Rahul Sharma Eyes a 2019 World Cup Return

The last public memory of Rahul Sharma was perhaps the 2014 IPL games, and since then not many remember Rahul who has been part of the Indian side in 3 ODI’s and a couple of T20I’s. He stays in Jalandhar which is just 150kms away from Chandigarh was tempted to catch up with his teammates and former skipper MS Dhoni. But instead, he decided to stay put in his house and catch the action of the 2^nd ODI on his television.

He sees practically no business in coming to Punjab.

“I have not played any competitive cricket for the last two years due to injuries. I have another chance to break into the Punjab team for the limited overs matches if I do well in the district matches which will begin from December 23. I want to concentrate on my fitness and hope I play without any more injuries,” Rahul was quoted as saying by the mid-day during a conversation.

The out of favour leg-spinner bagged his maiden break after consistent performances for the Deccan Chargers, Pune Warriors India (both defunct teams now), Delhi Daredevils and the Chennai Super Kings. It was the 2011 season when the leggie impressed all and sundry with exceptional figures of 2/7 in 4 overs against the Mumbai Indians. He bagged 16 wickets at an economy rate of fewer than six runs per over.

He managed to play three more ODI’s and a couple of T20I’s before he faded into oblivion. His alleged involvement in the Juhu rave party did not help his reputation. Despite the BCCI backing Rahul he failed to impress, and the IPL 2014 are his last memories of his career so far. In fact, the alleged involvement was touted as a reason behind his drastic fall in his career, but Rahul feels it is the injuries which haven’t helped his cause.

“It started with a back injury, then shoulder and knee. It affected my rhythm. Last year I made a comeback in the Punjab T20 team, but I didn’t get any opportunity. I was not considered for the one-dayers and dropped without getting any game. “Before the last IPL, Rahul (Dravid) bhai called me for Delhi Daredevils trials. I again got injured after I the first ball. Since then I have been doing my rehab at the National Cricket Academy (Bangalore). I was doing well in the Punjab district matches in August. In one of the matches, I injured my knee as the ground was a bit wet. I again went into the rehab for the knee injury. I came back only this month from the NCA,” says Rahul.

Recalling that fateful day Rahul said that there was nothing rave in that party and also revealed that he have never had a drink.

“There was nothing rave in that party. We were not in a villa; we were at a five-star hotel where the norms are strict,” Rahul clarifies. “I was falsely implicated. I was on the terrace. No one came on the top. Yes, I like to party… I am a Punjabi and like to dance. I like to go to clubs. But I know where to draw a line. I know my limits. I have never had any drink. My game is very important to me. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he says.

Rahul also revealed that he had tested positive from inhaling the smoke from cannabis.

“It was just a lame excuse as I was on the terrace and I could not have inhaled it. They had nothing against me. The tests too were also done in a shambolic manner. They took the urine in churan bottles. There were hundreds of bottles which had no names on it,” Rahul stated.

He eyes to find a spot for the 2019 World Cup and is confident that the perception of people towards him will change once he is back in the field.

“People do loose talk that ‘I got dropped because of the doping scandal’. I don’t understand how to make them understand the real fact. I played for three years after that. I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I haven’t done anything wrong. Once I start performing, the perception towards me will automatically change. These two-and-half years have been quite difficult. I know myself what I have gone through. In these two years is could have done so much for the Indian team,” he concluded.