Unmukt wants to play with the big boys

NEW DELHI: Thanks to the under-19 World Cup win, Unmukt Chand has enjoyed the kind of limelight other domestic players can only dream of. But now that he is trying to carve a niche at the senior level, the 20-year-old doesn't want to be tagged as an under-19 success story anymore.

"I have had enough of under-19 talks. I don't want to be known as a player who has only done well at the junior level. The World Cup happened a long time back. Sure, the memories are great but you have to move on," Unmukt told TOI on Friday.

The spotlight only adds to the pressure. This IPL, with Kevin Pietersen and Jesse Ryder unavailable, Delhi Daredevils will need him to play a bigger role The Delhi opener says that after the World Cup win, his IPL teammates expect more from him. "The perception has changed. Earlier, not many expected me to give good starts and win matches. They knew I was learning. Now, they not only expect me to get good starts but also finish matches," he said.

Even as he has found some good form going with centuries in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy and two half-centuries in the Deodhar Trophy, critics have pointed out his inconsistency. "I know everyone is watching me and they expect me to score big every time I go out to bat. But that's not possible. There have been ups and downs in the last domestic season.

"If critics point out some good points, I'll surely listen to them," Unmukt said, adding that nothing much had changed for him at the first-class level except for a feeling of assurance. "I am much more aware of myself and my game. That feeling will only grow from now on."

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Shweta Pandey

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