Dhoni and team backed me, says rookie CSK pacer Mohit Sharma
Playing only his second IPL match, the Haryana-based medium pacer bagged 3 wickets against Delhi Daredevils to guide the Chennai Super Kings into the top-four of the points table.
The India Premier League has a knack of unearthing cricketers capable of playing for India. Rookie pacer Mohit Mahipal Sharma can be one such talent if he can keep the promise demonstrated in Chennai Super King's 86-run victory over Delhi Daredevils at Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday night.
Players like Yusuf Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Rahul Sharma emerged from the IPL cauldron to play for India while youngsters like Siddharth Trivedi and Ambati Rayudu, match winners for their respective IPL teams, have consistently knocked on the door of national selectors. Sharma wants to grab his opportunities in IPL this year.
"I am not the kind of bowler who experiments a lot. I don't believe in experimenting too much. Only if things are going against me, then will I try and experiment. Otherwise I believe in sticking to my line. That is my strength, so I will work on that. I bowl at a spot. And I focus on my strengths," Sharma told iplt20.com in an interview.
The right-arm quickie made his first class debut against Gujarat in 2011, bagging two wickets and helping Haryana win the match by 140 runs.
Playing only his second match in the IPL on Thursday night, Sharma started with a wide ball but recovered quickly to return with the figures of 3 for 10. He dismissed David Warner, Virender Sehwag and Manpreet Juneja to destroy the Delhi top order.
"I was a little bit nervous before the match, but once I went on the field everyone had told me not to think about who is in front of you and who is not. Whoever was there, I had to bowl. So I did not think too much about who is there (and followed Suresh Raina's advice). Raina Bhai had told me to just focus on my bowling," Sharma said.
The 24-year-old says playing under Mahendra Singh Dhoni is "probably the best period of his life".
"It is probably the best period of my life that I am playing under his leadership. He always motivates you. No matter what the conditions are, he never puts any pressure on you. I have never met anyone more positive," said the young pacer.