'I Do Not Want To Miss Out Anymore'

Having missed out on some important years of international cricket, ReetinderSingh Sodhi is working hard these days to make a comeback to the national squad as a "genuine all-rounder".

Once considered to be the most promising youngster in the country, the 23-year-old Sodhi has not been able to dojustice to his potential at the international level, having scored just 280 runs from 18 one-day internationals at amodest average of 25.45.

Just five wickets at 73 runs apiece also do not talk highly of his all-round abilities.

But Sodhi is keen to change all that and is putting in around eight hours every day at the nets in Patialato prepare himself for a comeback.

"I desperately want to get back to the Indian team. I have missed a lot and I do not want to miss out any more,"Sodhi said.

"The slot of a genuine all-rounder is still vacant in the Indian team and I am eyeing that position," he said.

"I have been working very hard, specially at my bowling. I have brought a slight change in my bowling action on theadvice of experts and it is going nicely for me."

Apart from being a hard-hitting middle order batsman and a talented medium-pacer, Sodhi is also an electricfielder, someone who not only saves a number of runs but also peps up his teammates with his youthful energy.

For a cricketer who has been part of two World Cup winning teams -- at the U-15 and U-19 levels -- it washeart-breaking for Sodhi not to be in India's World Cup squad in South Africa earlier this year. His last outing with theIndian team was against the West Indies at Jodhpur last year, where he was out for just one run.

"It was certainly disappointing not to be in the Indian team for the World Cup. But it is stillearly stages of my career and I am confident I will be a part of India's World Cup team some day," Sodhi said.

As a junior, his moment of glory came when he led India's U-15 team to the World Cup victory in England with a winagainst Pakistan in the final in 1996. His superb 82 not out and 3-34 won him the man of the match award.

Four years later, Sodhi earned a unique double when, as vice-captain of the victorious U-19 team, he was adjudged man of the match againin the World Cup final in Sri Lanka.

His performance at the first-class level has also been impressive. After making his debut at the age of 16, Sodhi has scored 2634 runs from 46 matches at an average of 42.48 and a topscore of 200 not out. He has also claimed 73wickets at 27.06 each with three five-wicket hauls.

However, the going has been very tough for him at the senior level and a debilitating back injury some time ago,which kept him in bed for six months, did little to help his cause.

"I have completely recovered from the injury now and I am now going through my training session nicely. I am ready forinternational cricket," Sodhi, who has taken over the captaincy of Punjab, said.

His fine all-round performance in a recent Ranji one-day match against Delhi, where he scored 73 and also took threewickets, proved his point.

As the next logical step, he is hoping to find a berth in India 'A' team for a tour of Englandnext month, the squad for which is to be announced shortly.

His U-19 teammates -- Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh -- are already making waves in international cricket, and Sodhiis confident he will be able to join them soon.

Hopefully, by the time the New Zealand come to India in October this year.

PTI