Having impressed as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 season, Ramandeep Singh made his India T20I debut call-up on Friday (October 25) owing to the announcement for the four-match series against South Africa. With Suryakumar Yadav serving as the captain of the squad, India will head to South Africa where they are scheduled to play four T20Is in the first week of November on the 8th in Durban.
Ramandeep is expected to make his much-awaited debut for India in the shortest format of the game during the tour, And after getting his first India call-up ever, the 27-year-old all-rounder from Punjab, during a recent chat with Indian Express, explained that he wants to do what Andre Russell does for the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.
Russell is widely regarded as one of the most formidable T20I batters in the history of the sport, and Ramandeep earned the opportunity to feature alongside Russell during the 2024 IPL season for KKR. As per Ramandeep, Russell idolizes him, and the cricketer from the West Indies taught him how to hit the ball hard during their stint in the rich league this season.
“Since I am also an all-rounder, Andre Russell is my role model. I want to have the same effect as he does.
When I reach the crease, the opposite knows it is a matter of time before I will take the game away. I want to create such an impact for India,” he is quoted as saying.
“For 30 minutes at a time, Gautam (Gambhir) sir would discuss range-hitting and Russell would ensure he was with me. I gained a lot from his experience in the IPL.”
“He is very muscular, but he underpins everything with strategy. He has that stable base, silent head with hands swinging full, and makes sure he masters these basics during those range-hitting practices. From the far end, he looks muscular and is able to hit every ball out of the park, but it is his command of the basics that enables him to hit those sixes,” Ramandeep added.
The youngster also discussed India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir’s role in his brilliant run for KKR this year and said he gave him clarity over his role in the team.
“Gautam sir told me I would be batting at seven and eight and he saying so asked me to get ready for that. Once, during an intra-squad game at KKR, with my team needing six off two balls to win, I hit a six to win the game. Gautam sir said, ‘In this team, you are my best cricketer and I will support you throughout this tournament. There’s no need to play with fear.’”
“Prior to the IPL, when we had a camp in Mumbai under Abhishek Nayar, an expectation of sorts was set as to what the team wanted from me. I told myself that I must do something remarkable to draw everyone’s gaze.”
“I am to simply make an impact on the team. It is clearly defined for me: face fewer balls and get more runs,” he adds.
Ramandeep impressed with his batting and fielding for India A in the recently concluded ACC Emerging Teams Men’s Asia Cup, which also played a part in his selection. The right-handed batter, who is also capable of contributing with the ball, said six-hitting is his strength and he wants to rely on it.
“I just want to keep playing like that and have my way with the bowlers as any team we play against, which is how it should be. Six-hitting is my strength and I wish to bank on that,” he said.