Kataka, September 24: For Bhubaneswar Tigers’ Rajesh Mohanty, cricket started with an inspiration he found in former India captain Sourav Ganguly. But while Ganguly’s batting left a lasting impression on him, Mohanty eventually found his own calling with the ball.
What began as a journey with the bat gradually turned into a career in fast bowling, with the Odisha pacer going on to represent India at the U19 level, train at the MRF Pace Foundation and share the dressing room with several players who have since made their mark.
Mohanty recently reflected on his journey after playing a key role for Bhubaneswar Tigers in their rain-affected Bharat Masala Odisha T20 League – CM Trophy match against Kataka Panthers.
With the game reduced by rain, the Tigers had prepared themselves for a short contest. “Before we left the hotel, our meeting was very clear that the match would be a short-overs game. So, whatever we had planned for the batters and whatever the bowlers had planned, we came fully prepared for that. We had decided that we would play all the overs with full intent,” Mohanty said.
That preparation reflected in the Tigers’ bowling performance as they restricted Kataka Panthers to 53/6 before rain interrupted play again. Mohanty himself made an impact, finishing with 1/3 in one over.
For the experienced player, his role was not just about his own performance. He also wanted the younger players around him to take confidence from his approach.
“As a senior player, if you come forward at such a time, the junior players also get some motivation. They also start playing well. My plan was that when their main batters came to bat, I would come to bowl. We played according to the plan and thankfully, we were successful,” he said.
From batter to fast bowler
Mohanty did not start his cricket journey as a specialist fast bowler.
He began playing cricket relatively late, in 2015, and initially had a stronger focus on batting. However, his coach and mentor Deepak Mangaraj saw something in him as a bowler and encouraged him to focus on pace bowling.
“I started playing cricket a little late in 2015. My mentor and coach Deepak Mangaraj helped me start bowling. When I came to him, I started fast bowling. I follow the whole process even today. The result is not in my hands. I don’t think too much about the result. I focus on the process, whether it is training or bowling, and leave the result to God,” Mohanty said.
The switch was not something he had initially planned.
“I was a batter, but my coach saw something in me in fast bowling. He told me to focus on bowling, so I slowly started bowling more and stopped concentrating as much on batting. I started enjoying bowling and then felt that bowling could be my career,” he added.
Inspired by Sourav Ganguly
Interestingly, Mohanty’s first cricketing inspiration was not a fast bowler. He started playing after watching Sourav Ganguly, particularly admiring the former India captain’s aggressive approach and his ability to contribute with both bat and ball. In fact, Rajesh’s admiration for Ganguly is reflected in his jersey number as well, with the Odisha pacer wearing No. 99, the same number the former India skipper wore during his playing days.
“I started cricket after watching Sourav Ganguly. He used to bowl medium pace and bat left-handed. I used to play as an opener and also bowl with the new ball,” Mohanty recalled.
The dual role, however, meant putting greater pressure on his body. “There was a little more load on the body, but when I started training and bowling, I got used to it. Then I started enjoying bowling and playing regularly, and I thought bowling was my career. So, I decided to focus on it,” he said.
MRF Pace Foundation experience
A major step in Mohanty’s development came when he got the opportunity to train at the MRF Pace Foundation, where he worked on the finer aspects of fast bowling.
Mohanty believes the stint helped him improve significantly and gave him a better understanding of how to bowl against quality batters.
“When I went to MRF, I got to learn a lot. My bowling was perhaps 20-30 per cent good at that time, but after going there, I improved a lot. The coaching and the training helped me understand my bowling better,” he said.
The experience also taught him how to approach domestic cricket and find ways to trouble established batters.
“I got to learn more about how to bowl to good batsmen in domestic cricket. I got a lot of support from the people there,” he added.
Proud of India U19 journey
One of the biggest highlights of Mohanty’s career remains his stint with the India U19 team. He was part of an India U19 group that included several players who have gone on to make a name for themselves, including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prabhsimran Singh.
Mohanty remains in touch with some of his former teammates and takes pride in seeing them progress to the IPL and senior domestic cricket.
“We are still in touch. There are three or four boys whom we still speak to, including Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran and Nehal Wadhera. It feels very good to see them playing in the IPL and doing well in domestic cricket,” he said.
“We used to play together and we won the Asia Cup. So, I feel very proud when I see them doing well,” he added.
For Mohanty, his India U19 journey itself remains one of the most special memories of his career.
He recalled a trial match before his India U19 selection, where he was given the responsibility of defending six or seven runs in the final over.
“I had to defend six or seven runs in one over. I gave away two runs. We won the match. I think that was a turning point in my career. So, India U19 is my favourite memory,” he said.
Process over results
Despite the different milestones in his career, Mohanty remains focused on the basics. He believes that a fast bowler has to trust his preparation rather than worry too much about the outcome.
“The result is not in my hands. The process that is in my hands, whether it is training or bowling, I just focus on that. I have left the result to God. As long as I can play, I will focus on my process,” he said.
His fitness is another area where he continues to put in significant work. Mohanty credited his strength and conditioning coach Shakti Swarup Mohapatra, who is currently associated with Kataka Panthers, for helping him prepare to play all three formats.
“He has a very good training programme for me. He wants me to stay fit and play all three formats. Without an S&C coach, I feel it is very difficult to play. I give him a lot of credit,” Mohanty said.
‘Odisha T20 League is a big platform’
Mohanty also believes leagues such as the Odisha T20 League can play an important role in providing young cricketers with exposure.
With scouts and people from different parts of the cricketing ecosystem keeping an eye on emerging players, he feels the tournament can open doors for those who perform consistently.
“This is a very good platform. We are playing domestic cricket and new boys are also coming here to play. New talent is coming from all over India and people are watching these matches,” he said.
“Scouts are also coming, so it is a good platform for new stars to emerge. Those who do well here can get an opportunity to play in the IPL,” he added.
For now, however, Mohanty remains focused on the same principle that has guided his journey from a young batter inspired by Ganguly to an India U19 fast bowler, trust the process, keep improving and let the performances speak.
