Hello and welcome to all, the Bouncer Avenue team had the honour and privilege to conduct a live interview with Netherlands’ cricketer who opens the innings for them with the bat, Vikramjit Singh.
Vikramjit, who partly hails from Punjab, India, plays international cricket as an opening batter in the Netherlands side. Currently, he is 19 years old and is representing the Netherlands in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Here is the excerpt of the interview taken by the Bouncer Avenue Team members:
Parag: Tell us about your childhood and family upbringing.
Vikramjit: My father is Dutch and my mother is from India, and we moved to the Netherlands when I was very young.
Parag: Tell us your story on how you entered the world of professional cricket.
Vikramjit: I wasn't much interested in professional cricket during my childhood and used to play with my dad. One day, a high-performance coach came and asked me to come for trials for U-12 for the Netherlands. It started there and then I played all-age group cricket and made my debut at about 16 in the T20I against Scotland. I made my List-A debut against Ireland A in 2021.
Parag: Tell us about your migration to the Netherlands.
Vikramjit: Obviously my dad is Dutch and my grandparents were the ones who had moved to the Netherlands, so I had to be with my dad (laughs).
Parag: How are the cricketing facilities (infrastructure of club cricket, opportunities to play) in the Netherlands?
Vikramjit: Being an associate nation, we are slowly getting the funds and are developing slowly. It's going great and in the right direction.
Parag: What prompted selectors to select you in the Netherlands squad for the first time, in Ireland Tri-Series 2019?
Vikramjit: My runs in club cricket made Peter Borren refer me to the selectors as he was the coach of the club I played in.
Vamsi: Who is your inspiration in recent times and why (It can be a cricketer or any other field celebrity)?
Vikramjit: Suryakumar Yadav because he scores his runs all over the wicket effortlessly.
Parag: Who is your current favourite cricket player and why?
Vikramjit: Quinton De Kock because he's a successful southpaw.
Parag: Which cricket ground do you like the most and why?
Vikramjit: MCG, I like the most and wish to play. Also, Lord’s, at the home of cricket.
Parag: Toughest pace bowler ever faced?
Vikramjit: Ahhh, tough question, but Naseem Shah who swung it both ways, and Alzarri Joseph, who clicked 150s with ease.
Parag: Toughest spin bowler ever faced?
Vikramjit: Ish Sodhi under the lights, even had a few words of Punjabi with him when we played (laughs).
Parag: How is the overall team culture in Netherlands Cricket Team
Vikramjit: Guys are really great, and they give a very good feeling inside the dressing room.
Parag: Where, and what do you think about the foreseeable future of Netherlands Cricket
Vikramjit: It's developing, and we wish to see our cricket reach bigger nations where we play series against bigger teams like India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan, etc.
Parag: How is your and your team's preparation going for the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia within a fortnight (during the time of the interview)
Vikramjit: Yes, it's going well. We landed in Adelaide and had a good practice session. Now we are in Melbourne, next to the Gabba and the preparations are going well.
Parag: What milestones do you want to achieve as a cricketer for the Netherlands?
Vikramjit: There is no particular milestone at the moment, but to contribute more to Netherlands cricket and score more runs.
Parag: What is your pinnacle/ultimate wish for Netherlands Cricket Team like winning a World Cup, etc?
Vikramjit: Of course, winning World Cup is our priority, everyone's priority and wish. Also, I wish we come to a level that is on par with India, Sri Lanka, England, and Australia.
Parag: How do you see Ryan Campbell's coaching style?
Vikramjit: He's been the head coach since I came and I really like his coaching. He would be a great asset for us while playing in Australia. He's going to join us in Melbourne soon.
To read Netherlands' coach Ryan Campbell’s interview, click/touch here
Vamsi: What are the other leagues which you would like to play apart from IPL?
Vikramjit: CPL, in that league, any good team is acceptable for me.
Rapid Fire:
Vamsi: Which is your favourite movie?
Vikramjit: Interstellar
Vamsi: Which is your favourite colour?
Vikramjit: I would say Yellow and Orange, but if to pick one, I would say Orange.
Parag: Do you like traveling to mountains or on beaches?
Vikramjit: Mountains
Vamsi: What is your favourite cuisine?
Vikramjit: Indian
Parag: How many hours do you work out per day?
Vikramjit: At the moment, 6 hours a day.
Vamsi: If not a cricketer, what would you have been?
Vikramjit: Well, that's a tough question, but my people used to say, I would like to become a pilot.
Vamsi: If an autobiography would have been made on you, what title would you like to give to it?
Vikramjit: The Journey of Vikramjit.
That was all from Vikramjit Singh. Such a humble and calm personality he is. He was very confident about his goals and ambitions. We, Bouncer Avenue Team wish him and his team good luck for the T20 World Cup 2022 being held in Australia and also for his future cricketing career!
Thank you and stay tuned for more such interviews only on Bouncer Avenue!
