'Shane is a born leader'

After turning his back on the Indian Cricket League, this young player from Punjab was looking out for opportunities. When the Indian Premier League came tapping on his doorstep, Amit Uniyal felt it was just the platform that he was looking for.

From training under international players like Shane Warne to creating some life-long memories, Amit is enjoying every single royal experience that Rajasthan Royals (RR) has to offer. The game, he says, is for the mentally tough, but despite having to play with ‘seniors’ in the game, Amit explains that on the field, there are no seniors or juniors. “When we are on the field, we are all equals. It’s a two-way process where we get to learn things from them and we too are allowed to share our ideas,” he says. “And in RR, no individual is treated any different. Every player has his own voice.”

The City is no stranger for Amit who has come here too many times. “I love the weather out here. Any cricketer’s dream is to play in good weather and Bangalore is one place you can expect good weather anytime,” he says.  If there is one player that Amit really looks upto in the team, then it’s his captain Shane Warne. “He is a born leader. He is such a cool and friendly person. I know I can go and discuss anything under the sun with him and he would be cool with that. In fact to even share a dressing room with Shane Warne is a honour in itself,” says Amit.

All work and no play makes Amit a dull boy. For him, entertainment is a must. “The game being so mentally straining that one has to have outlets to chill out. That’s where IPL comes in as we not only get to play good cricket but also get to go out and chill out afterwards with friends,” he says.

The IPL for Amit is filled with enriching experiences, ask him to share one such incident, he says, “The team has been going into a slump and most of us youngsters were pretty down. That’s when we were called in for a surprise meeting with all the players, where everyone got to share ideas and give in inputs to improve the game and share our individual experiences on the field. That to me is something I will remember for years to come.”