Mithun keen to grab chance
Pacer Abhimanyu Mithun will have to shoulder the huge responsibility of being an important member in the bowling department of RCB in the Champions League T20 in the absence of injured Zaheer Khan. The Karnataka lad said on Monday that he’s all set to perform the task.
Excerpts:
On being with RCB: It's fun to play with this team. During IPL IV, seniors like Zak, Vettori and Gayle were all giving us the push. I never got the feeling of a junior player or international amongst the team. The experienced players talk to us a lot, and Zak was very helpful with tips.
On the road ahead: That I was picked up by RCB in the auction gave me a lot of confidence. I played a lot more games in IPL IV, seven to the two in the first two years. So, now I know I can perform under pressure. But I need to be consistent. There is no comeback in this format of the game as one bad over, and it's done. As a bowler I have to be ready to play all the formats. I have been speaking to a lot of coaches and former bowlers. Venky Sir, (Venkatesh Prasad) and Sri Sir (Javagal Srinath) always have some useful advice for me. I am attempting the yorkers more as it is one of my favourite weapons.
On the absence of Zaheer: The absence of Zak gives me the opportunity to do well, prove myself and advance. So, there is no extra pressure. I think this is a great chance for me as well as Arvind. Rahul (Dravid) spoke to me and said, ‘Selection isn't everything. You concentrate, practice and keep playing and everything will fall in place’ So, I go about trying to do just that.
We also have Dirk Nanes who has played a lot of T20 contests. He shares his experience with us, and also explains what needs to be done in pressure situations.
On how to be successful in T20: In the T20 format, pace is really not that important, bowling in the right areas and bowling to the field is important. I’ve been working on that in the nets. At this level we need to adapt very quickly, given the number of matches you get to play in these days. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my bowling after the tour of West Indies and the break has helped me prepare for this tournament.
On his expectations from CLT20: It’s another opportunity for me to test my skills and to perform better in T20. If you do well, you’ll be picked for the one-day team or T20 team in the next level.
