Robin Uthappa all set to blast away

MiD DAY May 12, 2006

Robin Uthappa all set to blast away
By: Suhrid Barua
Bangalore: A rollicking 86 on debut against England at Indore landed him a place in the India team despite a not-so productive Ranji season.However, in a relatively short period, Robin Uthappa seems to have grown in leaps and bounds. MiD DAY caught up with the Coorg lad for a brief chat days before his tour to the Caribbean Isles.Excerpts
On his interaction with the seniors so far...You get to learn so much from the seniors. I’m learning all the time, just being with them whether at nets or off the field.
On his tendency to throw it away at times...Being a natural stroke player, at times while dominating the bowling, you tend to believe that you can do just about everything against the bowlers. Sometimes it clicks while on other occasions it doesn’t. I don’t think I need to curb my attacking instincts. All I have to do is be sensible in my shot selection and the rest will take care of itself.
On his dreadful run-out in Indore...Chappell said he hoped I’d never get out like that again. Rahul (Dravid) told me it was the most stupid way to get dismissed.
On coach Greg Chappell’s words of wisdom... His cricketing acumen is great. He tells me to make an earnest effort to play more on the front foot. He also talks a lot about the importance of working on the mental aspects of the game.
On the upcoming West Indies tour...It’s huge opportunity to show that I’m not a one match wonder. The key is to build on that (good debut knock) and remain consistent.
On the possibility of opening with Sehwag... I’m pretty excited about it. Though I’ve not opened with Viru Bhai internationally, on the domestic front I have, and he has always encouraged me a lot.