Young Haryana cricketer Abhiraj Vashisht believes success in red-ball cricket comes from focusing on the process rather than worrying about the final result. The promising opener, who impressed in the Vijay Merchant Trophy, said patience, discipline and mental strength are the biggest demands of longer-format cricket.
Speaking exclusively to TDG, the 16-year-old said his mindset while batting remains simple taking the game one ball at a time.
“My mindset is pretty simple. You have to play ball by ball and focus on the process. If you keep thinking about the outcome or a big score too early, pressure builds up and eventually you end up playing a bad shot,” he said.
Abhiraj, who has already played the Vijay Merchant Trophy in two consecutive seasons, said red-ball cricket tests a player far more deeply than shorter formats. According to him, the longer format is not only about scoring quickly but also about spending time at the crease and helping the team build partnerships.
“It’s not always about boundaries or scoring fast. Sometimes your team just needs you to stay at the wicket. The longer you bat, the more opportunities the team gets,” he said.
The youngster explained that in long-format cricket, there are phases where scoring becomes difficult and players must learn to absorb pressure patiently before capitalising later in the innings.
“In some sessions you hardly score 20 or 30 runs, but once you settle down and get used to the conditions, you can eventually score big hundreds,” he added.
Talking about team performances, Abhiraj stressed that cricket remains a team sport where collective effort matters more than individual milestones. He admitted that even after scoring heavily, losing a match can be disappointing because victories provide players with more opportunities in tournaments.
“Obviously individual scores matter, but when your team wins, you get more matches and more innings to score runs. That is more important,” he said.
Recalling a moment from the tournament, he highlighted how small mistakes in red-ball cricket can completely change the outcome of a match. He referred to a dropped catch against Mumbai, where the opposition batter later went on to score a century after receiving an early reprieve.
“If one catch is dropped in a long-format match, it can become very costly in the end,” he said.
Despite balancing competitive cricket with academics, Abhiraj said he has not faced pressure from his family regarding studies. He credited his parents for supporting his cricket journey while also encouraging him to remain focused on education.
“My parents are pretty cool. They always told me cricket is a sport that should be enjoyed, but studies are equally important because cricket is unpredictable and not everyone makes it,” he said.
The young batter also acknowledged the role of opportunity and luck in shaping a cricketer’s career, saying talent alone is sometimes not enough to succeed at the highest level.