I've not given up India hopes: Vineet Saxena

Jaipur: In a long domestic cricket career, Rajasthan batsman Vineet Saxena has seen a lot of ups and down. At the age of 34, he is the two-time champions' most experienced player having debuted for them in the winter of 1998-99. He flew the coop after former India allrounder Sanjay Bangar persuaded him to play for Railways but after a season (2005-06) he returned where he truly belonged.

While many may not put their money on him as far as his India chances are concerned, the Goa-born batsman has not given up, drawing a lot of inspiration from Australia opener Chris Rogers who flourished at an age when most batsmen walk off into the sunset. In an exclusive interview, ahead of Rajasthan's Ranji Trophy game against Punjab starting Monday, Saxena opened up on his cricketing journey.

Excerpts:

You've had a successful domestic career. Take us back to the start.

I started playing cricket when I was 12. It happened in Indore; I started going to the nets there at the Cricket Club of Indore. I was in Indore for two years and mostly played school cricket there. Then I shifted to Udaipur [Rajasthan] and represented the team there in the Under-16s. It didn't take me long to graduate to the Rajasthan Under-16 team and played in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Then I featured in an India Under-16 camp in 1996. It was in Hyderabad, and we were coached by ML Jaisimha and VVS Laxman was also there. He had just come back from the West Indies tour. It was a great experience.

For three years I played for Rajasthan's Under-19 team and then played two one-day matches for India Under-19 against Sri Lanka in 1998. The same year I also made my debut in the Ranji Trophy but had to leave after one game because of the India Under-19 games. In 2000, there was the Under-19 World Cup in which Mohammad Kaif led the team to win, and I was also in the reckoning for that tournament but I had a poor Cooch Behar Trophy and that affected my chances. I also represented Central Zone in the CK Naidu Trophy but didn't do that well. Also, the fact that I wasn't playing the Ranji Trophy at that time played a big role. Most players in that team were playing the Ranji Trophy and that made a big difference.

In 2000-2001, I played in a lot of Ranji matches and did fairly well. In fact on my return, I made 93 against Madhya Pradesh and in the next match I got my maiden ton, against Vidarbha. That year we played Punjab in the quarterfinals and unfortunately lost.

Tell us a bit about your family. Who backed you the most?

My father was a mining engineer and he supported me a lot. He never stopped me from playing cricket. My mother wanted me to focus on studies but my father kept motivating me. When I got selected for the India A camp, then only my mother started believing I could have a career in cricket. Also, my uncle Mr Subodh Saxena - was a first-class cricketer. He played for Madhya Pradesh and oversaw my development when I was a kid.

What has been the real high of your career?

I would say it came in 2003-04. That year, I played the Duleep Trophy for the first time and I scored half-centuries in two games. The match against North Zone was especially memorable. They had some big names in their team, players like Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Amit Bhandari and Aakash Chopra to name a few. It was a low-scoring game and scoring against some top bowlers was very pleasing. In the previous game, I had scored 70-odd against West Zone that had the likes of Munaf Patel, Ramesh Powar and Hrishikesh Kanitkar. It really boosted my confidence.

Do you think that not scoring big runs kept you from the limelight?

In the initial part of my career, I failed to score big runs. Yes, I agree. I got starts but big runs eluded me and that probably affected my growth. The turnaround came in 2007-08 when I scored 566 runs, getting two centuries and two fifties and we got very close to beating Mumbai. That season onwards, I started scoring consistently. In the last five seasons, I've scored around 3,000 runs. The best year for me was 2011-12 when we won back-to-back Ranji titles. I scored 897 runs and was the second-highest scorer in the country. In the semi-final against Haryana at Lahli, I got a crucial 58 in the second innings on a difficult pitch but yes, I agree that big runs came a bit late in the day.

What do you think is the problem with the Rajasthan cricket team in the last couple of years?

Talent is in abundance in Rajasthan. It's just that the players got to be more consistent and more focussed on their game. Inconsistency is our bane and that's the reason why we are not doing that well. We have got the potential, we have got the ability but we have to show it on the cricket field. Being the most senior player in the side, it's my responsibility to mentor the youngsters and I'm doing my best.

Who has had the biggest influence on you?

Hrishikesh Kanitkar had a big influence on me. He joined us in 2010 and under him I started scoring heavily. I learned a lot from him.

Do you still dream of playing for India?

Yes. My best chance of playing for India was in 2011-12 when I was the second-highest scorer in the Ranji Trophy, when I also scored 257 in the final. I didn't happen and sometimes I think destiny matters a lot. But at the end of the day as a player, I got to score runs. That's all I can do and I'm still hopeful. As a player I've to keep my dreams alive, only then I will be able to perform. If you see Chris Rogers, he flourished in his mid-thirties. I know the odds are against me but just like Kedar Jadhav [the highest scorer in the 2013-14 season], one good season could make a big difference.

What's your message to youngsters?

Just keep working hard and be honest. You will get your dues sooner or later.