An explosive batsman, a nippy medium-pacer and a more than handy fielder -- throw that together and you have a made-to-order Twenty20 cricketer.
It was no big surprise, therefore, that Gaurav Dhiman was snapped up by the Mumbai Indians to play in the IPL. Dhiman became the third Bangalorean after Robin Uthappa and under-19 World Cupper Manish Pandey to be signed up by the Sachin Tendulkar-led side.
Was he disappointed not to get a call from his City team Royal Challengers? “At this moment, all I can say is that I am happy to play for any team,” he replied after a brief pause.
Nothing can be more frustrating for a cricketer than being out of action for reasons other than playing abilities. Dhiman, one of the brightest talents to have emerged from Karnataka in recent times, has spent more time waiting for his chances than getting them. The swashbuckling all-rounder’s opportunities have been few and far between. He has played just one Ranji Trophy game, and in limited-overs cricket too, he has had limited opportunities.
Be that as it may, the 21-year-old is now keen to be a part of the mega bash starting on April 18. “Obviously, it's a very good feeling. I can say it's the turning point of my career in the sense that I get to play with so many internationals from different countries. I will learn so much just being with them. To be in the same dressing room as Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasruriya is a feeling I can't express," he gushed.
How did the deal come about? “I don't exactly know, but Robin (Uthappa) called me up from Australia and asked if I was interested. I received a call from Reliance after a couple of days and I had no reason to say no to the offer. They wanted to know how much (money) I was expecting and I told them that I just wanted to play. Two days later, I received my contract papers,” said Dhiman adding that the money wasn’t bad at all!
But the all-rounder knows Twenty20 is not the be-all and end-all of his career.
“I have bigger goals than just playing in the IPL. I am aiming for a permanent place in the State side. For that, I know I need to work harder, change my temperament,” said Dhiman, who has been training with Paul Chapman (training and conditioning coach at the NCA) to improve his fitness and fielding skills.
