Venkatesh Iyer got his maiden Team India call-up for the T20I series against New Zealand.
Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer made his debut for Team India on Wednesday (November 17) against New Zealand in the first T20I. His performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 boosted his chances of a maiden national call-up.
Iyer, who featured in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad, scored 370 runs at an average of 41.11 in the second phase of the tournament. He recalled the words of his teammate and India's veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh which warmed his heart.
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"One thing that Harbhajan Singh told me when the IPL began after he saw me in just a couple of net sessions when I wasn't part of the set-up: 'You will be KKR's find this season. I have complete faith in you and when you get the opportunity, you will definitely be able to do it'," Iyer told ESPNCricinfo in an interview.
"To be honest, I didn't believe it. I thought, why is this guy telling me so much when he hasn't even seen me in practice games? I thought he was just [being] a good person and comforting me. But I'm happy that it turned out to be slightly true. That's something that warms my heart."
The 26-year-old is a huge fan of former India captain Sourav Ganguly and he admitted to have copied his batting style while growing up. Iyer is also an admirer of MS Dhoni and he got an opportunity to have a word with him during the IPL 2021.
Iyer revealed the Chennai Super Kings skipper's advice and said, "I walked up to meet Mahi bhai after the match [against Chennai Super Kings]. He says, 'Keep your eyes and mind open to learning. You will evolve as a cricketer when you play these games, you will learn something or the other from every game.'
"Obviously, I want to learn from every game, but when a big player tells you this, it has a better effect on you.
"And Dada, I've been a big fan. It was a fanboy moment when I met him, I forgot what to talk even."
(With ESPN Cricinfo Inputs)