Ritik Tada has a sound hitting technique: he adjusts to length quickly and transfers his weight onto the back foot with ease. Despite his lean frame, Tada delivers powerful strokes. One of his signature shots involves kneeling on his right knee to slash a wide delivery over point for a boundary—a stroke that prompted one Indian Premier League (IPL) scout, watching him in Gwalior during the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, to remark, “Reminds me of Hardik Pandya.”
So far, Tada has been one of the standout performers in the tournament, scoring 173 runs at a staggering strike rate of 216.25. Batting at No. 6, he has hammered 13 sixes and 14 fours off just 80 balls, finding a boundary nearly every three deliveries.
After a slow start with scores of 8 and 1, Tada has bounced back in style. He struck an unbeaten 45 off 22 balls and 44 off 19 in successive wins for the Jabalpur Royal Lions. In a chase of 247, he smashed 75 off 30 balls; however, his team fell short by 19 runs.
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“I have developed my finishing skills through practice,” Tada told Sportstar. “I watch a lot of IPL and closely follow finishers, especially Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli, to understand what they do in certain situations and try to apply it in my game.”
“I plan my shots in the death overs based on the situation, the pitch, and who’s bowling,” he added.
Hailing from the Sehora district in Bhopal, Tada began his training in Indore at the Laxman Singh Gaur Cricket Academy under coach Sachin Dholpure. “He taught me all the basics of cricket,” said the 22-year-old.
Once he had perfected his fundamentals, Tada began playing in the Bhopal division and joined the Faith Cricket Club under former India international Jay Prakash Yadav. “He has helped me a lot. I have spoken to him recently, and I have applied his inputs to my game.”
Though yet to break into the Madhya Pradesh team, Tada remains unfazed by the presence of State selectors and IPL scouts in the stands.
“Rather than trying to impress anyone, I focus on doing well. If I perform, those watching will automatically notice it. I don’t try to show off, I just try to do my job for the team.”
His long-term goal is clear: to play for India. But in the near future, Tada hopes to earn a place in the MP squad and an IPL contract.
“I don’t expect myself to do something extraordinary. My aim is simple: help the team win when I get the chance. I don’t just want to make an impact; I want to finish games. That’s how I’ll approach every game going forward as well.”