Mumbai, Nov. 14 -- From red-ball auditioning for India A in Christchurch to T20 thrills for Karnataka in Mumbai for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). All within a span of a fortnight. Karnataka's new bright batting hope R Smaran has been living life in fast-forward mode.

It's part of the journey for the breakout star in Indian cricket.

At 23, when you are amassing runs, everyone has time for you. On the back of his 1966 first-class runs, averaging 70 in his third year playing in the Ranji Trophy, Smaran was handed an opportunity to tour New Zealand.

A first-ball dismissal in a match where India A scored 628 runs across two innings wasn't the result he was after, but Smaran would know his tough runs in the Irani Trophy have left an im...