All-rounder Ramandeep Singh has been selected in the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming T20I tour of South Africa. The all-rounder may make his India debut in the series. He revealed that Gautam Gambhir called him his ‘favourite cricketer” in the Kolkata Knight Riders squad during IPL 2024.
Ramandeep Singh made a crucial contribution to KKR’s campaign in IPL 2024. He used to do the late-hitting duties and was electric in the field for the IPL 2024 champions. He scored 125 runs in 9 innings at an exceptional strike rate of 201.60. Ramandeep played some crucial cameos down the order for KKR in IPL 2024.
He played in the recently concluded ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup for India A. He scored 94 runs in 3 innings at an average of 47 and struck at 191.83. Ramandeep scored a valiant 64 in the semi-final against Afghanistan A. Ramandeep also picked up 3 wickets in the tournament at an economy of 6.66 and a strike rate of just 8.
He is a potential superstar for India in white-ball cricket as he can bat, bowl and is a live wire in the field. He talked about how KKR management gave him a clear role and told him about the team’s expectations of him.
“Before the IPL, when we had a camp in Mumbai under Abhishek Nayar, I was given a clear role about what the team expected from me. I told myself that I had to perform extraordinarily to catch everyone’s attention”.
“My role in the team is to create an impact. It is clearly defined for me; face fewer balls and score more runs”, he concluded.
Gautam Gambhir will be absent during Ramandeep’s potential India debut
After getting selected for the T20I series against South Africa, he revealed in a chat that Gautam Gambhir called him his “favourite cricketer”.
He said, “Gautam sir told me I would be batting at No. 7 and No. 8 and advised me to prepare accordingly.”
He further added, “During an intra-squad match at KKR, my side needed six runs off two balls to win, and I clinched the match with a six. Gautam sir told me, ‘You are my favourite cricketer in this team, and I will back you throughout the tournament. You should never play with fear.”
This shows how much Gambhir backed Ramandeep during IPL 2024. Coach Gautam Gambhir won’t be there for his T20I debut as he will be with the test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Andre Russell is Ramandeep’s role model as an all-rounder. He said he wants to have a similar impact as the Jamaican all-rounder. “When I go to the crease there should be a similar fear in the opposition. I want to create the same impact for India”, he said.
He ended by saying, “Gautam sir planned 30-minute range-hitting sessions, and Russell made sure he was with me. His insights helped me a lot during the IPL“. Ramandeep will be eager to do well for the national side after a good outing in the T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024.
