Robin Uthappa on Friday described the on-going tour of Australia as the “most defining” of his career so far and a great learning curve for him and the other youngsters in the team.
Uthappa said he had grown as a cricketer by playing the world’s best team in their own backyard and would return home a better player.
“When I go back, I know I will be returning as a better cricketer. You are playing against the best team in the world in their home and it’s got to make you grow as a cricketer. This tour would be the most defining tour for most of us,” Uthappa said. On fetching a price of USD 800,000 at the Indian Premier League players’ auction, Uthappa said all this came with the cricketers’ ability in their craft. “We play cricket, do the job we love and the money that comes with it is a perk,” he said.
Uthappa said India was the only team which Australia need to be wary about going into the tri-series finals. “We are the only ones who can beat Australia. We bowled them out for 200 and once on less than that. We know if our batting clicks, we would be there. Still, we need to remember that scoring 200 in Australia is probably scoring 280 in India. The size of the ground and conditions warrant this adjustment in the scoring pattern,” he said.
Uthappa has not had great returns in the tournament. “I had couple of opportunities. In Adelaide, I could have won the game for our country. Hopefully, I would have more chances up the order and can contribute with the bat. It’s just a matter of time,” he said.