Silencing his critics with the brilliant ton of 136 runs against Tripura on the second day of Ranji Trophy match, Ahmad Banday said that it is special to score century in front of home fans.
“I was under little pressure as I was not able to contribute a big inning for a while now. I know how much team needs me to perform at top of the order.. Today I was able to stick in the middle and help my team post a good total on board. It is extra special as I scored century in front of home fans who had come to watch us play,” Banday said.
About the influence of Irfan Pathan with whom he shared 80 plus run stand in the middle, he said, “Irfan was consistently guiding me and helping me to stay focused. He told me to stay in the middle, face as many balls as I can. His suggestion was to stick to plan of playing maximum number of overs and post a big total in order to get bonus point from the match. I tried to do what he and team management said and it worked”.
“He is great person and down to earth despite having such a big stature. His guidance helped me to bounce back in form and prove my critics wrong. I am always looking to contribute at top the order and help my team do well,” said Banday who was J&K’s top scorer in Ranji Trophy.