By Suhrid Barua
Daniel Christian made all and sundry sit up and take notice of him when he was signed by Deccan Chargers for a whopping $900,000 for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League.
The South Australian is a handy medium-pacer and can hit the cricket ball a fair distance and is seen as a genuine all-rounder for Deccan Chargers, who could provide the impetus with both bat and ball.
Fittingly, Christian was playing in a Twenty20 match at the Adelaide Oval when he got the good news about Deccan buying him for the hefty amount which was much, much, more than his base price of $50,000.
The 27-year-old Aussie spoke to CricketCountry.com about his IPL foray.
Excerpts from an interview:
Q: What was your initial reaction when you got the news that Deccan Chargers had bought you for $900,000?
A: To be honest, I was just excited about getting an opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League and was not thinking about anything else. Of course, to get $900,000 in my first season in IPL is mind-blowing.
Q: Did you ever imagine that you would be bought for 18 times more than your base price of $50,000?
A: Obviously I was lucky that Deccan was quite keen. There’s always a chance the bidding will continue until they get the person they want and fortunately I was that person.
Q: How do you compare the money paid to domestic cricketers in India as compared to those in Australia?
A: Everyone who has played the league has said that the IPL is a fantastic experience and not just for the cricket but everything that goes with it - the big crowds, the bright lights, and the extravagance of it all. It really depends on the player and what they were sold for, but in the end we are just fortunate to get paid for doing what we love.
Q: Do you think your bility to bowl and your big-hitting prompted Chargers to go the extra mile to bid for you?
A: I think Darren (Lehmann) knows what I’m capable of and I’ve had a fairly good domestic season in Australia, so that might’ve also helped my cause.
Q: Darren Lehmann is the Deccan Chargers’ coach. As you have said that he knows your game well, do you think having somebody who is well acquainted with your game would be of big help to have as coach of the side?
A: Having playing against and with him, it’s easy to see why Darren has performed at the highest level. He’s got a fantastic cricketing knowledge and definitely knows how to get the best out of each individual. He’s very down to earth and very easy going and having already known him will definitely help as I will know what he expects from me.
Q: There was intense bidding between Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils and Kochi IPL as they have Australian coaches – Darren Lehmann, Greg Shippard and Geoff Lawson. You must have felt very special to know that. What’s your take?
A: All three of them have seen me play a fair bit over the Australian summer but I definitely didn’t expect it to be that intense.
Q: Tell us a bit about your experiences of playing for Australia in three Twenty20 games?
A: As a kid you dream of representing your country and stand next to players like Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. So, it was a fantastic experience, something I will always cherish. With the opportunities the Redbacks have with the Airtel Champions League and KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, if I keep performing the way I’ve been, it will look after itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment