CHENNAI: On a placid wicket at Murugappa Ground during the third round of All India Buch Babu Invitation Tournament on Wednesday, Maharashtra pacer Ramakrishna Ghosh claimed four wickets — two batters were bowled through the gate while one was trapped before the stumps — to bundle out Himachal Pradesh for 239 runs.
The right-arm medium pacer bowled 16 overs during Himachal Pradesh's first innings on the surface where other fast bowlers preferred not to bowl. But that's what he loves to do — extract something from the wicket not offering any assistance to the pacers.
"It's important to be disciplined on surfaces like this as it's a good wicket for batters," the Chennai Super Kings pacer, who was acquired for his base price of Rs 30 lakh for the 2025 season, told this daily. The 28-year-old fast bowling all-rounder said such wickets help bowlers get ready for tournaments like Ranji Trophy.
"For fast bowlers with temperature on the higher side, we have to run hard and bowl fast, I feel that you need to have that discipline, line and length and the channel you are bowling. If you can create pressure then it's good and that's how a bowler should bowl. So we have to bowl on such wickets to get ready for tournaments like Ranji Trophy. On such wickets, you have to bowl in one area consistently. Obviously it's easy for batters but if you keep hitting the right line and length then any batter can face difficulties. Wickets like this make a pacer disciplined. So I will say this wicket is a reality check for any fast bowler, what they need to do and how well prepared they are."
Clubbed in Group A with TNCA President's XI, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, the match was inconsequential for both teams but Ghosh bowled his heart out to lay foundation for his team's maiden win in the tournament. "It's a fantastic tournament just before the Ranji Trophy because going to Ranji, we as fast bowlers manage our workload. To be at the peak, we have to bowl continuously some overs like 25-30 overs a week. So this tournament gives us that platform to know where we are and what we need to do. Also currently in India there is rain almost everywhere so it's really difficult to practice outdoors but being in Chennai, the city has provision that we can practice. The city has such good facilities. The wickets here help us prepare. So we are almost ready for the Ranji season."
Ghosh might not have got a game in the 2025 IPL but gained a lot just by spending time with legends of the game including former India captain MS Dhoni. "During nets, I used to overdo a few things but Dhoni bhai said I should prepare a plan and go about in a structured manner. He said hard work is important but working smart is better. He also asked me to improve my batting if I can do it. I didn't have a lot of interactions with him but whatever we had, he said I have to manage things smartly. He said I have to find ways how I can perform better with my skill set," remembered Ghosh.
He was effervescent in his praise for the five-time champions and said the team is all about positivity. "With CSK I started my IPL journey. The people at CSK are very positive. They are more focussed on what value addition you are doing for the team. Every individual has some weaknesses but CSK believe in what you are adding on for the team and how you can enhance it. That is the one big thing I have observed there. Whomever I have interacted with there they have tried to be positive with me. For example, they told me if I can regularly bowl at 140 kmph and above then it's a good thing. If I manage to maintain my line and length then it becomes difficult for batters at such a pace. Our bowling consultant Eric (Simons) also said if you are bowling with the new ball, try to hit the top of the off stump. Try to swing the ball and focus on the basics and keep things simple."
The pacer threw light on how he and other fast bowlers manage their workload and how the support staff help them in achieving their goal. "We have been told specifically that we have to bowl 25-30 overs in a week. Our trainer, physio and bowling coach tell us this. The BCCI through NCA has prepared a plan for fast bowlers and the same plan is being adapted by every state team. There should not be a sudden spike as it will make bowlers vulnerable to injuries."
Elaborating it further, he said, "Proper sleep is very important. It's being said that when you are in a deep sleep state then your body recovers fast. Then there is ice bath, massage and weight training. Not heavy lifting. Also our doctors and physios keep a regular check on us. If that is done then a pacer can maintain his peak and stay away from injuries."
Ghosh wants to stay injury free and play as many domestic matches as he can during the long season. "Honestly I was having a discussion regarding this (goals) with my coach and Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad), who is a big help. But if you keep a long term goal then it can put you under pressure. Whatever I am hearing and learning from my seniors, they are saying I should take it one match at a time. So that's my plan, play according to the situation. If I get to bat, I have to do that keeping in mind what my team needs and if I bowl, I have to maintain discipline and bowl with accuracy. My aim is to feature in all the matches, give my 100 per cent and step up my performance as per the requirement of the team. I want to stay injury free throughout the tournament," he signed off.