoming Bangladesh tour? You think you’ll be selected?

I did well in Duleep Trophy in Rohtak, where it’s difficult to get runs, I got a century there. I scored 200 plus runs in the Deodhar Trophy and more than 300 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. So with that kind of a performance backing me, I would love to get rewarded with a call-up. It’s just that I didn’t get much chance to play in the IPL this year. I have a lot of expectations as far as getting an India call-up is concerned, a longer run hasn’t come my way, when it does, I can contribute a lot more.

To be fair to the Indian management, they have showed faith in you. Your injury treatments have been sponsored by the BCCI, you have been made captain of the India-A and Rest of India teams, and you have had a central contract for a long time now. It does imply that the selectors still believe in you, and are backing you to come good. So all hope isn’t lost.

I must thank the selectors for their support, be it in the form of past selections or in the form of captaincy for the India-A side. I know that they have the belief in me, but somehow, I have been missing out on a longer rope, and I can only hope that I get it soon so that I can contribute by scoring a lot of runs for my country. I am working hard now; my practice sessions will be in preparation for the Bangladesh tour. Let’s see what happens, fingers crossed. Whatever I have been at the receiving end of till now has been more to do with my bad fortune than with individuals.

Manoj Tiwary in action for India A against Australia A in 2014

Do you think your age will go against you?

Age is just a number, as long as you are fit and can contribute for your team, you are good to go. Look at Pravin Tambe for that matter, see how good he is at the age of 43. Age is just a convenient tool for critics to find flaws in you with. As a batsman, you get better thirty onwards, and it is the best time to score a lot of runs, with all the experience behind you. If opportunity comes, I am ready for it.

Moving on, I wanted to know about your vision for Bengal Cricket. Bengal hasn’t done too well in the domestic circuit lately, but have initiated a lot of positive changes like having VVS Laxman as a mentor and the ‘Vision 2020’ program. What are your plans for cricket in the state?

Vision 2020 is a great initiative to unearth talent. Bengal has the potential to win Ranji Trophy regularly and not just once or twice. It’s just that we aren’t getting our acts together in the 4-day format, but we have done relatively well in List-A matches.

Our main focus right now is 4-day matches, as a team, we want to reach knock-out stages of the Ranji Trophy. Everyone is eager and hungry to win the longer format.

It’s been a long time since we have seen as good a team core in Bengal as we have seen with the likes of you, Wriddhiman Saha, Mohammed Shami, Ashok Dinda and Laxmi Shukla around. Young Sudip Chatterjee is coming along well, it’s now or never.

Yes, we have good promising cricketers apart from the players who are in and around the Indian team. It’s just that we have to convert that potential into performance. We need to find a way, and pull in the same direction as far as a common goal is concerned. Winning the Ranji Trophy is something we all want to do.

Bengal’s Manoj Tiwary, Sourav Ganguly and Ashok Dinda

The challenge that Bengal faces right now will be the absence of Saha and Shami, who will be busy with India duties. Replacements need to be found.

Yes, their experience will be missed when they aren’t around. At the same time, I will always like it if they can join us whenever they are available to play and help the team move forward. Reaching the knockouts of the Ranji Trophy gets you recognized, and provides a good platform for young players. If we play to our potential, we will be a good team. We need to work in a correct way, with purpose and be ruthless. We can’t slip up during important moments by being soft in our approach.

Finally, Manoj, we all know the kind of hardships you’ve had to endure in your quest to play Cricket. From the modest Railway Quarters of Howrah, you have worked your way up, to become one of only 195 players to have played for India in 40 years of one-day cricket. Irrespective of whether you play for India ever again, are you proud of yourself? Especially considering the struggle you have seen and the way you have emerged victorious.

Obviously, I am very proud of myself. I will take this opportunity to thank each and everyone, starting with my family members, my coach Manabendra Ghosh, who has been a pillar all throughout, and all the other people who have been associated with me ever since my U-16 days in Bengal. Of course, not to forget my Bengal team mates. Everyone has played a major role. Obviously, I am extremely proud, but I feel I can deliver more, and haven’t lived up to my potential yet. I badly want to play for India again and serve my country.