Overcoming hardships is second nature to Anukul Roy.

That the 19-year-old was the highest wicket-taker at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand is common knowledge now. However, what’s unknown is that the left-arm spinner nearly didn’t make the squad for the high-profile biennial tournament which India Under-19 won in some style a couple of months ago.

In November last year, Roy was laid low by an ankle injury. It kept him out of the Under-19 Challenger Trophy in November. This warm-up event helped the Junior National Selection Committee pick the squad of 15 from a ‘probables’ list comprising 35 players. The lad, who hails from Samastipur district in Bihar, also sat out of the Under-19 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur. But the team management, headed by Rahul Dravid, showed faith in him. Roy repaid the confidence placed in him by picking up 14 wickets in six matches as India Under-19 lifted the trophy.

One good thing led to another, and Roy was picked by the Mumbai Indians at the Vivo IPL auction in February.

In a freewheeling interview, Roy opens up on the memorable World Cup triumph, learning from Dravid and lots more.

“It was a great experience.” Roy quipped. “The whole squad was together for nearly two years. It was a long journey that culminated with the World Cup victory. Personally, I was very happy with my performance. I also faced a setback in the form of an injury. But I underwent rehab and fought my way back into the team. Playing under Rahul Dravid Sir was a great experience. He taught me how to bat better, how to improve as a bowler and how to become a better fielder. I know I am a better player now. And, I will use all that experience to good effect in the Vivo IPL,” he says.

He also elaborated on the virtues the whole squad imbibed from Dravid. “First of all, it taught us about the value and importance of discipline. Nobody was ever late to any training session. Also, Rahul Sir doesn’t like it when his team loses. He kept telling us how good a team we were. So, it was like when you know you can win, then you must give your best. He also taught us how to value our wicket. That apart, we also had a lot of fun with him,” he adds.

Roy is originally from Bihar, but had to shift to the neighbouring state of Jharkhand to further his cricket dream. That move changed him for the better. “I moved from my hometown in Bihar to Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. There, I had to manage everything from cooking to taking care of myself. I used to be a paying guest. But I also worked hard as a cricketer. Eventually, I broke into the Jharkhand Under-19 team. Then I was picked to play for the India Under-19 team. I was also dropped for the Asia Cup tournament but I fought my way back into the side with a string of good performances. Also, I must say Dravid Sir trusted me. He had faith in my abilities. Eventually, we won the tournament. It feels good now.”

Barely a week after the squad received a hero’s welcome in Mumbai, Roy and some of his teammates were rewarded at the Vivo IPL auction. So where was our man on auction day? “I was so excited. I was wondering when my name would be called out. I waited all day. They didn’t call my name out. Somebody told me I would be up for grabs the following day. Honestly, I lost interest. Instead, I decided to go out and practice. So, I chose not to watch the auction on Day Two. But soon after I was picked, I got to know. I was also interested in finding out where my Under-19 teammates were going to play. Turns out I am the only player from the Under-19 team in Mumbai Indians. Some have been picked by Kolkata and some others by Delhi. I am happy to be playing for MI. It’s not just a team; it’s like family. I have played for Reliance in corporate tournaments too. And I feel at home in this team,” Roy says.

Roy admires Ravindra Jadeja. But before the Saurashtra pro started playing for India, Roy used to closely follow the career of Daniel Vettori. And he even got to meet his childhood hero in New Zealand during the World Cup. “Vettori’s action, speed variations and control were exemplary. I used to watch his videos and try and emulate his style. And I had the good fortune of meeting him,” he recalls with glee.

Roy is aware of the fact that he needs to possess a bagful of tricks at this level. His mindset as a spinner is praiseworthy. “As a spinner, you have to work on your variations. Initially, I try to hold my line and bowl consistently. Even Dravid Sir advised me to try and bowl the stock ball consistently. He said I should experiment only occasionally. Early on in a spell, I try and restrict the flow of runs. When you give away fewer runs, you end up putting the batsman under pressure. So, yes, I try to be an economical bowler. The fewer runs you give, the better it is.”

So how does he react after getting hit for a six? “If I am hit for a six, I try and make sure I don’t concede more than a single off the next ball. I never get over-excited and try to get the batsman out on the next ball. The idea is to limit the damage and get him to the other end,” Roy explains.

We wrap up the interview with a fun question. And Roy is only happy to play along. Asked to share something not many people know about him, Roy goes down memory lane and narrates a wonderful story. “Whenever I had a match, I would try my best to bunk school. I did that by sleeping for a few minutes more. Eventually, I would miss the school bus (chuckles)! And my mother would have no choice but to let me sleep some more. Look, I used to plan my day around my cricket schedule. So, school took a backseat,” he says.

Turns out he made the right call.