"The way I look at it, every day I play, I want to learn something from the game," Binny said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the preparatory camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
An average international cricketer in his thirties is usually the core member of his team, or is approaching the fag end of his career.
But Stuart Binny, at 31, is an exception. The all-rounder made his international debut in January 2014, and about 19 months, 13 One-Day Internationals and five Tests later, Binny is still waiting for "opportunities" to make a name for himself in the international arena.
"The way I look at it, every day I play, I want to learn something from the game," Binny said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the preparatory camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
"As Virat (Kohli) said, yes, the more opportunities I get, the better I'll get. But I feel it also has to come from within, especially the preparation part like focus, time spent in the gym, or on the field on your skills. The preparation off the field helps."
Whenever Binny has been giving an opportunity in ODIs, the Karnataka veteran has done his bit to shine sporadically. Binny holds the best figures by an Indian bowler in ODI cricket (6/4 against Bangladesh in 2014). His 77 against Zimbabwe in the first ODI in the previous series got Indian out of some serious trouble. But it is that consistency that the team management hopes to get from him, both with the ball and bat.
Asked what he thought his role in the team was, Binny said, "My role may differ sometimes, depending on how early I bowl in the game. But it's pretty simple. I've got to contribute with both bat and ball. That's why I am in the team. I've done it for Karnataka, so I have to do it with the Indian team as well."
ODI and T20 captain MS Dhoni has entrusted Binny with the job of bowling with the new ball many a times, and Binny admitted that he does enjoy bowling with the bright new cherry.
"Why I prefer to bowl with the new ball is that I can swing the new ball," he said, but was quick to add, "I do enjoy bowling with the semi-new ball and the old ball also because it brings in different variations to your bowling. In ODIs, you need to be good with the slower bouncers and off-cutters, and I've been working on those aspects as well."
It came as a surprise to many that Binny was flown to Sri Lanka for the second Test, highlighting the team's desperate need for an all-rounder. The move worked restore balance in the team, though, and India won the next two Tests. Binny picked up three wickets in the two Tests, and made a quick-fire 49 in the second innings of the last Test in Colombo to help swell India's lead. Binny, who's excelled in the domestic circuit, said he had to work on his mindset to deal with pressure situations at the top level.
"International cricket is a bit different when it comes to pressure situations. I haven't made too many changes when it comes to skill work, but I have made a lot of changes when it comes to my game in my head. International cricket has a lot of mental pressure, which you have faced in Ranji Trophy as well," he said.
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