Mumbai, Aug 30: Included in the side just a few days ahead of the tournament, opener, Prashant Chopra, slipped into his role with ease and played valuable knocks in the build-up to the ICC Under-19 World Cup final. The youngster’s determination to play in the tournament was so strong that although he was not part of the squad when it was first announced, he talked to his coaches and was prepared to play in case he got a call-up.

Finally, when the opportunity presented itself, the lad from Himachal Pradesh grabbed it with both hands. His patient half-century in the semi-finals against New Zealand was crucial in India claiming a berth in the finals.

After being felicitated at a ceremony in Mumbai with rest of his teammates, Prashant Chopra spoke to bcci.tv about the road ahead.

Excerpts from the conversation:

What will you do with the Rs. 20 lakhs prize money?

No plans as such, but I would like to gift something to my mom, dad and my sister. I always wanted to give them something, and now, I can do it. I am here today because of all of them, so I would like to give something to them.

What does winning the World Cup mean to you?

It means a lot. It was a dream come true. I had this dream since Virat Kohli and co won the World Cup [in 2008]. Since then, I had it in my mind to win the World Cup some day, to play in the World Cup. We have been thinking about it continuously for almost two years since we have been attending camps. And, we were also thinking about playing in the finals and winning it.

You scored three half-centuries in the tournament, one of which came in the semi-finals against New Zealand. How did you work and plan your innings?

My plan was always to take some time at the wicket to settle down, because [I knew] if I do that, it will make things easier for me and I can dominate the bowlers who come in later. If you give away your wicket to the bowlers who bowl initially, then it puts pressure on the rest of the team. In Australian conditions, seeing off the new ball is the most important thing; so that was our plan. So, Unmukt [Chand] and I focused on that and we were controlling the way we played. My plan was also to initially curb my shots and after that, the runs would come and there would be loose deliveries to hit.

How did you adjust and adapt after coming into the side just ahead of the tournament and replacing Manan Vohra?

I was mentally prepared. I have always opened, so I was prepared [for that also]. I was waiting for an opportunity. Unfortunately, Manan [Vohra] was injured, so [I got the opportunity]. I wanted to perform and I used to speak to my coaches [throughout], so I was prepared for playing there. I had already planned what I will do if I get the opportunity to play for India. So, there was nothing that I had to change.

How did the interaction with Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid help you?

Rahul Dravid is a great player and he has seen a lot of cricket. He told us how cricket at the international level is different from what you play in the Under-19 domestic circuit. You are above the rest in the domestic level, but it is neck-to-neck at the international level, so you have to prepare accordingly. Also, you have to prepare for Australian wickets and for the conditions that will be there. It is not like it is a batsman’s game or a bowler’s game [out there]; the conditions are good for both. So, that helped.

When we met Sachin Paaji, he said focus on your basics. You have done a lot to be here. Enhance your mental toughness and whenever you feel the pressure take a deep breath. Think that this [the situation] is normal [and] this is bound to happen. If you play cricket, you have to handle the pressures [that come with it]. All those things helped us prepare.

What was the advice from your coach Bharat Arun?

He told me if the ball is in your zone, hit it. If you get out while hitting a ball in your zone, it is OK. He has encouraged me to play my normal game. He also said, if you can control yourself [from playing shots early on] that is a big bonus because you play well later [in the innings] which is good. He also told me that if I get a good opening stand with Unmukt than that is helpful for the team.

How did you feel when you came to know that the senior cricketers were following your team’s progress?

That felt good. We are the ones who used to sit and watch them. So, when we heard that they are watching us, it felt good. I felt very happy that they watch us too and that they know our names and who does what. So, it feels good that they were watching junior cricket and they gave good comments and said good things; so it felt good listening to them.

Who do you look up to?

I always look up to Sachin Tendulkar. He is great. I hope someday I can be like him not only on the on the field but off it as well. I want to be able to imbibe his attitude towards game, the passion he has for the game and the love and his down to earth behaviour and kindness towards people; that’s not easy but I want to be able to do that too. He is my role model. I watch him bat and observe the way he keeps calm in different situations and I try to mould myself like that.

What is the plan going ahead?

After a few celebrations [and then] it is back on the field and back to doing what we do and prepare for the upcoming domestic season. We will have to work harder than before to maintain this level and go on to the next. It is not easy to get to the next level. We have to work harder on the other aspects as well. So, the plan is to take one steady step at a time and keep ourselves normal and keep the attitude towards cricket same as before and never let the hunger for runs diminish.