Athish's Ranji Breakthrough: From Survival to Flourish in Odisha
Athish's Ranji Breakthrough: From Survival to Flourish in Odisha
Tamil Nadu's S.R. Athish blends patience and flash, drawing on Khawaja-inspired techniques to transform his Ranji Trophy approach.
Tamil Nadu opener S.R. Athish believes his recent Ranji Trophy innings – 50 and a career-best 88 against Odisha – mark an important step in his evolution as a batter, as he learns to balance his natural shot-making instincts with the demands of long-form cricket.
The wicket was keeping a bit low, and there was seam movement early. The plan was to see off the new ball because once it gets older, the lateral movement reduces. Athish explained how that thinking shaped his first innings. "That’s why, when I started this (second) innings, I started very slowly," he said on Saturday. With movement off the pitch dying down quicker in the second innings, Athish felt freer to expand his game. "Run-making became easier. I could bring out my shots a bit earlier," he added, underscoring the gap between a scratchy start and a more compact, occasionally flamboyant second effort.
In terms of inspiration, the left-hander said he closely studies “videos of Usman Khawaja’s batting,” breaking down “shot selection, when to play them, and technique.” Khawaja’s “open stance,” in particular, resonates with him. Looking ahead, Athish feels encouraged by what he describes as a shift in Tamil Nadu’s batting culture. “Earlier, it was more about surviving. Now, batters are looking to score runs and put bowlers under pressure,” he said.
