Scoring heaps of runs is the only way out to get noticed at the highest level in cricket, suggested Chirag Suri who has become one of the six players from associate nation to make a place in the Indian Premier League 2017 auctions. And today, he got picked up for 30 lakhs in the Gujarat Lions franchise. Earlier before today, Suri, while talking to Gulf News, revealed how he got the attention from the cricket lovers and pundits during the 2014 IPL season when he played some warm-up matches against the franchise teams when the cash-rich league was held in Dubai.
“It’s a great honour to be in the the list of players who will be auctioned for one of the finest tournaments in the world. I got picked as I fall in the under-23 category. I am hoping that I get selected and be part of such a tournament.”
“In 2014 when the IPL was held in UAE I got to play a few warm-up matches against IPL teams. Playing for UAE team, I scored a 70 off 40 balls against Rajasthan Royals in a practice match. Then when I played against Mumbai Indians, I hit two knocks of 40. Some of the teams were impressed by my performance. I thought I may get a call immediately but I am happy I am have been considered now.”
It was not only his performance in the warm-up matches that caught everyone’s eye but also his batting ability in the domestic circuit was attributed as great knocks.
“Recently I played a knock of 117 against England Lions. In the Scottish Highlands games, I hit 175 for my college Heriot Watt. Maybe this is the reward for being one of the highest scorers in domestic cricket,” added Suri. The right-hand batsman also credited his parents for supporting him to make a career in the game. “I know it is not easy to make a career out of cricket. It is purely due to the positive support from my father and mother that I am able to pursue this dream and continue to score heavily. If I get to play in the IPL, I can get more experience and carry that experience into UAE and perform even better here,” said Suri.
The Indian Premier League will commence from April 5 where the two finalists of the 2016 edition, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore, will be up against each other in Hyderabad while the IPL 2017 auction is set to take place in Bengaluru on February 20.
