SMAT 2025-26: I love batting according to situation, instead of thinking about Plan A or B — Kumar Kushagra

Kumar Kushagra is not new to challenges. In crunch situations, the top-order batter has time and again bailed Jharkhand out. But by his own admission, one of his best innings came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League fixture against Punjab on Friday where he made the mammoth run chase look so easy with an unbeaten 86 runs off 42 balls.

Chasing 236, Kushagra dealt in fours and sixes as Jharkhand romped home with 11 balls to spare and pulled off the highest-ever chase in the history of the tournament. On a rather ‘sticky’ surface at the DY Patil Academy ground in Ambi batting wasn’t easy, but the youngster backed himself and cut out the noise.

“Initially, the wicket was a bit sticky, but as a team, we hoped that things would be better in the second innings. But we did not expect Punjab to score 234, so when we got down to the chase, the plan was to ensure that the top-three batters hang in there, because to win such games, you need contribution from both senior and junior players,” Kushagra told Sports stars on Saturday.

Having won all its group league games, the team was high on confidence, and after Ishan Kishan provided the team with a steady start, Kushagra’s job was to ensure that he batted till the end. “I told myself that if I can help the team win from here, it will be a huge achievement for the team and myself. I was confident after a good outing in the league stage, and it was all about keeping the momentum going,” he said.

Being an all-format player, Kushagra had very little time to switch formats, but a solid preparation ahead of the season helped him get into the groove quickly. “Switching formats is challenging, because there’s not much time in between. So mental preparation is the key, and before the season starts, one needs to prepare accordingly, and I have followed that process,” he said. “This season, we got just a day’s time to shift to white-ball, but having prepared myself accordingly, it did not matter much. It was all about the mindset and executing the plans in different situations.”

Ahead of the season, the team management ensured that the players had enough clarity about their roles, and Kushagra says, that has helped. “As a batting unit, we know that we have to make the most of the PowerPlay and score as many runs as possible. If a wicket falls early, then our job is to make sure that we hang in there and try and hit big in those overs,” he said.

“But when the openers score 60 for 70 runs, it gives the rest of the batters a cushion. Over the years, we have made sure that even if a player has a bad day on the field, someone else will chip in for him and get the job done. We have benefitted from that approach,” Kushagra added.

After scoring a double century against Baroda in a Ranji Trophy fixture, Kushagra lit up the SMAT, amassing 316 runs, including three fifties, in seven matches at a strike rate of 156.43.

“Earlier, when I was young in the team, I would think a lot about how to approach a game, and which shots to play, and that eventually added a lot of pressure. But now, I just play according to the situation, instead of thinking about Plan A or Plan B. If you can play according to the situation, it actually helps because you can assess the conditions better and go about it accordingly, instead of coming in with a fixed plan. This comes with experience,” the 21-year-old added.

Ever since his exploits at the age-group cricket, Kushagra was roped in by Delhi Capitals for a whopping Rs 7.20 crore for the 2024 edition of the IPL. Though things didn’t go as per plan, he was acquired by Gujarat Titans last season, and has been retained this time, too.

Kushagra admits that the stint with Gujarat Titans has made him a ‘matured cricketer’.

“When I joined the Titans for the first time, their setup impressed me. I saw that even bowlers were allowed to bat at the nets for a couple of hours, and being a batter, I got to spend four to five hours in the nets, with good bowlers and proper wickets. So, that experience really helped me. I had regular conversations with Vikram (Solanki) Sir and Ashu (Ashish Nehra) Sir, and they guided me on how to approach things,” he said.

At Titans, his training routine was intense. Kushagra hit between 500 and 700 balls a day. “At times, along with the quality, the quantity of the nets session also matters. I followed a similar regime at home, because to play 50 balls in a match, you need to hit 500 balls in the nets,” he said.

Kushagra considers his father, who is also his coach, as his idol. “Even now, he follows a strict routine, and that’s important for any cricketer,” he said. The youngster, too, has followed his father’s footsteps.

Leading a disciplined life has been the key for Kushagra, and he hopes to maintain that.