Vizag Cricketer Selected for India U-23 Team

21 years old Sasikanth, a final year BA student from Dr Lankapalli Bullayya College in Vizag city, is a right-arm fast bowler who is emerging to be a solid middle order batsman for the ACA. The cricketer has been selected for the India Emerging-U-23 team that will play in the Asian Cricket Council’s Tournament (Emerging Cup) in Dhaka in the last week of March.

During the recently concluded CK Nayudu U-23 Trophy tourney where the Andhra team created history by entering the finals, where they lost to the team from Punjab, he scored 180 runs and scalped 34 wickets in seven matches, prompting his selection in the national squad, which will be led by Tamil Nadu batter Baba Aparajit.

“I have played for Andhra in the all-India Ranji Trophy Group C in the last two sessions and also represented Andhra in the T-20 format in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T-20 tournament. Now, I have been given a great opportunity to play for India and am waiting to prove my talent both with the ball and bat in the Emerging Cup tournament,” Sasikanth, told TOI.

He pointed out that this tourney would prove to be a learning experience at a different level and added that his life time dream had been to play for team India. He further added that he had a tough task on his hands to prove himself as an all-rounder, but noted that he was confident to excel with both bat and ball. Regarding the cricketers who inspire him the most he quickly responded with the names, Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn McGrath and Dale Stein.

Sasikanth’s father K Ramakrishna is an employee of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) and a former cricketer who represented the VPT. Sasikanth expressed his gratitude to his parents, Ramakrishna and Lakshmi, and also sincerely thanked the ACA and VDCA for their continuous support and encouragement.