A player with 146 first-class and list-A matches under his belt at an average of over 47 and yet, he hasn't gotten a breakthrough with the national team. This just shows how tough it is to play for the Men in Blue, but make no mistake here: the man in question here is special.

Uday Kaul is one of those few Indian players who has played almost everywhere around the globe and is a revered figure in the domestic circuit. Indeed, in the Dhaka Premier League this season, he has been sublime.

The keeper-batsman has played 6 matches in the ongoing DPL thus far and has amassed a total of 387 runs, including an incredible innings of 137 runs. He has also clubbed 3 half-centuries and maintained a staggering average of 64.

When it comes to adjusting to new conditions in different domestic leagues, one must name Uday Kaul among the very few batsmen who have the kind of adaptability that is required to gain success in those settings.

After a string of stellar performances from the 30-year-old, Cricfenzy's Umid Kumar Dey caught up with the calm and composed batsman and asked him some questions.

 

Cricfrenzy (Cf): So what do you feel about Bangladesh?

Uday Kaul (UK): It’s great. There are a lot of opportunities for playing.

Cf: Manoj Tiwary told us that it’s a bit difficult to play in here because of humidity. Does that affect you too in the match?

UK: Yes. The weather is somewhat hot here, but this year the tournament has started earlier than last year. Like, in the past it used to commence in March and from that point of view it’s not that hot this time. However, the summer has arrived now and it is getting hotter.

Cf: You have maintained a 47+ average in both first-class and List-A cricket, but have never featured in the national team. What do you think is the reason for that?

UK: I think there are many quality players in India. Maybe I didn’t grab the opportunity when it actually came. The players are not very different from each other, so whoever takes the opportunity at the right time, reaches the national side. But I’m happy that I’ve been performing everywhere consistently for 10-12 years now, even when I go overseas such as in England or in here [in Bangladesh] or for Punjab [in the Indian domestic], I play well.

Cf: So you were talking about Punjab. You’ve captained their Ranji side, you’ve played with the likes of Harbhajan Singh. How do you feel about it?

UK: They are the legends of Indian Cricket. They’ve dominated the world cricket, be it Harbhajjan Singh or Yuvraj Singh. There are things that you learn after being in the game for 5-10 years, but if you’re with them you learn it fairly quickly. They’re always helpful.

Cf: You play in England, so it’s different playing there than anywhere else in the world because, for instance, here you get everything automatically. The hotels are ready with food and everything, but in England you’ve to cook for yourself. Has it been difficult?

UK: First year it was easier because my captain was Asian, but from the next year on I had to cook. The thing is, you get enough time there, so you also want to cook different things for yourself. You get to learn many things there.

Cf: So as a human being, it helps...

UK: Yes, I think every player should go [to play in England]. We Asian people get things relatively easily, but over there you understand the importance of everything. You have to cook for yourself, wake up in time, and do your daily chores. So I think it helps you grow as a human being.

Cf: You’ve played in both Indian and Bangladeshi domestic cricket as well as English domestic cricket. What would you say if you had to compare among these three? Which one is harder for you as a batsman?

UK: I think every league is hard. It’s not like one is tougher than the other, because you’ve to perform everywhere. Cricket is all about performance. If you keep performing, everything goes well.

Cf: So let’s talk about your younger brother Siddharth Kaul. He is in this year’s IPL as well. How do you feel for him?

UK: I feel proud as a member of the Kaul family. He is doing well wherever he is going. I hope he keeps continuing this and sky is the limit.

Cf: It’s like a trend that the elder brother bats well and the younger one bowls well. Did you make him bowl to you?

UK: No (laughs). That’s up to him. He used to enjoy his cricket. I think he was talented by the grace of God.

Cf: Unfortunately, you didn’t get a team in the IPL this year. Do you have a plan of making it to the league in coming years?

UK: IPL is important for recognition. In shorter formats you get it quicker and better. From that perspective, it is important to play in the IPL.

Cf: Previously you played for Abahani and this year you are playing for Shinepukur and Khaled Mahmud Sujon is linked with both the teams. What do you think about him?

UK: He is a great person. Bangladesh Cricket Board [BCB] is blessed to have him.

Cf: He’s been criticized by our people lately. What’s your take on this?

UK: He is a really good man. He always helps the team. Whichever team he coaches, he makes them win. He has gotten good results since I have been watching him.

Cf: What is your opinion regarding the youngsters or the future prospects here?

UK: Bangladesh cricket has come a long way. If you don’t take the series against Sri Lanka into account, they even made it to the Champions Trophy semi-final before that. In our Shinepukur team there are a few youngsters such as Afif and Hridoy. He [Hridoy] bats really well. Shinepukur is a young team and they’re doing well all because of the youngsters.

Cf: How do you see the future of Bangladesh cricket? The 2019 World Cup is nearing. How far do you think they’ll progress?

UK: You’ve got good future. You played in the Champions Trophy very well. It’s about how you click in the tournament. You can’t really predict the future, but Bangladesh team is a threat to any team. That’s surely a positive side.