Whenever a batter is dismissed on 99, the one run that wasn’t scored tends to play on the mind far more than all the runs that were scored.

It is a vexing feeling that Sanat Sangwan encountered on Saturday, when he was lured into a drive away from his body off medium-pacer Abin Mathew in the 73rd over of Delhi’s innings against Pondicherry in the Ranji Trophy.

Just a run shy of what would have been his second century in First-Class cricket, the 25-year-old trudged back with disappointment writ large on his face.

“It is not a good feeling when any batter is out for 99. But overall, it was okay. It is a green surface. The ball was moving. I took my time. I was looking to occupy one end and play the whole day,” he said at the end of day one of the contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Barring the false stroke that led to his downfall, Sangwan showed admirable restraint in his shot selection during the knock. At a time when flamboyance is favoured even in this format, the left-handed opener’s game has a markedly old-school touch.

According to Sangwan, a product of the renowned Sonnet Club in the national capital, it is all about employing different mindsets in different genres.

“If it is white-ball cricket, the game changes,” he mentioned. “I prepare according to the format’s needs. The scope for mistakes in red-ball cricket is fewer. I look to cut out mistakes in this format and play as long as possible.”