Herald: Congratulations Sagun for the glorious triple ton. What has kept you motivated for over a decade now?
Sagun Kamat (SK): Well, as a batsman you have to be consistent that is the most important part. I have been doing well for last three years, scoring 500 plus runs in the Ranji Trophy. For me every year is different and each year I strive to get better.
H: How do you rate your performance this year?
SK: Last year was good for me but as I wasn’t getting splendid hundreds, though I got scores they weren’t big enough I thought. The highest I scored was 164 against Himachal Pradesh. This year was more important for me to hit a century as I thought if I do well, the team will also benefit. I made sure I did that. I scored a triple hundred and another 151.
H: Please take us through the marathon innings of 300.
SK: I think first two matches were bad for us, as a team we didn’t do well. Even though I got a 50 against Hyderabad in the first game, but as a captain I lost both the games and it was up to me to really stand up tall and get a good contribution from my side. I never thought about the triple century but eventually when I started batting it was a good wicket and I told myself if I can get a hundred from here I will not give my wicket away easily. As I went on playing, merit things became much easier and it ended in a triple hundred.
H: Please continue….
SK: Even after getting that ton I wasn’t tired as I was getting easy runs from there. The field was spread throughout my innings and I made sure I won’t give it away. I kept on taking singles and did not set any target as such. I kept talking to myself and said I will make it a big one and I was very happy I got a triple hundred.
H: Your feat is a huge motivation to budding Goan cricketers. Your opinion?
SK: I strongly believe that the Goan cricket culture has to be changed. The culture of getting hundreds should be extremely important. A Test batsman will be rated only if he scores hundreds. I got a triple ton which I never planned. But my advice to the youngsters is to keep going, once you get a hundred, you are already set and comfortable to score more runs. It is easy to give away a wicket after getting to a milestone. For a quality batsman you have to get a big hundred. After my feat, Snehal Kauthankar got a double ton. I think players are getting motivated with what we are doing.
H: What according to you does Goan cricket lack?
SK: I have already said it is culture which is lacking. You can’t ask the administration to set the cricket culture. It is up to the players to build up this culture. With my triple hundred, things are changing. Players like Snehal are also making huge contributions. It is not easy to get runs in Ranji Trophy but once you start doing it, the confidence is high and you start to believe that you are going to do it again and again.
H: After a great start to your first class cricket in 2000-01, your career saw a slump in the middle. Your view?
SK: I think Swapnil Asnodkar had a very good maturity at 21. Maybe I was not playing more games outside Goa and hence my career saw a slump as I could not get runs and could not analyse my game better. But once I started to play more and more matches I started to know my game better. For the last five years, be it T20, one-dayers or four-day matches I have started to do well. So, I feel it is very important for a player to identify your game. Once you know your game better you start producing results.
H: You are at the peak of your career. What do you think future has in store for you?
SK: Maybe, I get a chance to play for India, I don’t know. I have scored almost 875 runs this season. I thought I could have got more but I am happy with what I have managed. I am just looking for an opportunity. Last year, I scored 600-odd runs and year before 600. Even in one-dayers, I have been very consistent and was highest run-getter in India. So, hopefully some opportunity will come my way and if that comes I will make it count, you never know, we can have a player representing the country.
H: Do you feel the age is not a hindrance for your dream to represent India?
SK: Even in Team India most of the players are 30-32, apart from Virat, Murali Vijay and Parthiv Patel, all are in their 30s and they have shown that if you remain fit you can still play for India for a longer period.
H: Are you disappointed you haven’t got an opportunity in the Indian Premier League even though your game suites the format?
SK: IPL yes, I don’t know what the franchises are looking at because I was a part of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2010-11 when Sourav Ganguly was the captain but eventually I did not get an opportunity. I went for Delhi Daredevils selection trials and did well but wasn’t picked up. Selection criteria is not my prerogative. I can only do well on the pitch and earn respect as a cricketer.
Everyone wants to play in IPL and for India but it is not so easy. You got to do well. Your performance also speaks. If I keep fit for the next 2-3 years, one never knows my opportunity might come. It is very important to keep fit.
H: The Goa U-19 team has quite a few talented cricketers. What is your message to them?
SK: My ultimate advice would be to do well at the U-19 level and get big hundreds to make a mark for any player. If a person like Suyash Prabhudesai can get four hundreds in U-19 why not others. Deepraj Gaonkar has played Ranji and is doing well. I feel they should play more games and get more centuries consistently. It is not going to be easy with one or two hundreds. You need to score runs in loads. That’s when you get recognition.
