“This is Sachin, this is Rahul Dravid. Watch Them’: How Karnataka all-rounder Manvanth Kumar fell in love with cricket

Karnataka all-rounder Manvanth Kumar (Image: @manvanthkumarl/Instagram) NEW DELHI: At just 22, Manvanth Kumar emerges as a grounded, confident cricketer with a remarkable understanding of his game. Despite being an early-career Karnataka all-rounder, he has a clear sense of his strengths, his role in the team and the work required to take the next step.Manvanth grabbed everyone’s attention during Karnataka’s match against Saurashtra in the second round of the ongoing Ranji Trophy. He scored a smooth 135 after coming out to bat at No. 9, with his team reeling at 187/7 in the first innings.“It was a normal day for me. I just went out and played my natural game. Credit goes to Mr Vinay Kumar, the Karnataka coach, because he told me to express myself. So I went there and expressed myself. That’s it,” Kumar told TimesofIndia.com from Mysuru, where Karnataka will face Tripura from Monday.Manvanth added 146 runs for the ninth wicket with No.10 Abhilash Shetty to help Karnataka recover from a precarious position to post a competitive total.“I have been playing under-23 cricket for the last three years, where I usually bat at No. 7 or No. 8. Even in T20 cricket, I bat at No. 6 or No. 7, so I am used to batting tailenders,” he says.The youngster made his mark in age-group cricket with a five-wicket haul in the final of the Col. CK Nayudu Trophy 2023-24 and helped Karnataka win the title against Uttar Pradesh. He has already established himself as a key player in the shorter format, taking 22 wickets to help Hubli Tigers win the 2023 Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 title.“I consider myself a bowling all-rounder. But when I bat, I like to bat at No. 4 or No. 5. At present, my role is as a bowling all-rounder,” he says.

A family that loves cricket

Manvanth, who admires England all-rounder Ben Stokes, comes from a cricket-loving family. His father, S. Lakshmi Kumar, drove a bus for the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) before taking up the management of a travel agency in Mysuru. He wanted both his sons to take up cricket and his elder son Hemant Kumar has now taken up coaching.“Looking back, I feel good about my journey. I come from a middle-class family. My brother played cricket and my father loved the game. He encouraged us to take up cricket and I was also inspired by watching my brother play,” he says.“My father used to drive a bus for BMTC. Now he runs a travel agency in Mysuru. He always loved cricket. He didn’t necessarily want to play the game himself, but he loved watching it and encouraged us to watch it too. From a young age he told us, ‘This is Sachin, this is Rahul Dravid. Watch them,'” he recalls.His older brother remains one of his biggest sounding boards, offering advice and keeping a close eye on his performances.“My elder brother is a cricket coach and now he is one of my mentors. He is very particular about my game. Whenever I do something wrong, he asks me why I played a particular shot or played a particular delivery. He still guides me,” says Manvanth with a laugh.While he admires Ben Stokes as a player, former India batsman Manish Pandey has greatly influenced his career.“I like Ben Stokes but if I had to name one idol it would be Manish Pandey. I like him a lot. His attitude towards cricket and life in general was a big influence on me. We played for Hubli Tigers, Manish Pandey led the team and we won the championship that year. It changed my cricket career completely,” he says.

The coaches who shaped him

Manvanth started his cricket journey at the Mysore University Colleges Sports Council (MUCSC) where he trained under Mansoor Ahmed. Since then, he has worked with several coaches, each of whom has contributed to his development.“I started playing at MUCSC where I trained under Mansoor Ahmed. Currently I play for Rao Bahadur Narasappa Cricket Club (RBNCC) under Balachander and Mr Ravindra,” he says.Among those who have played a particularly important role in his development is former Karnataka batsman and coach Yere Goud, who recognized his potential during his early days in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL).“Sir Yere Goud played a huge role in my career. He was the one who picked me in the auction in my first year in the Karnataka Premier League. He understood my game and knew what I needed to do.”“He told me to go there and express myself without holding back. He would say that even if I stepped out, he would take responsibility. He also recognized me as a proper all-rounder and got the best out of me. Vinay Kumar sir also looked after me when we were with Hubli Tigers, but Yere Goud sir was the one who recognized my potential and helped me develop as an all-rounder,” he adds.

Learn to manage workload

For a fast-bowling all-rounder who can aim smoothly at around 135km/h while also contributing with the bat, load management and recovery are essential. Manvanth says he gradually learned to understand his body and the demands of a busy domestic calendar.“Whenever we have a day off, I’m fully focused on recovery. It could be spending time in the pool, an ice bath or a massage. Recovery is important, but playing cricket has become such a big part of my life that I feel like I’m missing something when I’m not playing,” he says.He is also clear about the adjustments required when transitioning between red-ball and white-ball cricket.“As a batsman, I don’t change my intention much. Vinay Kumar sir has given me the freedom to express myself and play with the same intention as in white-ball cricket. He told me that even if I get out, he will take responsibility. That gives me confidence.”“Bowling is a bit more difficult because you have to go from hitting hard lengths to getting the ball to swing. It takes a day or two to get into a rhythm and adapt to the demands of the format,” he explains.For someone who talks about the game with such clarity, it might seem like cricket takes up almost every waking hour. But there is another interest that helps him relax.“Watching anime is one of the best parts of my day. I come back from a match and watch anime for a while. Apart from cricket, it’s something I really enjoy,” he says.

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