'Rahul gets his point across'

Bowled over

Australian cricketer Nathan Coulter-Nile stays away from home so much that he cherishes whatever time he gets to spend with his 6-year-old daughter Amelie.

Nathan, who is playing for Delhi DareDevils in this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), says his biggest consolation when on the IPL tour is that he gets to spend the longest time touring India.

Nathan, who has represented Australia in both the ODIs and in the shorter versions of the game, says he has his fill of deja vu moments in India. “Watching kids play ‘gully cricket’ here in India brings back memories of  my friends and playing cricket in the backyard of our homes,” recollects Nathan.

The tight schedules during IPL leave the players very little time to do anything apart from things related to cricket. Most players adhere to a strict diet and Nathan watches what he eats during tournaments. “A balanced diet doesn’t tire one out that easily. I have my cheat days when I eat whatever I like but I stick to a simple diet and try not to experiment with too much of spicy food because it doesn’t suit me,” he says.

“I like the variations in ‘naan’ and I like sweets too but I try to stay away from them during the tournaments,” he adds. His world not only revolves around cricket but also around his daughter Amelie. Does he miss her whenever he’s travelling? “Yes, I do miss her a lot but we chat on Skype almost every day. When she was younger, it was a little difficult to leave her behind. She would call me at least 4 or 5 times a day but now that she’s a little older, she understands my schedules,” shares Nathan.

He says that there are a lot of things they do together when he is home. “When I got a little break just before  the IPL tour, Amelie and I watched ‘Zootopia’.  We take walks in the park. I always makes sure she plays some kind of outdoor sports when I am with her,” he adds.

When Nathan’s not on the cricket field, he’s relaxing with music which could be anything from classical to hard rock. “I also try to find some time to catch up on my reading. I enjoy reading books that have a mix of history and anthropology. They might be a bit of a heavy but I find them pretty insightful” he elaborates. Like most other players in the IPL pool, Nathan says this form of cricket brings the best in the world of cricket under one roof. “You get to see so much talent around you. It’s not just about cricket, it’s also about getting to know one another more closely,” he feels. About his mentor Rahul Dravid , Nathan says, “Rahul gets his point across no matter what the situation. He’s a brilliant player.”