Indian pacer Varun Aaron has had a stop-start international career thanks to the multiple injuries and sicknesses as he could feature in only 18 international games for Team India since making his debut in 2011.
He last donned the national jersey in a Test match between India and South Africa back in 2015 in Bengaluru, where the speedster bowled his heart out, but all of sudden, unfortunately; he lost his place in the side and is yet to make comeback to the Indian cricket team in any format.
Apart from struggling with his different shapes and sizes, Aaron battled with a bunch of stress fractures, bouts of illness and spent a lot of time in the confines of hospital walls.
However, the 31-year-old has not lost hopes of India's comeback, as the pacer has pointed out that he is only 31 and feeling as strong as ever both mentally and physically.
Many believed that age decides a cricketer's entry or return to the national fold, but Aaron said India is the only place where people talks about cricketers’ age and feel one can’t do certain things after the age of 30 while citing the example of Australia’s Michael Hussey and England’s James Anderson who played for their country even after 35 and latter is still playing at 38.
Aaron told Sportskeeda: “I am 31, but I don’t feel I am 31. In the last 10 years, I’ve lost 3-4 years to injury. So mentally and physically, I am 26 or 27. If I was continuously playing for 10 years, I would probably think I was old. That’s the problem nowadays. Many international players are playing at their best when they are 35-36 and it boils down to self-motivation, discipline, and how hard you can train.”
He continued, “I feel India is the only place where if you are 30, you can’t do certain things. I don’t see that happening in other countries. Michael Hussey played for Australia after 30, Anderson is still playing, he’s 38, nobody raises a question. There’s no reason why a well-trained sportsman cannot perform after 30. I am training harder than ever, there’s no reason why I should be fit enough.
I am really enjoying my cricket, I am bowling at my best skill level. I have understood a lot about my body that I didn’t understand before just because of the number of injuries I’ve had and the number of times I’ve had to remodel my action. So you get a deeper understanding of sport and the art overall.”
The pacer has insisted that he can still play Test cricket for India, as he hasn’t compromised on pace despite multiple injuries and become a better version of him during these difficult times.
Varun further explained, “I totally feel that I can play the longest format for India. If you are bowling fast, you’ve to bowl fast from the first spell till the end of your last spell. I feel you’re considered a fast bowler if your average for the whole Test match is about 140+, which means you’ve to constantly be operating in the high 145s. I’ve just put in a lot of work, I don’t doubt I can do it. I know I will do it, but it’s just a matter of time. As a person I am all or nothing, I don’t like to be in between.
I would bowl as fast as I could or I would not bowl at all. Not bowl at all has not crossed my mind because I know I have not achieved my full potential when it comes to fast bowling. I have been hit by these injuries and every time I pick up the rhythm and I’m doing well, something unfortunate happens.
But these are uncontrollable and whatever has happened till now has made me a stronger individual, it has made me understand the human angle of the game and life as well which is important. Such stuff is more lasting but at the same time, I am passionate about bowling fast. I enjoy doing it.”
He signed off by saying, “When the keeper is standing near the 30-yard circle and collects the ball at his chest, there’s no better feeling than that. I can’t imagine myself running in and the keeper standing up to the stumps, that would be pathetic. I can never play cricket like that, that would be disappointing.”
(With Sportskeeda Inputs)
