NSW leg-spinner in line to play first Sheffield Shield game in two years but insists he does not want to be another player lost to red-ball cricket
Sangha sets sights on being an all-format spinner for Australia
Tanveer Sangha says he still wants to become a three-format bowler for Australia, as the spinner prepares to play his first Marsh Sheffield Shield match in almost two years.
Sangha will turn out for NSW against Queensland at Allan Border Field on Monday, marking his first red-ball game for his state since March 2022.
In the time since, the leg-spinner has played two ODIs and seven Twenty20s for Australia while missing large parts of Shield action while overseas or injured.
Such is Sangha's predicament, the 22-year-old has now played more white-ball matches for his country than red-ball matches at first-class level.
NSW squad v Queensland: Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Moises Henriques (c), Daniel Hughes, Sam Konstas, Blake Nikitaras, Jack Nisbet, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain
Ins: Ben Dwarshuis, Tanveer Sangha. Outs: Ryan Hadley, Smit Raval
But despite that, Sangha maintains red-ball cricket can still be a priority as he hopes to one day add a Baggy Green to his limited-overs playing caps.
"I definitely think all three formats is definitely up for play," Sangha said.
"There's plenty of time still. Everyone says I'm young. I'm 22. You're not going to peak until late 20s.
"It's the most difficult skill in cricket. I'm still learning, trying to pull leggies, wrong'uns, toppies, sliders and executing all these different variations.
"I'm just trying to think long term rather than short. It's a long career if I do make it and I do get through all of it."
Sangha does not have to look far to see the impact of white-ball cricket on Test hopefuls.
Adam Zampa has long stated his desire to earn a Baggy Green, but Sangha's NSW and Australian white-ball teammate has played only two Shield games in the past four seasons.
Glenn Maxwell is another player virtually devoid of Shield matches in recent seasons, with only one since 2019.
"That's what I'm learning now while I was away," Sangha said.
"What can I still do while on a white-ball tour to make sure I'm maintaining my red ball-skills, shapes and bowling style?
"Is there something I can just do once a week? Where in one training session I just focus on something specific to red ball, just so I can maintain it?
"That's the balance that now I'm trying to learn to be an all-format player."
For now, though, Sangha can also see his red-ball game benefiting his white-ball cricket as he maintains a goal of this year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
"Red ball there's so much more repetition. There's so much more trying to get the batter out because they have so much time," Sangha said.
"But in white-ball cricket, they want to come at you. There's more opportunity to get them out.
"In red ball there's quite a bit of thought and time that goes into trying to plan to get a better out, rather than just trying to be consistent.
"That's where the art of spin bowling is. I've seen it with Warnie, (Ravichandran) Ashwin and 'Gaz' (Nathan Lyon).
"Each season I'm trying to get better and better, and not just be the same bowler in a few years' time."
Bottom-placed Queensland have named an unchanged squad for their final game of the season.
If selected, Australia Under-19 World Cup-winning quick Callum Vidler will make his first-class debut for the Bulls after being 12th man in their last match against WA.
Queensland squad v NSW: Jimmy Peirson (c), Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Jack Clayton, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth
Sheffield Shield 2023-24 standings
| Team | M | W | L | D | N/R | Ded. | Bat | Bowl | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
WA
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5.53 | 9.4 | 47.93 |
|
2
TAS
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.06 | 8.3 | 47.36 |
|
3
NSW
|
10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.31 | 9 | 42.31 |
|
4
VIC
|
10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4.74 | 8.2 | 38.94 |
|
5
SA
|
10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.19 | 9.3 | 33.49 |
|
6
QLD
|
10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.54 | 8.3 | 25.84 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points