BENGALURU: Punjab have one of the strongest batting line-ups in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Their top-four has Manan Vohra, Shubman Gill, Yuvraj Singh and Mandeep Singh. Even if some fail, they still have a quality player in Gurkeerat Singh Mann at No 5.
Time was not a factor for Gurkeerat when Punjab faced Railways at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, when he stepped out in the 21st over. The right-hander grabbed that chance with both hands, scoring a 96-ball 101.
What stood out was the way Gurkeerat approached his innings. He took his time in the middle, dealing in singles and cashing in on the occasional loose ball. He changed gears after his half-century, which came in 68 balls. He took just 27 balls for his next 50.
“The best thing a batsman can have is time. You can settle down. Also, when you bat after 20 overs, the ball is also not very old. It does not swing much, so it’s a good time to bat,” said Gurkeerat after the win.
The middle-order batsman twisted his ankle while executing a reverse pull against a pacer. Gurkeerat had already picked up a niggle in Alur a few days ago, and he was playing through pain in this encounter. After this injury, he hopes to recover for the next match.
“I will take rest and get some treatment. Hopefully, I’ll be fine for our next game on Thursday.”
The 28-year-old was also involved with Yuvraj Singh in a 144-run partnership. The southpaw was lucky during his 121-ball 96, as pacers beat his bat a number of times. Despite not being in his element early on, Yuvraj began to showcase his range of shots, even bringing out his trademark short-arm jabs and pulls. He hit five sixes.
The two’s understanding handed Punjab a 58-run win (VJD method). “We have been batting for a few years for Punjab. We have confidence in our abilities. Also, it is a pleasure to watch him bat from the other end,” said Gurkeerat.
ashimsunam@newindianexpress.com