NEW DELHI: Consistency is often the hardest quality to master in domestic cricket. Smaran Ravichandran has done exactly that. With 1534 runs in 26 innings at an average of 73.60, including three double hundreds in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, the Karnataka batter has firmly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the country and has shown that he is far from a one-season wonder.More importantly, Smaran has shown the versatility to excel across formats, seamlessly adapting his tempo to the demands of the game. He was the driving force behind Karnataka's 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph, ending the state's five-year wait for a major title. Smaran piled up 433 runs in seven innings at an average of 72.16, including two centuries and two fifties. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he finished as Karnataka's leading run-scorer with 319 runs in seven innings, averaging 63.80 at a strike rate of 160.

With back-to-back stellar seasons behind him, Smaran now has his sights set on the next step. In an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com, the left-hander speaks about his India dream, the disappointment of missing out on the latest India A squad, his leadership ambitions, the art of succeeding across formats, and why his mother still refuses to let him ignore the value of education.Excerpts

You missed the BCCI Emerging series due to injury. How has the recovery been?I'm 100% fit now. The recovery has gone really well and I'm ready to play again.

Missing the Emerging Teams tournament was heartbreaking because every opportunity matters. But there are plenty of things to look forward to this season. Right now, I'm fully fit and excited to get back on the field.You've delivered back-to-back outstanding Ranji Trophy seasons after your success in age-group cricket. What goes into your red-ball preparation?Preparation becomes extremely important, especially during the off-season.

A lot of credit goes to Syed (Zabiulla) Sir because he plans my training in a way that simulates the challenges I'll face during the Ranji Trophy. We train on different kinds of wickets, including red-soil and black-soil surfaces, and we deliberately practise on difficult pitches. Batting on flat wickets is comparatively easier because most batters can adjust, but scoring on challenging wickets requires a different level of preparation.In India, wickets tend to assist spin as the game progresses into the third and fourth days. So batting on those surfaces during practice is very important. It prepares you not only for the first innings but also for the second innings when conditions become tougher. Batting against different bowlers in different conditions has helped me overcome many challenges that come during matches.

Syed Zabiulla has been with you throughout your journey. How demanding is he as a coach?At times, he is very demanding, especially when it comes to discipline and following the process.

He believes in completing every small task because those little things help you grow both as a cricketer and as a person.From my childhood, discipline and commitment to the game have always come first. As I grew older, he eased up a little, but his core values haven't changed. He still ensures that every practice session has purpose and quality because that's what ultimately helps you improve.You've done well across all three formats. How do you switch between red-ball and white-ball cricket?Again, it comes back to off-season preparation. During training, I constantly switch formats.

For example, I might spend two days batting with the red ball and then move straight to white-ball practice. Doing this repeatedly over four to six weeks helps your muscle memory and instincts adapt naturally.

Switching from red-ball to white-ball cricket is comparatively easier because you're adding more scoring options. But moving back from white-ball to red-ball cricket can be challenging because you have to leave more deliveries and be patient outside off stump.

I feel the off-season training helps my body and mind make those transitions smoothly.Do you change your technique while switching formats?Not really. For me, it's more about mindset than technique. The red ball swings for longer and demands greater patience. You have to respect good spells and understand that you're batting for long periods to build an innings. As long as I'm in the right headspace and understand the match situation, I don't feel the need to change my technique.

Can someone who loves playing straight, like you, still score at a strike rate of 170-180 in T20 cricket?I definitely think it's possible. Playing in the V can still be effective, but you also need to develop a wider range of shots because bowlers constantly vary their pace and lengths in T20 cricket.It doesn't necessarily mean playing scoops or other unconventional shots, but you need enough options to make the bowler uncomfortable and force him to bowl where you want him to.

Nowadays, teams are scoring and chasing 240 or even 250. To contribute consistently in that environment, you have to broaden your scoring areas while continuing to trust your natural strengths.How much are you working on your sweep and reverse sweep against spin?Playing spin becomes increasingly important as you move up the levels, especially in the subcontinent, where pitches often assist spin more than seam.

