'I have so much more clarity now' - Sanjay Krishnamurthy speaks on taking dual role of captaincy and batting

American semi-professional T20 league has witnessed the rise of a new star in the form of Sanjay Krishnamurthy, a 20-year-old all-rounder who has not only taken the captaincy of East Bay Blazers but has also etched his name in history as the youngest captain the league has ever seen.

Krishnamurthy's ascent to captaincy came as a result of the absence of regular skipper Angelo Perera, a former Sri Lanka international, at the start of the current minor league cricket season.

Despite being a youngster and relative inexperienced, Krishnamurthy proved himself as a leader by maintaining a perfect win record in the three games he captained in Perera's absence. His best moment came with a brilliant display of batting prowess, as he scored a scintillating 84 off just 52 against the formidable Golden State Grizzlies, a team boasting the likes of PSL star Umaid Asif and Texas Super Kings leg spinner Zia Shahzad.

What sets Krishnamurthy apart is his ability to organise his responsibilities as captain and batter. Unlike his earlier stint as captain of the West Zone Reds U19s, where he struggled with the bat under pressure, it looks like Krishnamurthy has now mastered the art of separating his roles.

"I try to keep it separate, especially when I'm batting. Because in the past, I've probably taken a little bit too much responsibility as a batsman when I'm the captain, and I don't think that's the right approach, I play my best when I play free. And that would have given the team the best chance to win." Krishnamurthy said as quoted by Cricbuzz.. 

Krishnamurthy's journey towards improvement didn't stop at the minor league. He had the privilege of being around cricketing superstars while being drafted in as the U23 pick at the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket. He drew inspiration from head coach Shane Watson and adopted mental strategies to enhance his game.

"I feel like I have so much more clarity now," Krishnamurthy said. "I don't worry about my own technique or anything else, and I just focus on the ball. I have also adopted Watson's ACT model as part of my pre-game mental prep routine. Which basically involves reminiscing you're A game, critiquing yourself based on your performance on a given day compared to your A game and then transformation through self-talk."