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His long wait for a comeback in red-ball cricket was fuelled by lessons picked up from legendary spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori during a stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, says legspinner Zeeshan Ansari.
The Uttar Pradesh player, a member of India’s U-19 World Cup 2016 side alongside the likes of Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar, saw his career getting a boost when SRH roped him in ahead of IPL 2025.
Ansari followed it up with a strong comeback for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, nearly five years after his last Ranji Trophy appearance for the State in 2020. He was also picked in the India ‘A’ side for its two unofficial Tests in Sri Lanka.
“When I was in SRH, I benefited a lot from Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori. They told me a lot of things about bowling that I did not know. Whatever I learnt from them has helped me a lot. If I keep doing the same things, my graph will improve,” Ansari told PTI Videos.
The 26-year-old has also been benefiting from the guidance of former India spinner Piyush Chawla during the UP T20 League.
“I have spoken to Piyush Chawla twice in the UP T20. He told me that I am bowling really well and gave me some advice. I am learning as much as I can,” Ansari said.
Ansari has carried his form into the UP T20 League, where he is the leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets from six matches. His team, the Meerut Mavericks, has also been unbeaten, winning all six games so far.
“The team is in good mood right now. We have won six out of six matches, so everyone is happy. I want to go and play the Duleep Trophy after this match. So, this will be my last match here. I want to do well in the Duleep Trophy,” he said.
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He also praised captain Rinku Singh for his communication skills and ability to connect with the players.
“The best thing about him is that he talks to all the players. Even when you are on the ground, he is able to connect with you and understand you. He asks you whether you want to bowl or not. That makes him really special,” Ansari said.
On the transition to red-ball cricket, Ansari said he has been preparing for the format since the IPL and knows that consistency will be key.
“I think there is a challenge everywhere. You will face a challenge in every format. You can play one-day cricket, T20 or red-ball cricket; there is a challenge in every format. In this (T20) format, you have to bowl four overs and put in all your effort. In the Duleep Trophy, there will be a lot more bowling.
“I think the bowling I am doing here and the bowling I want to do in red-ball cricket require a lot of consistency. If I go there (Duleep Trophy) and keep bowling, use the air well (give flight to the ball), understand the batter and not let him do what he wants to do, it will help me a lot,” he said.
Ansari says his ability to bounce back after nearly five years has been down to his focus on the present rather than dwelling too much on the past or thinking about the future.
“I don’t think too much about my future. I forget about the past. I don’t remember what I did yesterday. I just want to perform well in tomorrow’s match and win for the team. When I go to play the Duleep Trophy, I want to perform well. That’s all I can think about right now,” he said.
Published on Aug 25, 2026