Duleep Trophy 2022: I’m very confident about my abilities, just need to be consistent, says Ravi Teja

South Zone will take on West Zone in the final of Duleep Trophy 2022 in Coimbatore. The two sides put up a dominant show in their respective semi-final clashes and a high-voltage drama is surely on the cards.

South Zone’s Ravi Teja, who notched up a hundred in the last game, in an exclusive conversation with Firstpost talked about the positive atmosphere in the dressing room after the thumping win against North Zone and how confident he is, considering the kind of form he has been in in the last few months.

“The atmosphere in the dressing room is positive. We all have put in efforts and have made valuable contributions. We are ready for the final. Moreover, we have some very experienced players like Mayank (Agarwal), Manish (Pandey), (Hanuma) Vihari in the unit,” Teja said.

“We are very confident especially after the way, we performed in the last match. Everybody is in good touch.”

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The all-rounder is playing competitive cricket after some gap. When quizzed about how he has kept himself in the groove, the left-handed batter said that he had been playing local tournaments in Hyderabad during the off time.

“I was playing a lot of local tournaments and matches during the off season because I have had a good Ranji season and wanted to stay in that groove. So, I was playing three-day matches in league tournaments in Hyderabad during that time.”

The right-arm bowler also talked about his bond with the South Zone captain Hanuma Vihari and praised his ‘brilliant’ captaincy.

“Me and Vihari share a very good bond. In fact, we both are from the same school and we are childhood buddies. As a captain, Vihari is a brilliant leader and his understanding of the game is just remarkable. For instance, the fourth day wicket (during the semi-final) was turning a lot so, he thought that a left-hander might come in handy and that’s why I was sent at number three.”

When asked further about the conversations that the two childhood buddies have, Teja revealed that Vihari always talks about keeping a positive mindset and producing impactful performances.

“His only suggestion is that keep a winning and positive mindset and try to produce impactful performances wherever you play. Apart from this, we also have discussions about facing particular bowlers. All his inputs are very valuable.”

The all-rounder was also all praise for the South Zone unit that comprises some big names like Mayank Agarwal, Vihari, K Gowtham and Manish Pandey. Teja further shared his experience of being a part of such a star-studded lineup.

“I was very surprised to see the way they welcomed me in the side. They all are very humble and welcoming. In fact, I had a chat with Mayank before the match and he also gave me some good tips. Overall, it has been a pretty good experience with all these players and they have been very supportive and friendly,” he said.

The 27-year-old is pretty confident about his abilities as an all-rounder but also admitted that he needs to be consistent. He further talked about his fitness regime during the off-season and how keeps himself fit and match ready.

“I’m very confident about my abilities. I do possess all the factors that the Indian team wants right now. I have been picking wickets, scoring runs, now got a hundred as well and can play all three formats. I just feel, I need to be consistent in the way I have been performing and have the belief that I can perform at the highest level.”

“I keep my workout regime on point and specific. I travel to Bangalore during the off-season to keep myself in shape and groove. I stay there for almost two months and also follow a proper diet. You can have ability and skill but fitness is something that helps you sustain at the competitive level. It’s very important to have the preparation during the off-season,” Teja said.

Being an all-rounder needs some extra bit of hard work and the Hyderabad all-rounder shared how he manages his routine for the same.

“I work on both but on alternate days. Like, on the days when I do strength training, I work on my bowling and when I do running and all, I work on my batting on those days. I want to be a genuine all-rounder and to be there, I need to focus on both the aspects,” he concluded.

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