"I Did Not Play Very Well": KKR Batter On Not Getting India Call-Up Post Debut

Kolkata Knight Riders batter Nitish Rana made his India debut in July last year during the tour of Sri Lanka. In his only ODI innings, the southpaw scored 7 runs while in two T20I innings he scored 15 runs overall. Such a start in international cricket failed to earn Rana a second national call-up but the player is optimistic about his return to the national side. Admitting that he could have done better in his first chance, Rana said that he will improve his performance to earn an entry into the national team.

Rana eyes the upcoming Indian Premier League season to catch the attention of the selectors and he is determined to give his 100 per cent.

"As a cricketer I would have of course liked another opportunity, but I do not want to give any excuses, since I did not play very well. I want to score 500 plus runs from the next IPL season so that the selectors cannot ignore me. The things that are in my control are to give good performances and score runs, and I am trying to improve there. This season, I hope to score more runs. But everything is not in my hands, I want to give my best, that's all. I will give my 100 per cent wherever I play and will perform well," Rana said in an interview to India Today.

Rana scored 361 runs at an average of 27.77 in IPL 2022 but he feels that he needs to do better in order to get an entry into the Indian team. However, he added that he will also try to do better in domestic cricket.

Promoted

"If people are not selecting me after making 400 runs, I have to make 600 runs, and I understand that now. The future is in my hands and I am working on that," Rana said.

"I do not have any targets as such. I want to score more runs in the domestic season, and then in the IPL season and the things