Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary revealed that during Asia Cup India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had told him that he will get a Test opportunity.

“MS Dhoni had a word with me in Bangladesh (during the Asia Cup) and told me that I will get an opportunity. These are the challenges I am facing. It is not easy for me to handle all these. I take inspiration from Oscar Pistorius (South African Paralympic Olympian). Compared to him, my challenge is nothing.”

“At this stage of my career I can't do much apart from scoring runs. The more big runs I score the more chances will be more available. My case will be stronger as far as selection is concerned.”

Asked about the selection committee’s decision to select Ajinkya Rahane as a middle-order batsman and rule him out, when the former is an opener and Tiwary being a middle-order batsman, he laughed off saying, “You have to ask that to the selectors. I can't say anything on that.”

“I think I am facing lot of challenges in my career and my life also. I am trying to handle them. I love challenges. I have always done well and I believe I have the ability to score runs. If I get a chance I am damn sure that I will get runs.”

Tiwary doesn’t believe that there is any prime time in a player’s life. He dismissed the idea that if he isn’t selected during his prime time, it will be a disadvantage for him later in life.

“Personally, I do not think there is anything called prime time. My thought process is very clear; as long as you have faith in yourself you are in your prime. Whatever age you are, it is all about your thought process. If you think you are not doing well then you will never do well. I feel I am always in my prime,” Tiwary was quoted as saying in www.cricketnext.in.com.

“I can only improve my game. Nobody is perfect. I just try to work hard in the nets. I give as much as time possible to my cricket. I prepare myself and whenever I will get a chance I am very confident of scoring runs.”

When asked whether Sachin Tendulkar’s presence in the team is blocking way for youngsters to get a chance in the team, he denied.

Do you think Sachin Tendulkar's presence in the middle order blocking the way of young players like
Tiwary draws inspiration from Yuvraj Singh, on his terrific return to cricket after suffering from cancer.

“Personally, I have very few people in my inspiration list but he is the latest addition. Coming straight from cancer very few people would think of resuming their careers again. It is not a joke. Whenever I met him, I see desperateness in his eyes. He is a big brother to me.”

The 27-year-old is unsure whether the weak present of Bengal in the BCCI is a reason why young cricketers like him aren’t getting much chance in the national side.

“I do not know, I generally do not think much on selection lines, to be honest. But I think the guys who are getting selected are scoring lot of runs. I have to wait and I have to keep scoring runs. I feel it is a matter of time before I get an opportunity.”

Tiwary said he has stopped expecting anything from life and cricket as whole, when questioned about hopes of getting selected in for the remaining Tests.

“I have stopped expecting anything from life, not only cricket but as a whole. If you do not get selected you feel very disappointed. It goes on and it hampers your present life. My job is to score runs and the rest I have left to destiny.”

Tiwary feels Bengal cricket is on the right track currently.

“Being one of the senior players of the side I have to lead from the front. Thankfully, I have done well over the last few seasons. There are players in Bengal who can score runs consistently. Bengal cricket is going in the right direction and the day is not far when the Ranji Trophy will be in our hands. As a batsman, I do not set targets, honestly. We play in different conditions and its hard to set targets for that. I play according to the situations. Naturally, I am an aggressive player but I have to curve my instinct according to the situation.”

“I try to contribute every time. Whatever the scores ... 191, 100, 20 or 30 ... if it helps my team I am happy. That satisfies me.”

On being asked what he feels about Sourav Ganguly stating that Tiwary should have been in the Test side, the middle-order batsman said, “It is so kind of him. I have grown up watching him in Kolkata. I always look up to him. Whatever I have learnt from him I try to apply on my game. He is always been a mentor to the Bengal players.”

“The love and affection they showed for me, I really appreciate that. I try and connect with everyone. Lately, I am not using Facebook since I am more on Twitter. They are not fans, they are my friends. I firmly believe that their wishes do make a difference,” Tiwary concluded.

PTI