Ranji Trophy triple hundred a product of thriving in the present, reveals Manoj Tiwary

There comes a moment in every person’s life when they know they’ve reached the zenith od their talents, but at 34, triple centurion Manoj Tiwary is still in the quest for more. And would you blame him for that? As he has been scoring diligently since the start of this Ranji Trophy season. Playing for himself, delivering for the team. The unbeaten triple hundred, in Bengal’s fifth match of the season against Hyderabad, was perhaps the reward that he has been waiting for. As much as he adores this knock, it still comes second to his 94 against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2007 final wherein he partnered with Sourav Ganguly in a 117-run stand, albeit in a defeat.

Speaking of consistency, when asked whether he would prefer three 100s or one triple hundred, he answered rather instantly. 

He started off this Ranji season fine with a 51 against Kerala. And mind you, the former Bengal captain has a lot of respect for a good bowling attack and that can be understood by the way he speaks about his opponent’s bowling attack. But as much as he lauded Jalaj Saxena for his run with the ball, Tiwary did acknowledge that it was his back spasm that got him to play the shot that got him out. However, he took his time and recovered from it to be back into action.

“I was not able to manage it [back spasm], which is why I went for a big shot right after getting to my 50 and got out. I was not able to walk or run or play shots. I could’ve come back not out (retired) but I knew that it would be hard for a new batsman coming in to face Jalaj, Basil Thampi or Sandeep Warrier, who were bowling well. So I was playing all along the ground against Jalaj, till I got the back spasm when I’d crossed 40s. So I had to change my game plan and in that process, I lost my wicket,” Tiwary admitted.

“At stumps on day one, I was not out on 156 — which is very uncommon for a No.4 batsman in the first day itself. We posted a big total — 360-odd — on the first day itself, so we knew we had time till tea on day two because it’s a four-day format. So I had enough time, and I knew that if I could see off the second new-ball and hang in with my partner, it would be easier. The previous night, I knew that the 200 was there for the taking. After that, I thought if I rotated the strike and took calculated risks, I can go for 300,” he stated.

“And I knew that if I get a good wicket later on and I can hang in there, apply myself, have a proper game plan, and execute it well, the big score will come — though 300 was not heard. But the game plan changed as I kept on batting and I could’ve gotten more, but the team wanted to declare at a key point. It was also a challenge because once I got past 200, bowlers started bowling negatively, so it was important to calculated risks, which I did and it came off.”

As we’ve already established, the Indian cricketer is more than what meets the eye. His aggression signifies his larger than life love for the game and unquestionable dedication. But December 19, the Indian Premier League auction day, was hard on the 34-year-old as we went unsold. However, he is not swayed by the IPL snub and believes in living in the present and making it count, especially, when playing for Bengal.

“When I go into Ranji games, I don’t think about what happened with me in the auction. It’s something which doesn’t bother me now because I’m in a different mindset altogether. You can’t think about IPL now, get distracted and get into a bad frame of mind while playing Ranji games. When it happened, it hurt me and frustration does come in. But I can’t do much about it. The only way I can answer and let the people know that I’m still there is with my bat — which is what I’m doing. But now, it does not bother me constantly,” Tiwary revealed.

They say that with the right kind of people around you, every place feels like home, even in the time of distress. But is better than home and a loving family itself? Well, the talented batsman is blessed with once and his family, especially the unconditional bond with his little kid, supports him through thick and in. Hence, he comes out of every battle as a winner.

“But sometimes when you sit back at home, when you’re not doing anything, when you say the others who are playing for India ‘A’ and other stuff when people on the street randomly ask me about IPL, it feels bad. But overall, it's ok. It is part and parcel of a professional sportsperson’s career. And I’m trying to be in the present. Quite happy with the way things are going on the personal front. I’ve got a beautiful kid and I spend so much time with my family. I’m pretty happy in life, at the moment,” he added.

“There is a bit of polishing going on here and there all the time to make sure that I keep improving my skill set. I’m not going to go into a special technical aspect,” he concluded.

With Bengal placed in the third position in the combined table of the A & B Elite groups along with three games to go ahead of the quarterfinals, Tiwary will be one of the forerunners in Bengal’s quest for victory.