ImageSource:ICC-CRICKET.COMRaviBishnoi
AfterpassingIndiatothefinalexamsoftheU-19WorldCup,leg-spinnerRaviBishnoiisnowallgeareduptomeetforKingsXIPunjabinhisentryIPLtimeofyearduringthetourneyslattosetaboutfromSeptember19intheUnitedArabEmirates(UAE).
Withjusttwenty-fourhourperiodsleavealonebeforethebeginningofthethirteenthvariantoftheAmerindPremierLeague,BishnoihasinsistedheisessayingtoteachwhateverhegivenoticefromhisgodAnilKumble,whoistheheaddouble-deckeratKingsXIPunjab.
“He(Kumble)isoneofthegreatestspinnersintheworld,soIamtryingtolearnalotofthingsfromhimandhisexperience.Whetherit’shismatchtemperament,skills,howhehandledthematchsituation,howhebowledtheflippers,Iamtryingtolearnallofthatfromhim.RightnowIhavetimetolearnfromhimandthisisthebestopportunityforme,”BishnoitoldIANSinaninterviewfromDubai.
“KumblesirhastoldmetobowlaccordingtothematchsituationanddowhatIthinkIcando,”headded.
Bishnoi,whopickedup17scalpsfromsixmatchesattheU-19WorldCup,alsopraisedKLRahul,whowillbeleadingthePunjab-basedfranchiseforthefirsttime.AndhebelievesthatKingsXIcanwinthetitlethisyear.
“Rahulisagoodplayeraswellasagoodcaptain.Inthenets,hegoestoeveryplayerandtalksandshareshisexperience.Sofar,ithasbeengreattalkingtohimandIamexcitedtoplayunderhiscaptaincy.
“Thesetupoftheteamisalsoverygood.Alltheplayersarelookingingoodrhythm.Ourteamisacontenderforthetitle,”hesaid.
AccordingtoBishnoi,thisyear’sIPLeditionwillbealittlemorechallengingfortheplayersbecauseoftheCovid-19pandemic.
“IPLisabigstagewherethebiggestplayersofworldparticipate.Soitisthemostdifficultcricketleagueintheworld.DuetoCovid-19,ithasbecomemoredifficultbecauseyoualwayshavetostayvigilant,bothinsideandoutsidethefield,sothatnothinguntowardhappens.Soit’salittlechallengingthanbefore,”saidBishnoi.
“Forme,IPLisagreatopportunity.IwilljusttrytomakemyteamwinwheneverIgetachancetoplay.Idon’twanttothinktoomuchaboutthefuture.Iwanttotrytodowellbystayinginthepresent,”headded.
KingsXIwillbegintheirtournamentcampaignagainstDelhiCapitalsonSeptember20.
