Five years is a long time to wait for another shot at red-ball cricket. For Zeeshan Ansari, that wait has been shaped by a stint in the IPL, lessons from two of the game’s finest spinners and a conscious decision to focus on what comes next rather than what went wrong.
The 26-year-old last played Ranji Trophy cricket for Uttar Pradesh in 2020. His career appeared to have stalled, but a stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad brought a fresh push and the chance to work closely with Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori.
That experience, Ansari believes, changed his bowling and helped set him on the road back.
“When I was in SRH, I benefited a lot from Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori. They told me a lot of things about bowling that I did not know. Whatever I learnt from them has helped me a lot. If I keep doing the same things, my graph will improve,” Ansari told PTI.
Ansari returned strongly for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, nearly five years after his last Ranji Trophy appearance. His domestic performances soon earned him an India A call-up, and he has now been picked to represent Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy.
His development has also been helped by another experienced spinner. During the UP T20 League, Ansari has spoken with Piyush Chawla, who offered advice after watching him bowl.
“I have spoken to Piyush Chawla twice in the UP T20. He told me that I am bowling really well and gave me some advice. I am learning as much as I can from them. They are helping me a lot,” he said.
Ansari’s form in the UP T20 League has offered further evidence of his progress. He is currently the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets from six matches, while his Meerut Mavericks have won all six of their games.
His immediate focus, however, is already on the Duleep Trophy. Ansari says the UP T20 League has given him valuable preparation, but red-ball cricket will demand a different level of patience and consistency.
“I think the bowling I am doing here and the bowling I want to do in red-ball cricket require a lot of consistency. If I go there and keep bowling, use the air well, understand the batsman and not let him do what he wants to do, it will help me a lot,” he said.
For someone who spent nearly five years away from the Ranji Trophy, Ansari’s approach to his comeback is refreshingly simple. He does not want to dwell on the past or get too far ahead of himself.
“I don’t think too much about my future. I forget about the past. I don’t remember what I did yesterday. I just want to perform well in tomorrow’s match and win for the team,” he said.
The next test is the Duleep Trophy. The lessons from Muralitharan and Vettori have helped Ansari find his way back. Now, he has the opportunity to show how far those lessons can take him.
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