“Hard work lies ahead”: Khanin Saikia

The promising young cricketer from Assam reveals that his ultimate aim is to find a berth in the senior national team.

It was great news for the sports fraternity of Assam and the North East when promising left arm spinner Khanin Saikia was selected to represent the country in the under-19 World Cup New Zealand. Calm and focussed on the game Khanin is a product of the Guwahati cricket watching centre run by famous coach Nawab Ali. A first year student of Guwahati Commerce College, Khanin had tremendous enthusiasm and interest for the game from the time when he was just a toddler. Although he is the fourth player from Assam after Rajesh Bora, Zaved Zaman and Gautam Dutta to be selected for the under-19 World Cup squad, the State has high hopes from this young lad, who may believe has the right temperament and talent. Before leaving Guwahati to join the rest of the squad. Khanin was approached by the North East News Agency for a tęte-ŕ-tęte.

Excerpts:

NENA:   Congratulations. How do you feel now?

Khanin Saikia: Thank you. I am simply elated. However, lots of hard work lies ahead.

NENA:  Were you very sure of your selection or it did come as a surprise?

K.S.:  On the day of the announcement of the squad, I felt little nervous. However, looking back in retrospect, I was confident of making to the squad. My performance in the trial matches was the reason of my confidence. Even in my last trial match, my bowling figures were 8-2-21-5. Nonetheless, I admit that it was a tough fight.

NENA:  Whom do you owe your success to?

K.S.: There are so many people behind my success. State’s senior players motivated and helped me. I am grateful to my coaches past and present. They include Bamon Ali, Manoj Bhagwat and state Ranji coach, Kamal Das. However, the person who is most responsible for whatever little I have achieved is Nawab Sir (Nawab Ali). I have grown and matured as a cricketer under his guidance. He has been a great coach and motivating factor. I am grateful to my state Assam and its people. And then how can I forget my parents without whom I couldn’t have come this far.

NENA:  All through these years, how supporting have been your parents?

K.S.:  Their support has been monumental. It was my father (G.S. Saikia, is an officer with the State Bank of India in Guwahati) who provided the impetus and carried me first to the Guwahati cricket coaching centre. Apart from moral support, my father was very particular that I do regular yoga to be in perfect health. My mother also has immense belief in me. My confidence has developed due to such caring and supporting parents.

NENA:  You also said that you are grateful to the State of Assam. But don’t you feel that a sportsman in other states enjoys better facilities and ambience than available in Assam or for that matter the North-East?

K.S. :  Yes, it is true that this region lags behind in facilities and infrastructure. But it should not be the concern of a genuine sportsperson. He should make the best of the conditions available to him. I think if someone has taken and is ready to work hard, then he will rise, whatever province he may be from. However, one cannot overlook the fact that this region has lots of talent.

NENA:  Now coming to the World Cup in New Zealand, the Indian squad has one orthodox leg spinner in the team. Given the chance in New Zealand, maybe one of you will be in the playing XI. How fair is your chance to actually be in the XI.

K.S.: Before making New Zealand, we will be playing a number of practice matches with local senior division teams in Australia, where the pitch is similarly hard and bouncy as in New Zealand. I think our entry into the playing XI will depend on the performance in these practice matches.

NENA:  Even if you are selected in the XI, what will be your strategy in the unfriendly -- to spinners -- New Zealand wickets?

K.S.: I will concentrate more on line and length and not try to experiment too much.

NENA: We have come to know that in the training camp held in Bangalore from December 6 to 24, you got some valuable tips from famous spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. What did they teach?

K.S.: They also said the same thing that we should concentrate more on line and length, tie the batsman down and let him commit mistakes on his own. They shared their experience about the behaviour of Australian and New Zealand pitches.

NENA: After the exit of Ravi Shashtri, Venkatpathy Raju and Sunil Joshi, the spot of a classical left arm-spinner hasn’t yet been filled in the national side. Can we see Khanin Saikia in this position?

K.S.: My ultimate aim is to play for the country. This is my golden opportunity. Selection to the U-19 World Cup squad is not an end in itself. I have to go on performing well consistently to get the nod of  approval of the national selectors. It needs lots of hard work and also an element of luck.

NENA: There is a dearth of true allrounders in the national team. Being a young cricketer yourself, how good you are with the bat? How do you rate yourself as an allrounder?

K.S.: I have been paying attention to my batting in the recent past. In the trials before the U-19 selection, I batted quite well and scored three fifties and totalled 315 runs. This may have been another cause of my selection. A spinner who can be useful with the bat can contribute well for the team. With some hard work I can foot the bill as an all rounder. However, in the recent future, the concentration will be more on my bowling if I want to develop myself into a complete spinner.

NENA: To hone your bowling, do you intend to undergo some special coaching in future?

K.S.: Yes, I have thought of joining the NCA.

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