BANGALORE: 

Subramaniam Badrinath after guiding India to a three-wicket win in the second ODI vs Sri Lanka last month

For Subramaniam Badrinath, getting the India cap was like a dream that was getting further away from him every month.

Despite scoring heavily in the last few domestic seasons, Badri never got the call-up he desperately desired.
But Badri battled every frustration and dejection, and finally his patience and consistency were rewarded when he was named as Sachin Tendulkar's replacement for the ODI series against Sri Lanka last month.

"It was a great feeling to be in the dressing room and wearing the cap. It was a dream that I had since a long, long time. It felt really great to be a part of the Indian team," Badri, who is leading the India A side, told MiD DAY during the three-day game against Australia last week.

Experience

Badri impressed everyone with a valuable 27 on his debut that contributed to India's chase of a small total in the second one-dayer.

Like many, Badri also believes that the difference between domestic and international cricket is the mental part of the game. And that's where he has the advantage.

"In international cricket, you don't get a lot of loose balls and the fielding standards are very high. The only difference is that the pressure is really huge with the whole country watching. So in that sense, it all depends on how prepared you are mentally to handle that pressure," Badri said.

"I feel mentally tougher. I feel really confident because I have played in so many different parts of the world, gone through the highs and lows of cricket. I have played with the A side and so I know how things are," he said.

"Playing for so long has definitely made a difference because having seen so much  makes me feel that I belong here. That gives me a lot of confidence when I am on the field," the Tamil Nadu batsman said, adding that the same experience helped him play well in his debut game.

"Even before I went in, I knew what I was supposed to do. We were not chasing a huge total and had plenty of time. So, I just backed my technique and decided to bat for a while and then see how things are going. That's what I concentrated on doing. Maybe, the years that I played and the experience of so many matches helped," Badri said.