<p>The 27-year-old however doesn't want to bask in the glory of a singular performance and would like to carry on the good work.<br /><br />"I will try not to get too overwhelmed by the success. I will try to see that my feet is firmly rooted," Valthaty said.<br /><br />Treating himself as a "normal cricketer" from Mumbai who has faced struggle in his career, Valthaty while talking about his gem of an innings at Mohali last night, said, "This is just a small step that I have taken."</p>.<p>"Wearing India cap always remains a cricketer's ultimate dream, but I know there is a long journey ahead and I have just taken a small step (to realise that dream)," Valthaty told PTI in an interview here today.<br /><br />Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev have been his childhood idols.</p>.<p>"I was always fascinated by Kapil Dev and Sachin and had a great liking for the sport from my childhood. My father used to push me a lot to play cricket," he said.<br /><br />Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Indian skipper M S Dhoni and other top cricketers like Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in the IPL is like a dream come true, feels Valthaty.</p>.<p>"I will have to pinch myself," he said when asked how would he feel if one day he finds batting along side Tendulkar at the other end.<br /><br />"It's every cricketer's dream to play besides the master," he said.</p>.<p>The Mumbaikar has no first-class experience and till date has played only one List A match for Mumbai way back in 2006 while featuring in just 12 T20s.</p>.<p>Valthaty made his first foray in former India great Dilip Vengsarkar's academy in Mumbai. </p>.<p>He was later picked for India U-19 squad with the likes of Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel that went to New Zealand for the 2002 World Cup, where he played a game against Bangladesh.</p>.<p>"I started my cricket 10-12 years ago and I have played ODIs and T20s for Mumbai. It was in New Zealand that I suffered an eye injury which kept me out of action for over a year," he said. <br /><br />About his eye injury that could have brought an abrupt end to his career, Valthaty takes it in his stride.<br /><br />"Injuries are part and parcel of a cricketer's life. I kept working hard knowing that my day will come. Yesterday was the day I have been waiting for."<br /><br />While Valthaty's father is an engineer and mother a doctor, he said that it was his father who initiated him into the sport.<br /><br />"My father used to push me a lot to play cricket. He is a great enthusiast of the sport. My mother too supported me. I have always got great support from my family and friends, who have been behind me through thick and thin which has motivated me to do well. <br /><br />Motivation has never been a problem," he said.</p>.<p>Valthaty said that he would like KXIP to do well in the tournament.<br /><br />"We have a great captain (Adam Gilchrist). He is a good leader. We play the next game in Hyderabad and would like to win there as well. It is important for the team to do well, with a long tournament ahead," he said.<br /><br />Kings XI coach Michael Bevan also heaped praise on the youngster for sterling display.<br /><br />"He (Valthaty) played a high quality knock, an amazing knock. We really needed such a knock. His placement, power was terrific. He is a talented batsman, who strikes the ball beautifully," Bevan said.</p>.<p>He said Valthaty was a quiet character and reserved person, who likes to keep to himself, but was a good human being. </p>
<p>The 27-year-old however doesn't want to bask in the glory of a singular performance and would like to carry on the good work.<br /><br />"I will try not to get too overwhelmed by the success. I will try to see that my feet is firmly rooted," Valthaty said.<br /><br />Treating himself as a "normal cricketer" from Mumbai who has faced struggle in his career, Valthaty while talking about his gem of an innings at Mohali last night, said, "This is just a small step that I have taken."</p>.<p>"Wearing India cap always remains a cricketer's ultimate dream, but I know there is a long journey ahead and I have just taken a small step (to realise that dream)," Valthaty told PTI in an interview here today.<br /><br />Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev have been his childhood idols.</p>.<p>"I was always fascinated by Kapil Dev and Sachin and had a great liking for the sport from my childhood. My father used to push me a lot to play cricket," he said.<br /><br />Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Indian skipper M S Dhoni and other top cricketers like Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in the IPL is like a dream come true, feels Valthaty.</p>.<p>"I will have to pinch myself," he said when asked how would he feel if one day he finds batting along side Tendulkar at the other end.<br /><br />"It's every cricketer's dream to play besides the master," he said.</p>.<p>The Mumbaikar has no first-class experience and till date has played only one List A match for Mumbai way back in 2006 while featuring in just 12 T20s.</p>.<p>Valthaty made his first foray in former India great Dilip Vengsarkar's academy in Mumbai. </p>.<p>He was later picked for India U-19 squad with the likes of Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel that went to New Zealand for the 2002 World Cup, where he played a game against Bangladesh.</p>.<p>"I started my cricket 10-12 years ago and I have played ODIs and T20s for Mumbai. It was in New Zealand that I suffered an eye injury which kept me out of action for over a year," he said. <br /><br />About his eye injury that could have brought an abrupt end to his career, Valthaty takes it in his stride.<br /><br />"Injuries are part and parcel of a cricketer's life. I kept working hard knowing that my day will come. Yesterday was the day I have been waiting for."<br /><br />While Valthaty's father is an engineer and mother a doctor, he said that it was his father who initiated him into the sport.<br /><br />"My father used to push me a lot to play cricket. He is a great enthusiast of the sport. My mother too supported me. I have always got great support from my family and friends, who have been behind me through thick and thin which has motivated me to do well. <br /><br />Motivation has never been a problem," he said.</p>.<p>Valthaty said that he would like KXIP to do well in the tournament.<br /><br />"We have a great captain (Adam Gilchrist). He is a good leader. We play the next game in Hyderabad and would like to win there as well. It is important for the team to do well, with a long tournament ahead," he said.<br /><br />Kings XI coach Michael Bevan also heaped praise on the youngster for sterling display.<br /><br />"He (Valthaty) played a high quality knock, an amazing knock. We really needed such a knock. His placement, power was terrific. He is a talented batsman, who strikes the ball beautifully," Bevan said.</p>.<p>He said Valthaty was a quiet character and reserved person, who likes to keep to himself, but was a good human being. </p>