Amandeep Khare is doing the heavy lifting for Chhattisgarh, yet bigger opportunities elude him

Khare has been performing for Chhattisgarh since 2016, but that experience hasn't necessarily translated into call-ups for the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup or India A, leaving him wondering what more he needs to do.

Amandeep Khare knows how to play the long game - be it in a match where the situation demands it or while waiting for that one opportunity to give his cricketing career a boost.

Earlier this week, Khare played a key role in helping Chhattisgarh register its first win of the season. He scored an unbeaten 89 to give his side a crucial first-innings lead before making 30 in a successful fourth-innings chase against Andhra at the DVR Ground in Mulapadu, Vijayawada.

His first-innings knock was built around problem-solving. Andhra's bowlers, especially spinners Saurabh Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, and Lalith Mohan, were not only restricting the scoring rate but also picking up wickets regularly.

Khare responded with assured defence, looking for scoring angles and switching between middle- and leg-stump guards to find gaps and take his side closer to Andhra's total of 231.

"I had to hold one end since, at the other end, everyone was getting out trying to play shots," Khare told Sportstar. "I analysed the situation and felt I needed to take the game deep. It might have been a bit monotonous, but I shouldn't become lethargic, so I kept changing guards," he added.

"I wanted to make sure I was defending with intent. I faced a lot of very good deliveries, but I was able to survive them because I was alert and defending with intent," Khare said.

Eventually, he helped Chhattisgarh take a crucial six-run first-innings lead before the side was bowled out. Khare, however, remained stranded at the other end, 11 runs short of his century.

"I wanted to score a century and stretch the lead further," he said. "Scoring a hundred is always a good feeling for any batter, especially in India."

Khare has been playing for Chhattisgarh since the state got affiliation in 2016 and understands the importance of every run he scores, in any game or format, especially at this stage of his career.

"I have been part of this team since its first game. I play all formats, and there have hardly been a game or two that I have missed," the 29-year-old said.

"Over the years, I have felt that with each passing year, I have become better in terms of my numbers, which means I am doing something right," he added.

However, that progress hasn't necessarily translated into call-ups for the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup or India A, leaving Khare wondering what more he needs to do. His only call-up to the Central Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy came in the 2023-24 season, when he played one match and scored 31 runs across two innings, including an unbeaten 27 in the second.

"In the season when I played the Duleep Trophy, I averaged close to 50 (49.45). Since then, I have had much better seasons, but I haven't got any opportunities. I feel I deserved one," Khare said.

He wondered whether his continuous non-selection in the Central Zone squad could be because Chhattisgarh hasn't qualified for the Ranji Trophy knockouts so far. "It could be one of the reasons. But I still have age on my side and the experience. I genuinely cannot find a solid reason why I haven't been selected."

Since the start of 2023, Khare (2027) is the third-highest run-scorer among players in the Central Zone, behind Madhya Pradesh's Shubham Sharma (2517) and Vidarbha's Yash Rathod (2380).

"I talk to the selectors. When the zonal selection happens, they eventually pick the maximum players from the (Ranji Trophy) teams that have qualified (for knockouts). Last year, Central won as well, so they are continuing with those players. That's all okay, I understand that, but I still feel I deserve a chance there," he said.

His record against some of the established domestic sides further establishes his concern regarding non-selection. Khare has scored two double centuries, one against Vidarbha (210) and then 203 not out against Saurashtra. Overall, he has seven 150-plus scores in the Ranji Trophy.

"I am scoring runs against good teams, but I don't know where I am lacking. If I get an opportunity, only then can I showcase my talent," he said.

He's also the mainstay for Chhattisgarh in white-ball cricket, where he has scored 2649 runs in List A games at an average of 48.16 and 1760 runs in T20s at a strike rate of 124.65.

For Khare, live-streamed matches have become a crucial platform to remind people he is still around.

"It's a stage where I can showcase my talent. Live matches are important for us and our state because I am not getting another bigger stage. These matches are the biggest stages for us, where people are watching. So, this is the best chance to perform and make people say, 'Yes, he is also a player'."

Despite the disappointments over "things he can't control", Khare remains confident that he will eventually achieve his ultimate goal of playing for India.

"The day that becomes improbable, I will quit cricket. As of now, I feel I have a good 10-15 years of cricket left in me," he said.

"I believe there will be one year when I will turn things around," Khare concluded.