By: Tarish Bhatt
For any cricketer, playing alongside players like MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Faf du Plessis is a dream come true that too at a young age. And, Himachal Pradesh’s Ankush Bains will be riding with these playmakers in the Indian Premier League.
Ankush is picked by the Chennai Super Kings as an uncapped player for the forthcoming edition of the IPL. It is a golden opportunity for the Himachal-born, who has performed consistently in the first-class level this season, to get some priceless experience with the international stars.
The 19-year-old Ankush is quite optimistic for the new challenges coming ahead, while keeping his heads down wants to give his best shot. In an exclusive interview with Drcricket7, Ankush spoke about his goals and targets in the coming days.
Q: So, tell us how this season has panned out for you?
Ankush Bains: It has been a good season so far, despite an injury setback, which made me miss the limited-overs games. But, in the longer format I was in good form, which I carried in the T20s and have already scored a couple of half-centuries in five games. So, overall it has turned out quite well.
Q: This means you have improved as a player this season…
AB: Definitely, I have improved quite lot by working on my basics while playing for Himachal. Plus, this season I have got a lot of playing opportunities for Himachal Pradesh in the first-class level, which was missing last time around.
Q: Despite improved performance you were released by Rajasthan Royals. How did it affect you?
AB: Well, these things happen but on a positive side I was picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is a very big thing for a youngster like me. It has also reflected on my performance in the T20s as it was a confidence booster.
Q: About CSK, how big an opportunity is to share dressing room with MS Dhoni and others?
AB: It is a very big thing to play alongside one of the biggest Indian players. It would be a good experience to know how Dhoni bhai thinks and implements his plans in both batting and wicketkeeping. Then I can use them in my game as well that will only help me in becoming a better player.
Q: Any special preparations for the IPL?
AB: Nothing special really, but yes I have worked quite a lot on my fitness and now I am trying to hit big shots as well, keeping the IPL in mind. I am hoping to get few matches for the CSK and perform best of my abilities.
Q: Is there any pressure to play with the likes of Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja?
AB: No, there is no pressure and I am going with an open mind to learn as much as possible from everyone in the team. Even if I lack in some places, I will try to improve and prove my worth.
