Last seen in 2015, Robin Uthappa has not managed to make a potential comeback to Team India. The batsman was part of the Indian team during the dismal 2007 ICC World Cup but became a world champion the same year when India won the inaugural ICC WT20 in South Africa.
Last seen in 2015, Robin Uthappa has not managed to make a potential comeback to Team India. The batsman was part of the Indian team during the dismal 2007 ICC World Cup but became a world champion the same year when India won the inaugural ICC WT20 in South Africa.
Uthappa made a couple of comebacks in limited-overs and averages a shade under 26 in 46 ODIs with 6 half-centuries to his name. When it comes to the shortest format, Uthappa scored 249 runs in 13 matches.
Now hoping to make a comeback to the Indian squad, Uthappa told ESPNCricinfo, “Right now I want to be competitive. I still have that fire burning in me, I really want to compete and do well. I honestly believe I have a World Cup left in me, so I’m pursuing that, especially the shortest format. The blessings of Lady Luck or God or whatever you call it plays a massive factor. Especially in India, it becomes so much more evident. I don’t think it is as evident when you’re playing cricket outside of India. But in the subcontinent and India especially, with the amount of talent that we do have in our country, all of those aspects become evident.
“You can never write yourself off. You would be unfair to yourself if you write yourself off. Especially if you believe you have the ability and you know that there is an outside chance. So I still believe in that outside chance. I still believe that things can go my way and I probably can be a part of a World Cup-winning team and play an integral role in that as well. Those dreams are still alive and I think I’ll keep playing cricket till that is alive".
While his stint with Team India may not have been fruitful, Uthappa's Indian Premier League (IPL) journey has been fairly successful. Uthappa was part of the Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders team and formed a successful opening partnership and was part of two title-winning campaigns.
However, he was made to play lower down the order for India.
“When I played for India [in 2007 and 2008], I scored all my runs opening the batting. Then [in his comeback phases] I ended up playing for India in the middle-order, which seems so... from one perception it seems very unfair,” the former Karnataka batsman said.
“That kind of cycle has repeated itself maybe three or four times in the three or four comebacks that I’ve made in the Indian team. I scored all the runs up the order, and I got to bat in the middle-order when I got back in the Indian team,” he added further.
Uthappa however, is eager to try and make a comeback into the Indian team and said that he has been working hard to polish those skills.
“Opening the batting is something I can do at any point in time. I’m trying to make sure I’m well equipped to bat in the middle order as well. One of the things that we need today in Indian cricket is a good finisher, and that’s something that I’m pursuing and working hard on. It’s something I’m looking forward to improving on a day to day basis,” he said.
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