By Tyler Lewis
Expand strike rate and improve mentality.
Those are the focuses for Yash Pednekar this winter, as he jets off to the United Kingdom to play for North Leeds Cricket Club.
The North Dandenong junior and current Richmond CC opener enjoyed a career best season to date, as the Tigers made it to the penultimate game of the Vic Premier Cricket season.
It isn’t the first time Pednekar is avoiding the spoils of the Victorian winter, last off-season he made the trip north to play in the Darwin competition for Waratah.
That competition was back of mind for Pednekar as the VPC season came to a close, before an offer to play overseas surfaced.
“I sort of planned on going to the NT (Northern Territory) again,” Pednekar said.
“I had in the back of my mind to go to the UK (United Kingdom) with everything opening up, there were a few offers, clubs contacted me, I thought ‘why not’.
“Go to the UK, play in some different conditions, challenge myself in a different way, (I am) leaving on the 12th, come back in September.”
As just a young man, a trip away from home in a foreign country would’ve been quite daunting, but the trip to Darwin prior assisted in the decision, while also teaching him a valuable lesson.
“If I didn’t go to Darwin initially, going to the UK would’ve been a big jump,” he said.
“Having that experience is definitely going to help me go to the UK, I think not just for my cricket as well… being away from home gives you that perspective that you know cricket is not everything.
“I think sometimes we put a lot on cricket and focus on cricket all the time, so having that balance sort of helped me this season as well, just getting that perspective on life and cricket I think.
“Cricket was the main focus I went up there, to improve my game, which I thought I did.
“Being around some good people probably helped, a few older guys, some my age as well from Victoria.
“Playing and training together, then enjoying off field as well helped me find that balance.”
Pednekar played in each of the 18 matches for Richmond this summer, accumulating 444 runs @ 27.25, with two half-centuries and two scores in the 40s.
While he admitted a period in Darwin certainly helped him play a more potent role for the Tigers, he was also quite critical of his year.
“I think this season was definitely a big learning curve,” he said of the 2021/22 season.
“My first full season in the ones which was nice, I had a good opportunity there at the top of the order.
“It was a good season, not a great season, but definitely one I take a lot of confidence from and I think Darwin played a major role.
“Just playing more cricket through the whole year, I feel like in the pre season in Melbourne you get a bit stuck with technique and things like that, whereas you play more you learn way more about your game.”
Pednekar played 18 matches in Darwin, and then had a brief cameo for Port Adelaide in South Australia before the full season with the Tigers.
And though some would be eyeing off a break from the game, Pednekar is envisioning nothing of the sort, in fact, looking to improve further.
“I think for me it is to expand my game a bit more,” he said.
“For me this year – the role I played – I was pretty happy with a few of the starts I got, but I didn’t show the gears I have.
“So to improve that strike rate and expand my game a bit more, I feel I have it in me, I played a bit within myself this season.
“(I am) going to the UK to take those risks that I probably wouldn’t have taken in Victoria with the expectations, (I am going to) go there with a bit of freedom and try and bring that back to Victoria.
“The biggest thing for me (as well) is my mental side of the game, (and) my tactical side.
“Finding that consistency in which I can go into each game with the same mindset and same perspective no matter what has been in the previous game.
“That’s one of the biggest things I found this season, when I can go into a game with no baggage and just treat each game as it comes.
“Judging form on the process rather than the outcomes of how many runs I have scored, how many bombs I hit, I think that is when I am playing my best cricket and that’s what I want to keep working on.”
With what will be effectively a fourth successive season, Pednekar is going chips in on higher honours.
Revealing playing at a higher level is front of mind.
“I think that has always been the goal and the dream; to play at the next level,” he said.
“There are a lot of guys out there that want to do that, but I think if you put your best foot forward and give it your all… I get the opportunity to do it (play during winter), so why not chase that dream.”
Pednekar is flying off to England on Tuesday 12 April.
