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Ramandeep Singh is part of the Indian team picked for the four-match T20I series against South Africa in November 2024.
Ramandeep Singh wants to create Andre Russell like impact for Team India. (Picture Credit: Instagram/@_ramandeep.singh_)
Ramandeep Singh, who impressed with his performances as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 and played a big role in Shreyas Iyer-led side’s title win, earned his maiden India T20I call-up on Friday (October 25) when the team was announced for the four-match series against South Africa. India will travel to South Africa next month under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership to play four T20Is, starting on November 8 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 earning his maiden India call-up, the 27-year-old all-rounder from Punjab, during a recent interview with Indian Express, said he wants to create Andre Russell-like impact for Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.
Russell is one of the best T20I batters of all time, and Ramandeep got a chance to play with Russell in the 2024 edition of the IPL for KKR. According to Ramandeep, Russell is his idol, and the West Indies cricketer helped him with power-hitting techniques during their time together in the cash-rich league this year.
“As an all-rounder myself, my role model is Andre Russell. I want to have the same impact as him. When I go to the crease, there should be fear in the opposition that I will take the game away. I want to create that kind of impact for India,” he was quoted as saying.
“Gautam (Gambhir) sir planned 30-minute range-hitting sessions, and Russell made sure he was with me. His insights helped me a lot during the IPL.”
“He is very powerful, but he also follows the basics. He has a strong base, a still head, and a full swing of the hands. He makes sure he perfects these fundamentals during those range-hitting sessions. From the outside, we think he just muscles every ball out of the park, but it’s his clarity with the basics that allows 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 No. 7 and No. 8 and advised me to prepare accordingly. During an intra-squad match at KKR, my side needed six runs off two balls to win, and I clinched the match with a six. Gautam sir told me, ‘You are my favourite cricketer in this team, and I will back you throughout the tournament. You should never play with fear’.”
“Before the IPL, when we had a camp in Mumbai under Abhishek Nayar, I was given a clear role about what the team expected from me. I told myself that I had to perform extraordinarily to catch everyone’s attention.”
“My role in the team is to create an impact. It is clearly defined for me: face fewer balls and score 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 continue playing like that and dominate the bowlers, regardless of the opposition. Six-hitting is my strength, and I want to rely on it,” he said.
