Written off by coach as a 16-year-old, CSK pacer dreams of taking 100 Test wickets for India
Chennai Super Kings star cricketer Tushar Deshpande has recently opened up about the lowest side of his career and how his coach discouraged him when he was just a 16-year-old cricketer. The CSK pacer had picked up 17 wickets in the 2024 Indian Premier League campaign while playing for five-time champions. The star speedster had a decent economy of 8.83 during the 2024 IPL. After performing well in the IPL 2024, the 29-year-old cricketer made his T20I debut for the Men in Blue during the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July 2024. The star pacer played T20Is against Zimbabwe and grabbed two wickets.
In Chennai's title win in IPL 2023, Deshpande played a big role with the ball, scalping 21 wickets in just 16 matches. However, the right-arm pacer revealed how his cricketing coach questioned him when he revealed that he wanted to play for Team India. The speedster stated that his coach completely discouraged him by citing the example of legendary pacers with the likes of Umesh Yadav, Zaheer Khan and Dhawal Kulkarni.
I don't have the height, I don't have the strength, I don't have the pace: Tushar Deshpande
The right-arm pacer further revealed that he had left off with zero confidence and was fully pissed off after his coach's comment. The Mumbai-born cricketer said that he was doubtful about himself for his height, strength, and pace.
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"He started by asking what you do for education. Then he asked: what's your future in cricket? So I spontaneously told him, I'll play for India. The coach looked at me and said: 'Do you think you can play for India?' I said, yes, why not? So he started comparing me with other guys, saying, see how tall Umesh Yadav is, Dhawal Kulkarni, Zaheer Khan - all around six feet. You are just about 5' 10. I got so pissed [off], very depressed, [had] zero confidence, and I started comparing myself with others. And when you compare yourself with others, you also think poorly about yourself - that I don't have the height, I don't have the strength, I don't have the pace," Tushar Deshpande said on ESPNCricinfo.
Tushar Deshpande aims to claim 100 Test wickets for India.
"Ultimate goal is to play Test cricket. And my aim is to pick up 100 wickets in Tests for India," he added further.
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