Manoj Bhandage interview: ‘Being a finisher isn’t just about boundaries’

That Mysore Warriors (MW) are a formidable side is no secret. Among the plethora of superstars set to don MW’s yellow and blue in this season’s Maharaja Trophy is Manoj Bhandage.  

Last season was Bhandage’s first outing with the Warriors, and he announced himself with a tally of 164 runs at a whopping strike rate of 192.94 — the highest for any batter (min. 10 balls). In fact, he struck at over 200 in five of the nine innings he played last year. The 25-year-old also chipped in with the ball in hand, picking seven wickets.

Bhandage might not look like the character he is expected to essay, but with the bat and gear on — he doesn’t take too long to kill those perceptions. 

“I like to keep it short and sweet,” he says at the start of the conversation with Cricket.com.

Aggression is synonymous with the Raichur-born lad. 

Having first made a name with his penchant for six-hitting, Bhandage shies away from the tag of a boundary-hitter. Unsurprisingly, he rolls his eyes when asked about his role as a finisher. 

“Being a finisher isn’t just about aggression and boundaries. We need to understand the situation, read the surface, and be present. We have to contend with slow wickets, tricky pitches, and swinging tracks even," he said.

Add other variables such as end changes and boundary dimensions, you realise why aggression alone will never suffice.

The calmness he exudes while speaking is far beyond his age. Turns out, it’s this trait that has helped him read and adapt to situations better.

In an era where in-your-face aggression is the name of the game, we often hear players talk about pumping themselves up to keep the adrenaline going. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the youngster.

“I am a man of few words. I’ve always been that way, so I can’t change that. No two players are the same in cricket. Everyone has their way of approaching the game, and staying calm has worked for me. The calmer I am, the better I tend to perform. But, it wouldn’t be fair to say that everyone should do that," Bhandage said.

Staying calm is one thing. And being able to execute this on the field is another. 

While the never-ending debate on big-hitting is that it shouldn’t come at the cost of technique, Bhandage has a refreshing perspective to it. He stresses the importance of mental strength over physical ability or technique, saying that a majority of your hitting ability is “in your head”. 

“It just boils down to how well you visualise and back yourself to come good on a given day," the southpaw said.

“Sure, technique has its place in aggressive stroke play. But, as a professional cricketer, you have worked on it all your life. It tends to be a part of your muscle memory. On the other hand, being mentally strong is the tougher part. It requires you to stay in the moment and take on whatever is thrown at you.

“This is where staying calm helps me. It lets me have clarity on what my options are, and what I want to go for in the next delivery. Importantly, it helps me play my shots with confidence. The more you do that, the better you become.”

As much as he has enjoyed playing attacking cricket in the limited-over formats, the red-ball dream still burns brightly. 

Referring to the longest format and the hard yards that one needs to put in to succeed, he’s happy to admit that his initiation to cricket was watching Karnataka play the Ranji Trophy. Growing up in an era where Karnataka dominated the tournament, it’s only natural that he started off with the dream of featuring in the premier red-ball tournament. 

“To be honest, I started off with the ambition to play red-ball cricket at the Ranji Trophy," the youngster reveals. 

"Especially while watching Team India play Tests, the feeling goes up a few notches. Whatever is needed from me, I’m doing it. I’m giving it my all to try and make my dreams come true. Hopefully, I will get a chance to play red-ball cricket one day." 

Anyone who has visited Karnataka will testify to the stratospheric levels of fandom they tend to see in the state when it comes to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). 

And this only gets bigger when one of their own gets to be a part of it. 

Bhandage was part of the RCB setup for the last two seasons of the IPL. Unfortunately, he did not get a chance to feature in the XI even once, despite repeated cries for it. The all-rounder was quick to acknowledge that nothing goes to waste, especially an experience to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best cricketers. 

“In a tournament like the IPL, you get to learn something new everyday, even when you’re not playing. It can be anything — it can be about your technique, it can be about yourself. It’s not easy to stay away from your family, step out of your comfort zone and keep travelling everywhere. Especially when your team isn’t doing well, now, it’s time for me to implement all these learnings in the Maharaja Trophy," he noted. 

T20 cricket has witnessed a paradigm shift in the last couple of years, primarily due to the introduction of the “Impact Player” rule. It has enabled batters to play with more freedom, which in turn has resulted in higher scores than ever before. 

As an all-rounder in a side filled with plenty of them, Bhandage concedes that his tribe has had to bear the brunt of this shift. But, he’s happy to use a glass half-full approach to motivate himself and work harder on both his skill sets. 

“The competition keeps me alert. It’s complacency that kills us," he says.

Short and sweet, just like he promised. 

*All MW images courtesy Mysore Warriors

*RCB image courtesy Manoj Bhandage's Instagram account (@manojbhandage)

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