I feel the sweep and reverse sweep are very important because they force the spinner to change his lengths and lines.

You can always rely on your defence, but if you want to score consistently and dominate quality spin bowling, you need those additional options.That's something I'm working on this season. Even if I don't use those shots on every wicket, it's important to have them in my game for turning tracks.How do you look back at your first full IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad?Sunrisers Hyderabad have been fantastic as a franchise. They've always backed their players and created a very supportive environment.

Sharing a dressing room with players like Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Travis Head was a huge learning experience. Watching how they prepare, practise and approach T20 cricket teaches you a lot.

Coming into the IPL, I had scored plenty of runs in domestic cricket and I was confident. But that's the nature of the game. You don't score runs everywhere you go. It was a valuable learning experience.

Last year I couldn't play because of the injury, so I was grateful to get six matches this season.Things didn't go according to plan, but I now know the areas I need to improve. The off-season gives me an opportunity to work on those aspects so that I'm better prepared for the next IPL and can contribute much more to the team.There are talks that you could captain Karnataka. Are you ready for that responsibility?Definitely. I've always enjoyed leading teams. It's a privilege, and there's no better feeling than winning a championship as captain.I've captained Karnataka at the age-group level and we won the CK Nayudu Trophy. More recently, I was part of the Maharaja Trophy-winning side as well. Leadership is something I've always looked forward to, so if that opportunity comes, it would be a great honour.

Were you disappointed after missing out on the India A tour of Sri Lanka?I knew the series was coming and naturally I was hoping to be part of the squad.Of course, I felt I had a chance, but I didn't dwell on it for too long.

My focus immediately shifted towards scoring even more runs this season.Every year there's a different leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy. My goal is to remain at the top and continue piling on runs. Ultimately, your bat has to do the talking. India has so many quality cricketers that the only thing within your control is your performance. If I keep scoring consistently, opportunities will eventually come.

Would you like to bat in the top four for Karnataka?Yes, ideally I would. I've always batted at No. 4. Last season, Karun Nair was batting there and both of us were scoring runs, so we didn't want to disturb a combination that was working well.

If the opportunity comes, I'd love to bat in the top four. Whether that's No. 3 or No. 4 doesn't really matter.At the same time, my priority is helping Karnataka win championships. If batting at No. 5 gives the team the best chance of winning, I'm happy to do that as well.You wear jersey No 10. Is that inspired by Sachin Tendulkar?Sachin Tendulkar has been an inspiration to every cricketer growing up, but my number isn't because of him.

I used to wear No. 5. One day my mother suggested that I switch to No. 10. I did, and I've never changed it since.

Tell us about your family and their role in your journey.My family has been incredibly supportive throughout my life.It was actually my mother who enrolled me in cricket coaching because I was a very naughty child. Syed Sir happened to coach at the ground near our home, and that's where everything started. My family comes from an academic background.

Most of them are engineers, so cricket was something completely new for them. Even then, they never pressured me.

The emphasis was always on balancing studies and cricket. My mother always ensured I did well in school and college while pursuing cricket seriously.Whenever I come home, they support me regardless of whether I've scored runs or not. My mother may ask what went wrong after a poor innings, but that's simply a mother's concern.Syed Sir has also been like family. He wasn't just my coach; he played a big role in convincing my parents to let me pursue cricket seriously. I also have an elder sister, who is six years older than me. She doesn't follow cricket closely but she always watches my IPL matches and sends me a message whenever I do well.

I'm fortunate to have such a supportive family around me.Does your mother still insist that studies come first?(Laughs) Yes, absolutely. That's probably the conversation we have the most.

She always reminds me that I should have a good educational background and a career beyond cricket.She believes studies are just as important, and I completely respect her viewpoint. Even today, I feel education and cricket should go hand-in-hand because balancing both teaches you a lot about discipline and life. Credit goes entirely to my family for helping me maintain that balance.