'RCB invested in me, sent me to London for surgery': Suyash Sharma opens up on injury comeback

Ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) home fixture against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), 21-year-old Suyash Sharma opened up on his comeback from injury, journey to the Indian Premier League (IPL), and his mindset on the latest edition of RCB Bold Diaries. Speaking on his injury, surgery and comeback with RCB's unwavering support, Sharma said,

"RCB sent me to London for my surgery. There I met James Pipey (RCB Team Physio). He and his family treated me like family. I had three hernias. To be honest, I didn't expect to play the first match. I was told I would play three or four matches later because it was a big surgery. But Pipey and his family took care of me. I'm very thankful that I'm in this franchise. I'm fit now. I had been suffering from pain for the past two years. I was used to playing in pain. The problem is that if you're playing for India or a franchise, then you can manage. When I wasn't playing, I had this injury, but I didn't even know it. I went to a physiotherapist but it was very difficult. RCB showed me a lot of faith. They invested in me. I'm very happy with my surgery. The path I'm on now, I wasn't on before. Whatever happens, happens for the best," as quoted from a release by RCB.

When asked about his journey to the IPL, he said,

"I had never played in a proper tournament before the IPL. I had only played Under-25. I spent six or seven years in trials but was never picked. Every time I visited my parents, they would ask when I'd get a chance in the IPL. But my mum and dad never doubted me. They could see how hard I was working. After the Under-25s, I went for IPL trials. At that time, my googly was very sharp. I think I took eight wickets out of ten in one match, it was a KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) practice match, and even the wicket-keeper was getting beat. That's when I was picked. My father was in hospital then. He cried when he heard. No one expected me to play IPL so soon."

Sharma also talked about his IPL debut against RCB, saying that there was a lot of pressure but God helps you when you work hard.

"My debut was against RCB. There was a lot of pressure. I had never even been to watch a match before. I'd never seen so many people in a crowd. The atmosphere was crazy. I went straight into the game. Until you actually bowl in a match, you don't know what it's like. I can't describe what I was feeling. My mind was blank. But I tried to do what I had always done. After the first over, everything settled down. I could see the crowd, feel the moment. I always knew I'd play in the IPL, 101 per cent. But I didn't think it would happen this soon. I was 19. I thought I'd debut at 24 or 26. I always believed in myself. When you work hard, God helps you," he added.

On mental preparation and recovery during bed rest, he said, "Before the IPL, I was on bed rest for three months. I only started bowling two weeks before the tournament. But during those three months, I visualised everything. I kept thinking about my bowling all day. I would run affirmations in my head. I'd plan each ball: first I'll bowl like this, then like that. I think all of that really helped. I worked on my run-up too. My run-up is my bowling. If you keep something in your mind long enough, when the time comes to do it, you feel prepared. You just think, 'I've done this before. I'll do it again.' I just had to recreate it in the match."

"When I was younger, I started as a batter. Then I began spin bowling in the park. It came naturally to me. That's how I became a bowler. My action just came naturally. I have tried to fine-tune a few things, but the action itself is just natural," Sharma said while explaining his bowling style, adding that "Wrist spinners are like this, if they don't bowl for a week or two, a lot of things start going wrong. That's why I visualised a lot during the three months I couldn't train. When I came back to bowling, it didn't feel strange. I had been thinking about every part of it, the feel, the steps, the flight, the whole time."

He said his family always supported him after he lost his father.

"My mum was my teacher. My dad had a factory. Two years back, I lost my father. He was suffering from cancer. He passed away in hospital while I was just starting to get noticed. My family has always supported me, whether I played for the state or not. They've been my backbone throughout. They never doubted me, because they saw my hard work every day," he said.

On preparing for the IPL and working with Malolan Rangorajan ( RCB Player Identification Manager & Spin Bowling Coach ), Sharma said, "I was bed-rested for three months. I started bowling two weeks before the IPL. But before that, before the surgery, when I was with Mr. Malo, after the auction he told me about my small things. I worked on my run-up. My run-up is my bowling. If you keep thinking about something, in your mind, when you are about to do it, you feel like you are prepared. Wrist spinners are like this. If they don't bowl for a week or two, a lot of things go wrong. I was bed-rested for three months. I think I visualized a lot in those three months. When I came to bowl, I didn't feel like this. Because I kept thinking about my bowling all day. There is an affirmation. I used to run it. And I used to keep thinking about my bowling."

Suyash Sharma on his only goal for the season, "I have only one goal that we win this year and lift the cup. This is my only goal right now." (ANI)