Interview with Chama Vrajendra Milind, India U-19 pace bowler.

Interview with Chama Vrajendra Milind, India U-19 pace bowler

With the U-19 World Cup hardly a month away, the preparations are in full swing for defending champions India. The young squad are an extremely confident bunch having won the quadrangular series in Australia last year and followed it up with triumphs in the Quadrangular series in Vizag and more recently, winning the U-19 Asia Cup in Sharjah, the venue for the World Cup.

The bunch are a part of a pretty settled squad, some of whom have been part of the squad since two years. An integral part of this squad is left arm quickie Chama Milind, who has impressed with his performances in Australia, and who will be looking to make it count once the World Cup gets under way.

We caught up with Milind, who was kind enough to take a few minutes off from his hectic schedule to speak with us.

First of all, Congratulations on being selected to represent India in the U-19 World Cup. How are the preparations going on?

Thank You so much. The preparations are going good. All the guys have gathered and we started our camp and well, yes, the preparations are in full swing now.

The U-19 World Cup has been a huge platform for players before they make the senior grade. A prime example would be Virat Kohli, who’s the leading batsman in the country right now. So, how big is this World Cup? Is it like a make or break tournament for you?

I wouldn’t say it’s a make or break opportunity, but it definitely is a big platform for any player. I look it as a good chance to do well for my country and that’s what I’m focusing on.

Tell us how and when did  you get hooked on to the sport of Cricket.

I actually started off playing tennis, and then I moved on to skating and a few other sports. I randomly liked Cricket and has been my passion once I started playing the game. I would have probably been around 8 when I started playing cricket.

You are a left arm fast bowler. If you had to pick one bowler whom you would consider your idol, whom would it be?

Wasim Akram

India have always struggled with producing quality fast bowlers. You had the likes of Munaf Patel, who started off as a fast bowler and then he gradually reduced pace. What do you have to say about that? Is pace really important for a fast bowler or is it the line and lengths that you hit that is more important?

The pace! Speed is extremely important for a fast bowler. If you are not fast enough, then you are not a fast bowler; you become a medium pacer. Every fast bowler wants to bowl very fast. The main thing with a fast bowler is maintaining your fitness.

Yes, that was my next question. Fitness is a very important criterion for a fast bowler. Is there any special regime that you follow?

No, there is no special regime that I follow but I stick to the routine stuff. You know your body better than anyone else and thankfully, I haven’t gotten injured so far.

Coming back to the U-19 World Cup, we had GH Vihari who represented Hyderabad in the previous edition and bagged an IPL contract when he came back. Are you looking at bagging an IPL contract too when you come back?

Well, if it written in my fate then I will get an IPL contract. But for now, I’m just focused on doing well at the World Cup.

Which format of the game do you prefer playing the most?

Definitely the longer format. I think four day or five day cricket is the real test for a player and I certainly enjoy playing the longer format of the game.

Just one last question before we let you go. How long do we have to wait till we see Milind in the blues of India for the senior team? Is there a time-frame that you have set for yourself?

For now, I’m just focused on doing well with the opportunities I get and let my performances do the talking. There is no time-frame set as such, as it would put added pressure on myself.

Thank You, Milind for your time and we, on behalf of The Sports Mirror, wish you all the very best for the upcoming U-19 World Cup. Looking forward to see some fiery spells from you.

Tags: Chama Milind, Chama Vrajendra Milind, Cricket, Hyderabad, India under-19, Pace Bowler, Sports, U-19 World Cup, Virat Kohli, Wasim Akram, World Cup