As the wickets dry up,Chawla prepares for the long road ahead

If there was contest for the man with the longest face in the subdued UP dressing room...

If there was contest for the man with the longest face in the subdued UP dressing room,Piyush Chawla would have won hands down. Its been a season of drastic ups and downs for the leggie and the Ranji Trophy semi-final game against Tamil Nadu could certainly qualify as an unquestionable low.

Chawlas 28.5 wicket-less overs in the first innings meant the UP pacers didnt get sufficient support and TN went on to score 445. This was also the third straight innings in two Ranji games where he failed to pick up a wicket. In the last 89 overs that he has bowled,he has picked up just three wickets.

As luck would have it,his poor run has come in the knock-out stages,just as the focus shifted from international cricket to the domestic competition.

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The 20-year-old leg-spinner doesnt call it a crisis but he does confess that the rub of the green is not going his way. Today wasnt my day,there was a couple of chances missed during the match, he says. UP coach and former player Gyanendra Pandey understands the situation that Chawla finds himself in. He is bowling well,it happens in cricket.

Though the team is bullish about Chawlas class,the road ahead is tough. After the new selection committee took over,perception about the UP spinner has changed. Chawla is no longer seen as the heir apparent to Anil Kumble,with Amit Mishra picking up that tag.

Willing to wait

Ironically,Chawla got news about the axe when he was on a high. While turning out for the Board Presidents XI against the visiting Aussies,Chawla got a five-wicket haul and his victims included the likes of Mathew Hayden,Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. It was during this match that Chawla came to know that Mishra had been picked for the Test series as the second leggie.

With Mishra among wickets in Tests,and Chawla not quite having a great domestic season so far,the Ranji semis and quarters were supposed to be his opportunities to change a few opinions. Considering his modest show so far,Chawla understands that he might have to wait. You cant do much sometimes,Amit has been bowling really well which has given me clear indication that I have to wait and Im ready to do so. Right now,the only thing I want is to get wickets,as many as possible, Chawla said.