Jangoo eyes dominant Super50 for Red Force, credits Pooran for strong 2024

Trinidad and Tobago wicket-keeper/batsman Amir Jangoo is eyeing a dominant showing in the upcoming 2024 Cricket West Indies Regional Super50 tournament from October 29-November 23 as TT Red Force look to defend their 2023 title.

The 27-year-old Jangoo has had a fantastic year thus far, and he rattled off 500 runs for the Red Force in five matches in the 2024 regional four-day season – finishing as the team's leading run-scorer. The left-handed Jangoo had a staggering average of 100 and also finished as the fourth-highest scorer in the competition behind the trio of Mikyle Louis (682 runs), Windies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite (565) and Kevin Sinclair (508).

Jangoo also notched a maiden First-Class hundred back in April when he plundered 218 versus the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, UWI, St Augustine.

On October 12, Jangoo was rewarded for his stellar performances this year as he copped the TT Cricket Board's (TTCB) National Cricketer of the Year award. Jangoo also featured for the West Indies Championship XI in the build-up to the West Indies' Test series versus South Africa in August.

Having missed out on selection for the Red Force's Super50 squad last year, Jangoo said he is eager to cash in on his form as he looks towards a potential West Indies call-up.

"Getting the (national player of the year) award is just the beginning. It's basically a foundation to bigger things I want to achieve – like making the West Indies team," Jangoo told Newsday, in a phone interview on October 22.

"At this level, it's all about consistency so I'm looking forward to the Super50 tournament and I want to dominate, as well as the upcoming four-day season next year. I want to really push...and go on to better things."

Jangoo made his Red Force debut at 19 versus Barbados at the Kensington Oval, Barbados in 2017. Even on debut, Jangoo showed promise as he cracked 71 in the second innings as the Red Force team romped to a big 130-run win.

Seven years on, Jangoo says "there has been a lot of learning, a lot of failures and a lot of success too" in his career, and he reckons he's now at a stage where he has a much greater understanding of his overall game.

"I'll definitely say I'm in the best form of my life," he said. "It's all about how well you can develop your game and how quickly as well. Being 27, I've learnt a lot and I've been around. I'm in a pretty good space in my career right now.

"It's all about reaping the rewards now and going out there and executing my game."

Missing the cut for the 2023 Super50 tourney added fuel to Jangoo's fire. In the down time, Jangoo said he was given batting tips and sound advice from fellow wicket-keeper/batsman and former West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran.

"Pooran did some one-on-one work with us batsmen and I think that actually helped me to understand my game a bit more. I actually just kept working on certain things with my technique," he said.

"It was all about batting for longer periods of time and doing the right things for longer. That's what I really worked on."

Pooran's teachings and Jangoo's enhanced focus paid dividends, and the latter crashed a hundred in the North-South Classic in January, before going on to star for the Red Force in the regional four-day season – hitting two fifties in eight innings to go along with the double-century.

"From the Super50 to the North-South game...I just geared my preparation into four-day mode at that time.

"That really helped me and it was all about continuing the preparation going into tournaments and I'm looking forward to doing the same going into this Super50 tournament."

To date, Jangoo has played 42 List A (50-over) matches, and has a modest average of 23.19 with a top-score of 81. As he aims to go big in the Super50, Jangoo says he's prepared to fulfil any role which is asked of him.

"I really want to play the best for the team and how it will benefit (the team) – whether it's wicket-keeping or batting at the top or middle of the order. It's about adapting my game to the team's benefit."

On October 29, the Red Force will begin their title defence at the Sir Frank Memorial Cricket Ground against familiar foes CCC. Six months after his double-century, Jangoo will hope it's a happy return to the St Augustine venue.