CHENNAI: R Smaran rise as a cricketer in recent years has been well-documented. From the time he got twin centuries in the 2025 Ranji Trophy season – which was his first – all the talks were on whether he could continue that form. But he showed that he is here to stay in the 2026 season.
The left-hander batter from Bengaluru was at front and centre of Karnataka's first Ranji Trophy final appearance in 11 years by being the highest run scorer that season with 950 runs. But in his ultimate pursuit of an India cap across formats, his preparation during the off-season has become ever so important.
With the calendar slowly eating up time to prepare, Smaran believed that whatever time is there, it needs to be used optimally. He works with his childhood coach Syed Zabiulla, who he calls part of his ‘family.’ “We have a very short off-season as we head into the (new) season. Because you get back from the IPL and then you have your own state leagues. And then, the Duleep Trophy. So, you have only one and a half months for you to actually work on your game. That period becomes extremely important, to add new technical skills or a small mindset change that can help you score more runs than the previous domestic season. In the practice sessions, you have to ensure that you switch fast from red-ball to white-ball. Each format has its own demands," he told this daily.
He further explained the importance of using the most out of the short time between tournaments and does not complain about the lack of time. “I think the grass is always greener on the other side. We have gotten used to having short off-seasons. If there was no IPL, then you would have a very long off-season. I feel that everyone has gotten adjusted to the schedule. I don't think anything is going to change that and if not, the IPL is only going to get longer than this. So as players we have to automatically adjust to the schedule and ensure that we utilise the off-season time in the most optimal way,” he said.
With the Duleep Trophy set to begin at the BCCI’s CoE in Bengaluru later this month, the southpaw is going to take it as another cricket match. For the second consecutive year, the 23-year-old has been roped into the South Zone team. “The preparation becomes very important. Heading into the tournament, you are playing directly in the semifinals. We don't know which opposition we are going to play. But I have played in that ground before. So, hopefully, I can get some good preparation. The match is just an extension of what you do at practice so, the more practice the better,” he said.
With a new season, Smaran aims to keep expectations on the side, and try to enjoy the game.
“I feel the more expectations you have, the more pressure you put on yourself. So, ensuring that you actually take it game by game and enjoying the process of playing for your state and having that pride for playing for whichever team you are playing for is what I am focusing on,” he said. One of the key goals he has set for is to stay at the top of the scoring charts in the Ranji Trophy, again. “I don't think anybody has done it before where it's been back-to-back years. It's a very tough task to do but it's not impossible. Hopefully, this year I can score even more runs. The goal this year also is to score 1000 runs,” he said.
‘Can get a lot better with T20 game’
Smaran’s time in SRH – his first full IPL season – did not go at the best of terms. That four to seal victory against Chennai Super Kings under lights at MA Chidambaram Stadium to guide SRH to the playoffs remains the only memorable moment. “Everybody wants to start off their IPL journey on a high and contribute to their team's success and ensure that you're winning games for your team. That was the goal that was set in respect to where I got to play or which stage of the tournament I got to play. But yes, I didn't get off to the greatest of starts. It's a learning experience and you keep getting better with every innings that you play,” he said.
In the current T20 era, batters taking the aggressive route is the norm. Smaran, who has the rigour of red-ball cricket, believed that his T20 game is progressing well. “I can still get a lot better in terms of my T20 game. Taking on the bowlers from ball one is something that I am looking to work towards in this off-season to get better at my T20 game than before. Because nowadays, T20 games are going towards 230-240 runs (especially) in the IPL.
“A lot of work needs to be put in the off-season to ensure that you are ready to face all kinds of bowlers in the IPL. But considering everything, yes. I would say that it is progressing slowly so, hopefully by the time I hit the next IPL, I am prepared to face anything that comes towards me,” he signed off
