Rony credits 'mental shift' for BPL success and national team recall

Rony Talukdar has been around for a while but never quite made a name for himself despite being a fluent strokemaker. He shows glimpses of his prowess every season but the consistency was missing. Rony made his international debut in a T20I against South Africa eight years ago but was discarded soon after that. That remains Rony's only appearance in international cricket but a prolific BPL season saw him make an unlikely comeback to the team for England T20Is.

It was Rony's breakout season without any doubt. Opening the batting for Rangpur Riders, he scored 425 runs at an average of 36.6 and a strike-rate of 129. 

Rony's joy knew no bounds when he heard the news. "It's a great feeling," Rony told The Business Standard. 

"As a player, you have to do well wherever you play. It's all about performances and fitness. I have been training keeping that in mind. Sometimes things have gone my way, sometimes they haven't. But I tried to train differently for different formats. I have worked extensively with [Sarwar] Imran Sir," he said.

The 32-year-old batter said his transformation included a change in mindset. He credited eminent local coach Sarwar Imran for his success. "I had a tendency of playing too many shots in the air. I worked on that ahead of the BPL. At the same time, I tried to change my mindset. I tried to remain focused and play shots along the ground. I often consulted [Sarwar Imran] Sir and sent him videos of my batting," he said.

Making a comeback to the national team was something that was always in his mind. "That was always my target. As I said, I trained differently for different formats and tournaments. I used to train at Knit Concern Academy in Narayanganj. They have three teams that play in the Narayanganj League. Some Premier League clubs don't have the facilities that they have."

"I want to thank Jahangir Molla bhai, the owner of Knit Concern, for the support. The academy helped me follow my process," Rony stated.

For the right-hander, following the process is more important than anything else. "I am trying to prepare myself mentally so that I can play well wherever I play. If I get an opportunity in the team, I will try my best. If it doesn't happen, then I'll continue to give my best in domestic cricket."

"My time with Sarwar Imran Sir gave me rewards. Look at Litton Das. You can learn a lot simply by watching him bat. He doesn't hit the ball too hard. He just times the ball. I have been following his style of play," Rony concluded.