Odisha T20 League: Ganguly’s number 99 jersey inspired my journey, but bowling is my calling, says Mohanty

New Delhi: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was his childhood idol, but Bhubaneswar Tigers pacer Rajesh Mohanty found his true calling with the ball. It reflected when Mohanty, the former India U19 speedster, produced a clinical spell in a rain-affected match against Kataka Panthers in the ongoing Odisha T20 League.

“Before we left the hotel, our meeting was very clear that the match would be a short-overs game. So, whatever we had planned for the batters and whatever the bowlers had planned, we came fully prepared for that. We had decided that we would play all the overs with full intent.

“As a senior player, if you come forward at such a time, the junior players also get some motivation. They also start playing well. My plan was that when their main batters came to bat, I would come to bowl. We played according to the plan and thankfully, we were successful,” he said in a statement by the tournament on Thursday.

Recalling his early days in cricket and how his coach Deepak Mangaraj guided his transition to pace bowling after being a top-order batter, Mohanty explained, “I started playing cricket a little late in 2015. My mentor and coach Deepak Mangaraj helped me start bowling. When I came to him, I started fast bowling.

“I follow the whole process even today. The result is not in my hands. I don’t think too much about the result. I focus on the process, whether it is training or bowling, and leave the result to God.

“I was a batter, but my coach saw something in me in fast bowling. He told me to focus on bowling, so I slowly started bowling more and stopped concentrating as much on batting. I started enjoying bowling and then felt that bowling could be my career.”

Explaining his connection with Ganguly and why he wears the number 99 jersey, Mohanty revealed how the former India skipper influenced his early aspirations. “I started cricket after watching Sourav Ganguly. He used to bowl medium pace and bat left-handed. I used to play as an opener and also bowl with the new ball.

“There was a little more load on the body, but when I started training and bowling, I got used to it. Then I started enjoying bowling and playing regularly, and I thought bowling was my career. So, I decided to focus on it.”

Mohanty credited his stint at the prestigious MRF Pace Foundation with elevating his understanding of the game. “When I went to MRF, I got to learn a lot. My bowling was perhaps 20-30 per cent good at that time, but after going there, I improved a lot.

“The coaching and the training helped me understand my bowling better. I got to learn more about how to bowl to good batsmen in domestic cricket. I got a lot of support from the people there,” he said.

Reflecting fondly on his India U19 days alongside teammates who have gone on to shine in the IPL and domestic circuits, Mohanty expressed pride in their collective achievements.

“We are still in touch. There are three or four boys whom we still speak to, including Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran (Singh) and Nehal Wadhera. It feels very good to see them playing in the IPL and doing well in domestic cricket. We used to play together and we won the Asia Cup. So, I feel very proud when I see them doing well.”

Picking his favourite memory from his junior days, he added, “I had to defend six or seven runs in one over. I gave away two runs. We won the match. I think that was a turning point in my career. So, being in India U19 is my favourite memory.”

Staying grounded about his goals, Mohanty stressed the importance of process over results and praised his strength and conditioning coach, Shakti Swarup Mohapatra, for maintaining his physical fitness across all formats.

“The result is not in my hands. The process that is in my hands, whether it is training or bowling, I just focus on that. I have left the result to God. As long as I can play, I will focus on my process.

“He (S&C coach) has a very good training programme for me. He wants me to stay fit and play all three formats. Without an S&C coach, I feel it is very difficult to play. I give him a lot of credit,” he said.

Welcoming the exposure provided by state T20 leagues, Mohanty concluded that tournaments like the Odisha T20 League serve as a vital springboard for rising talent. “This is a very good platform. We are playing domestic cricket and new boys are also coming here to play.

“New talent is coming from all over India and people are watching these matches. Scouts are also coming, so it is a good platform for new stars to emerge. Those who do well here can get an opportunity to play in the IPL,” he concluded.