Mandeep Singh, who is set to join Tripura for the 2024-25 domestic season, has outlined his goals for this new chapter. At 32, Mandeep has opted to leave Punjab and move to Tripura, a decision that surprised many given his crucial role in helping Punjab win the Syed Mushtaq Ali title after a 30-year gap last season.
Despite his achievements, Mandeep chose to move on due to Punjab’s current focus on developing younger players, which left little room for experienced veterans like himself. His decision was further influenced by his omission from the Punjab squad during their recent tour of Namibia for five 50-over games. This exclusion prompted Mandeep to seek a fresh start with Tripura to revitalize his cricket career.
Mandeep Singh has recently made his ambitions clear: he aims to make a return to the IPL and also be considered for a comeback to the Indian team in all formats.
Leaving Punjab after a challenging period in domestic cricket, Mandeep managed only 216 runs at an average of 27.00 in the 2023-24 season, a stark contrast to his outstanding performance in 2019, where he scored 696 runs at an average of 69.60.
To achieve his goal of a comeback, Mandeep is focusing intently on improving his T20 skills. Traditionally known for his anchoring role with the bat, he is now working on enhancing his power game to meet the evolving demands of T20 cricket.
“Earlier, I used to focus mostly on red-ball cricket during the off-season. This time I practised a lot with the white ball. Being a top-order batter, I normally take my time early on. But things have changed. The demand is for fast cricket. So I worked on my power-hitting, so that if I am required to go big right from the start, I could do that,” Mandeep told ESPNCricinfo.
Mandeep Singh Eyes Making IPL, India Comeback
He then spoke about his ultimate dream for which he is beginning a new season with Tripura. He shared his vision and goals that he wants to achieve with a good domestic stint in the 2024-25 season.
“I have a few goals. One is, of course, to play all three formats, and then, hopefully, make a comeback in the IPL. Obviously, if you get back into the IPL and do well, you start getting into the mix [for the Indian team],” Mandeep added added.
“If I am not wrong, Suryakumar Yadav played for India at the age of 30. Shashank Singh is 32-33 [32]. He had his first taste of success in the IPL last year. So the inspirations are right in front of me.”
Mandeep Singh is currently looking up to Suryakumar Yadav, who has recently been named India’s T20I captain. Yadav began his international career at 30 and, within just three years, has become not only the captain of the Indian T20I team but also the leading T20I batsman globally.
