Sudip Gharami Exclusive: Bengal Player on Struggle, KKR, India Dream and More

If you ask any of the followers of Bengal cricket about the next big prospect of the eastern state, most of them will come up with a reply, that is Sudip Gharami. The dynamics of Bengal cricket has found itself in a decent state, and Sudip Gharami can be one of the flagbearers in the future.

Sudip Kumar Gharami, as he is known, is a batter who has showcased his talent in the domestic circuit. The 24-year-old made his Bengal debut in the Final of the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy, and in this short span of three years, he has reached greater heights.

Sudip's immaculate batting quality is a well-known component, which has further excelled with captaincy in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. The 24-year-old comes from a humble Bengali background, and MyKhel had a chance to speak with him in an exclusive interview.

The Start and the Struggle

Sudip Gharami was born in Naihati, a place in the North 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal. The player comes from a humble family background and had to go through a massive struggle. But Gharami recalls it all started with 'a bat and a ball' which his father brought home after a doctor visit.

"My dad was coming back after doctor visit, and he brought a bat and a ball with him. In my childhood, I used to play cricket like every other kid. And people would have told my dad that 'your son is a good player'. And my dad would have told them 'I will see when he grows up."

My coach was Debesh Chakraborty in Naihati but the costly equipment of cricket was a huge struggle. My dad had to loan money to buy the equipment. But my dad wanted to fulfill his wish through me. I owe a lot to Sir (Debesh Chakraborty).

He had to come to a place called Barasat in the misty winter mornings and practice, and slowly Gharami emerged in the youth ranks and broke through the Bengal side. When asked about when he decided to move forward with cricket, the player says nothing ever enticed him and he only wanted to play cricket for the love of it. But as slowly things progressed, the focus increased, said Gharami.

"Eksomoy mathay etai elo je etai amar career. Eta niyei amay cholte hobe. Ja korar etatei korte hobe (The thought came into my mind that this is my career, I will have to move forward and excel in cricket)", the player said.

The Adaptation

Sudip currently plays in all formats for Bengal. But if you check out his batting stats, the striking factor is the way he adapts to the situations. The Bengal player's easiness in the transition across formats is quite admirable, but the player says he had to work a lot to play more aggressive cricket as he predominantly was a Red Ball player.

"I have adapted it over time. Playing T20s helped me as I was predominantly a red ball player. All the tournaments in the club cricket and other practice matches have helped to grow me," Gharami said.

The Captaincy

Sudip Gharami was appointed as the Bengal captain in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It was a big moment for him as the player had to lead the veterans like Anustup Majumdar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep and others. And the player says he got help from all the seniors and cherishes the surreal experience.

"I never thought that I will get captaincy this early. It was a surreal moment and my seniors helped me a lot. They were always supportive, and I could ask them for help without hesitation," Gharami reminisces.

The KKR connection, IPL and Sourav Ganguly

Any player in India, particularly in Bengal, looks up to the Indian legend Sourav Ganguly. And Sudip Gharami is not an exception. The player was recently at the Delhi Capitals camp where he had a meet with the former India captain.

"I attended the Delhi camp and then I had a chance to talk with him. He had seen me before but I saw him at DC camp. He advised me on planning, inning building in T20 and the mentality to find success at the highest level with prompt adaptation," Gharami says.

MyKhel also asked him about the KKR connection last year. Sudip Gharami was supposed to be drafted in as a replacement for Shreyas Iyer, but it was Aarya Desai whom the Knight Riders signed. And the Bengal player confirmed it and also said he was almost signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad last year, but it didn't materialize.

When asked about if IPL is something a part of his focus, Gharami says there is always a dream.

"Yes, there is obviously a will to play IPL. Everything (selection for Indian team) is now through IPL, such a big platform it has become. So, I am working on my game and have it in mind. I want to keep on doing my work and hopefully results will come."

The Bengal Dream

Gharami has been a prolific player for Bengal, having scored 4 centuries and 6 fifties at an average of 40 in Ranji Trophy. In List A cricket, Gharami's credentials are even greater, as the 24-year-old has scored at an average of 61, with 3 centuries and 2 fifties to his name.

Sudip made his debut in a Ranji final in 2020, which ended in a heartbreak. Since the 1990s, when Bengal won the Ranji Trophy, this Eastern State has yet to get their hands on a Ranji title.

The Bengal player says their focus will be to win the Ranji this season, but also believes players will have to get out of their comfort zone and manifest their better self. The player also heaped praises on Bengal coaches Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Saurasish Lahiri.

"Both Laxmi da and Patsy da (Saurasish Lahiri) have been a massive help for me. I have worked with them before and both of them are always guiding, and supporting a player. Another good thing is the extended periods of batting practice which we have got under them."

The India Dream

Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi are Sudip's idols. He grew up watching Tendulkar and is an avid Argentina supporter of Lionel Messi. The player also dreams of wearing the national colours like his idols.

There are five Bengal players (Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhimanyu Easwaran), who are currently in and around the Indian national team, and Sudip Gharami hopes and believes he can add to the list.

It has been an admirable fight for Sudip. He has fought immense financial battles and has sacrificed a lot to reach this stage. Amid the challenges he has crossed, the biggest one is yet to come, wearing the India shirt. And a buoyant Sudip can definitely cross the hurdle.