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Suryansh Shedge still can’t believe that he has been asked to join the national camp for the T20 series against Ireland and England. The Mumbai and Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder has been named in the squad as a replacement for injured seam bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who will miss the UK tour due to a quadriceps injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced on June 23 that Suryansh Shedge will join the T20I camp in place of Reddy. The Mumbai cricketer can’t believe that he has got a call to join the national cricket team. It is now an emotional moment for the budding cricketer, as he has worked hard over the years.
‘I still can’t sink in’
“Actually, I still can’t dunk it, and I think I won’t be able to dunk it until I get on a flight! I still can’t believe it! This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. And obviously, it’s a very special feeling.”
“And I feel very proud and happy of my parents (Prashant and Priyadarshini) because of the sacrifices they have made for me. Had it not been for them, I would not have become a cricketer,” Shedge told The Times of India in a recent interview.
Suryansh Shedge tells how his mother supports him
The fast bowler and all-rounder mentioned that, to support him, his mother, who worked in a bank, quit her job. “My mother worked in a bank, but she quit her job because she had to accompany me to practices and matches,” the 23-year-old revealed.
This was a shocking development as Nitish Kumar Reddy had been in promising form, and with his improved pace, fans were expecting to see the fast bowler play a significant role in the United Kingdom conditions, where fast bowlers get extra support from the pitch. It was even more shocking when BCCI mentioned Suryansh Shedge as the replacement.
It is a like-for-like replacement, but based on experience, is behind Shedge Reddy. For this achievement, the 23-year-old player thanked all the coaches and well-wishers who helped him reach his destination.
Suryansh Shedge said, “The way Manish Bangera, Jatin Paranjpe and Monty Desai have helped me in my journey is very humbling because they really believed in me. If the environment is such that everyone knows my abilities, and if they keep telling me constantly (about my abilities), then the confidence comes automatically. So, it helped me a lot.”
Reunion with Shreyas Iyer
It is noteworthy that after playing with Punjab Kings and in domestic tournaments, Suryansh Shedge has got a chance to play again under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer at the highest level of the game this time.
“It’s absolutely true. In the last two years, I have made four debuts under his leadership – in the SMAT, Vijay Hazare Trophy, India A and IPL. He is someone who gives his 100% in terms of attitude and commitment towards the team, and that mentality permeates the entire team,” the budding all-rounder said about his experience of playing under Iyer.
