A Humble Reunion
Avesh Khan was waiting in the corridor when his former Lucknow Super Giants coach, Andy Flower, now with Royal Challengers Bangalore, was addressing the media. As soon as the RCB presser concluded, Avesh, still in his bowling spikes, entered the hall and greeted his former coach with humility. Andy congratulated the seamer on his performance, giving him a pat on the shoulder before leaving.
A Fortunate Trade
Not long ago, both Avesh and Andy were part of the same team, but pre-season movements placed them in different dugouts. Avesh was with LSG for two years before being traded to Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Devdutt Padikkal. While the trade didn’t work out well for Devdutt, Avesh benefited significantly, doubling his wickets from the previous season with LSG. Playing 15 games this season compared to just 9 in 2023 kept him in good rhythm.
Learning from Setbacks
Reflecting on his 2023 performance, Avesh noted that it was nowhere near his stellar 2022 (18 wickets in 13 games) and 2021 (24 wickets in 16 games for Delhi Capitals) seasons. He realized that his body wasn’t fresh enough due to playing 10 Ranji Trophy matches before the IPL, where he bowled approximately 320 overs. This led to physical and mental fatigue.
Technical Adjustments
“When I played for LSG last year, I had bowled a lot in the Ranji Trophy before that. My body wasn’t able to respond well. It’s just a 20-over game, but it takes a lot of effort. When you’re fatigued, the body doesn’t respond well,” Avesh explained. He conducted a thorough analysis of his performance and made technical adjustments to his action with coach Anand Rajan. Playing in the Deodhar Trophy and Duleep Trophy, and making a comeback to the Indian team, helped him understand his body better and manage his effort, rest, and recovery.
Simplifying the Game
The IPL trade brought Avesh to the RR dugout, where he enjoys playing in the larger ground in Jaipur. He has simplified his match-day routine, waking up at 2 PM to avoid overthinking and focusing on execution rather than mental toughness. “You need to focus on execution when under pressure. I keep my cricket simple: sleep, eat, and keep bowling,” he said.
A Philosophical Approach
Avesh also shared his philosophy on cricket and life. “Cricket is a circle. The smaller you keep it, the better. If you complicate it, you see more gaps and need more things. That understanding has changed my life and cricket.”
Maturity Beyond Years
During the 15-minute post-match interaction after the win over RCB, Avesh displayed both innocence and maturity. He has learned not to dwell too much on the past or future, which has helped his performance. Enjoying the game and not taking undue tension has been his mantra. “I played cricket for enjoyment, not money. I consider myself lucky that my passion became my profession,” he stated.
Impressive Performance
Avesh had an impressive outing on Wednesday, returning figures of 3/44, his best in the tournament so far. He picked crucial wickets of Rajat Patidar, Mahipal Lomror, and Dinesh Karthik, preventing RCB from getting a late flourish. His last two overs were particularly economical, conceding only 14 runs and picking two wickets in the 19th over. This performance boosts his confidence ahead of the crucial Qualifier 2 against SRH in Chennai.
Focused on Simplicity
Avesh plans to maintain simplicity in his approach for the next big game. “Keeping things simple helps the mind stay focused. We will play with the same intensity and effort in the next match,” he concluded.(Dubai7 realmoneygame)