Indiska cricket club has surpassed all the hinders that laid in their way to secure promotion to Allsvenskan in only four years. Dipanjan Dey, the skipper and their most productive player the previous season, discloses that their focus has been to keep the team in the right state of mind.
A few years ago, Dipanjan lived in India and was forced to choose between studies and cricket to pursue a career in. The choice was obvious for the former domestic player: studies. But he never left cricket as his hobby. “Studies and cricket are very competitive in India, one must put a lot of focus on that. In Sweden, I thought my cricket career was over”, Dipanjan Dey said.
But that turned out to be a misconception. Upon arrival, he found his love again and started playing with Indiska who was new in the Swedish cricket fraternity. The club and its members became his new family since he could relate to his teammates as they were living far from their families as well. “It is a kind of family, a family away from the family.”
A challenging season
Dipanjan and Indiska played their first competitive game back in 2018. Fast-forward to 2022, after several hard-fought battles, they will be playing in Allsvenskan, but to play in the highest division also means challenges they have never encountered before.
“It is a huge difference; we have to find out how to play and change our game plans according to teams. There is a tendency that teams who come up go down next year”, he said.
The key to their success as a club is that they are a well-gelled unit and have a great understanding of the game. “The good part was that we did not go down. The players understand that we are not always winning”, he said. “But we made sure that we talked to players who were not performing well. You have to understand that most of them are staying away from home. They are not always in the right mindset. A big part of this game is mental; we try to keep mentally fit.
A remarkable season for Dipanjan
Another big reason for Indiska’s success the previous year was Dipanjan. He was in red-hot form as he scored 504 runs at an average of 50.4 and a strike-rate well over 150. Compared to the season before, his stakes have risen significantly.
“Last year, I was able to deliver. After the 2020 season, I understood that if I want to play long and big, I should be patient. I should wait for the bad balls. So the mindset change made the whole difference.”
As a result of his brilliant performances in the league, he got a call from Jonty Rhodes, coach of Sweden’s Men’s national team. He was selected for the 15-member squad that was going on a tour to Denmark and Finland for international matches. Selection to the national team was a big achievement for Dipanjan, but it was even more precious to share the dressing room with Jonty Rhodes.
“It is a dream come true to see Jonty travelling with me. It is a fun moment”, he said. “He puts a lot of effort into improving Swedish cricket. You can always reach Jonty. If you have questions regarding fitness, fielding, batting, or bowling, he will provide you with information.”
Well-prepared for the season
After the previous season, Dipanjan moved to England for his PhD assignment and decided to do his pre-season training there as well. He said that the clubs in England have coaches who focus a lot on match-practice sessions but also on fielding and reflexes drills to improve the all-round game. “We can also talk to the coaches about shot selection and cricket; they will share their experience and advice.”
Back in Sweden, he said that the preparations for his club have been good. The focus has been on improving fitness to cope with the long matches and not give any opportunity to their opponents as it can be costly in the highest division. He also mentions that they, as a club, are determined about what they want to achieve this season.
“Our objective is to stay afloat in Allsvenskan and not go down.”
Photograph: Personal
