EXCLUSIVE | ‘Scoring A Hundred Is Not Enough, My Coach Taught Me…’: Aman Mokhade Reveals How He Converts Starts Into Big Runs As He Slams 5 Centuries In Vijay Hazare Trophy

Vidarbha’s young opener Aman Mokhade has been making headlines with each passing day in the domestic circuit and has been scoring runs consistently. The right-handed batter recently etched his name in the history books in List A cricket. Mokhade has already piled up 781 runs in only nine matches in Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Speaking exclusively to NewsX.com, the 25-year-old talked about his brilliant run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, family support and the mindset required to switch from white-ball to red-ball format and vice versa. 

“The target was big, and the ball was doing a little early on. Our plan was to stay calm, keep wickets in hand, and build a solid start. We knew that under lights the wicket would get better, so once we settled in, the chase became manageable,” Aman explained while talking about the semi-final chase against Karnataka.

Mokhade who struck a brilliant 138 in the semis has a knack of producing some big knocks. He already has three First-Class centuries and five List A hundreds to his name. Talking about his sublime form, the Vidarbha batter said, “From a young age, I learned that scoring a hundred is not enough. My coach taught me to value long innings. Since then, I focus on reading the match situation and batting accordingly, which helps me convert starts into big scores.”

“I trust my skills and shots. The main thing is planning well and understanding what the team needs at that moment. If your mindset is clear, runs will come naturally,” he added.

Mokhade’s family has always been very supportive of his cricket. In fact, it was his father who introduced him to the sport at a very young age. “I started playing cricket at a very early age with my father near our house and joined a club when I was pretty young. My family has always supported me throughout the journey, and their belief has played a big role in my growth.”

Fitness and long domestic seasons

Aman believes that fitness keeps a lot of importance especially when the season is long. “Fitness is very important because the domestic season is long. I have built stamina since childhood by spending a lot of time on the ground, and during the off-season we focus on strength training and injury prevention.”

Switching between white-ball and red-ball formats

Asked about the transition that a player has to make from white-ball to red and vice-versa, the youngster added, “The gap between formats is very small. To survive at this level, switching formats quickly is crucial. If your basic technique is strong, then it becomes a mental adjustment more than anything else.”

Also Read: ‘You Don’t Just Give Someone National Colours,’ Former South Africa Head Coach Mark Boucher Reveals What Young Players Need To Do To Break The Long Queue And Get Picked