KOCHI: It’s safe to say that even though Sanju Samson hogged the limelight in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, Vishnu Vinod was Kerala’s best performer. With 508 runs in just eight matches — including three hundreds and one fifty — the right-handed wicketkeeper ended the tournament as eight-highest run-getter. Only Mumbai’s Yashasvi Jaiswal matched Vishnu’s three centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Samson’s 212 against Goa and a subsequent India call-up has been among the major news to emerge out of Kerala cricket recently, but the 25-year-old is slowly writing his own story. A strong outing in the 50-over tournament has helped him earn a spot in the India A team for Deodhar Trophy, beginning from October 31. Vishnu wants to polish his skills to suit multi-day games as well.
“In the longer format, I want to spend more time in the middle, limit shots in the air and play more strokes along the ground. I’m learning to play according to the situation.”Vishnu, who likes to be aggressive — his List A and T20 strike rates are 89.31 and 138.1 — has brought in subtle changes to his game that has helped him become more consistent. One individual who has played his part in making this transformation is Robin Uthappa.
“When we were having camp in Chennai (before the tournament), we spent almost an hour talking one day cricket. That was very useful,” he said. “In the first game, I got out trying to play a big shot. Robin bhai sat down with me and told me to play with more responsibility. He spoke a lot of things and it was a good learning curve.”
There was a telling difference in his game in this season as Vishnu started to convert starts into big scores. His standout performance was the 123-run knock against Chhattisgarh where he struck eleven sixes and just five boundaries. It’s not just about going berserk and clobbering sixes. “I’ve been playing my natural game but I’m playing some sensible cricket as well now. I have realised my responsibility and learnt that when a wicket falls, I should focus and not do anything reckless. I’m able to do those things (of late) when I’m in such situation. That talk with Robbie bhai helped.”
Vishnu could be the batting spearhead for Kerala in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, starting November 8, and will be the one to watch out if he carries forward his form.“I guess everyone goes through a rich a vein of form when everything goes right. Maybe it is my time now and things are clicking. I’m going to try to do the same things in the T20s which I did in the one-dayers. I’m not thinking too much and the focus is on batting.”