New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson is one of those fortunate players who have got the opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and he also admitted the same after having played with and against the best of business in the tournament.
Having made IPL debut in 2014 for Mumbai Indians, Anderson went on to play for his Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore in his long journey but he spent his most IPL time with the four-time IPL champions MI captained by Rohit Sharma.
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Even the New Zealander said that MI has a bigger place in his heart, but said the DC and RCB were also fantastic. He also said it was quite a surreal experience for him to play against one of the best in the world Virat Kohli in the U19 World Cup 2018 and with RCB.
Having played under both Rohit and Kohli in the IPL, the all-rounder has observed their captaincy style closely and he feels “there is no massive difference”, saying the two are natural-born leaders, but picked MI captain as his one of favorite players.
Anderson told Sportstar in an Instagram Live session on Wednesday (April 15): “In IPL, you are playing with Indian and international players who are rockstars. It's a different environment, players, and coaches every time. Mumbai probably has a bigger place in my heart as I have spent most of my time there. Even Delhi [Daredevils] and RCB were fantastic.”
The Kiwi further added, “To play against someone like Kohli from the U19 World Cup [in 2008] to all of a sudden taking the field with him for RCB [in 2018] is quite a surreal feeling. If you had asked me when I was 18 or 19 of what he was supposed to become (laughs)… it is such a cool thing to be part of — witness his growth in real-time.”
On Rohit and Kohli’s captaincy, “Both are very good captains. Sharma is probably a bit laid-back in that role. He is passionate, wants to win, but keeps it under wraps a little bit more. Kohli wears his heart on his sleeve and shows a lot of emotion. But they both take charge of the team.”
The 29-year-old continued, “They are natural-born leaders. They are also the best batters. Sharma is one of my favorite players to watch when he is in full flow. He makes cricket look like the easiest game in the world. The top guys in the world do that.”
Anderson also believes that the duo also brought the winning culture in Team India, saying: “They are good tacticians, they understand the game and know how to win. That’s why India has been so successful. They have numerous players who have captained IPL teams. You know that if someone drops out — be it injury or anything — they have replacements.”
The all-rounder also witnessed the rise of his MI teammates Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya from rookies to heroes, hailing the side for their solid scouting process.
The left-hander further explained, “Boom was very fresh when he came. That’s one thing I give it to Mumbai. They do very well with scouting with these young players coming out of nowhere. He was raw but had incredible talent. There are a lot of people who are talented but you need to harness and steer it in the right direction. Shane Bond was the bowling coach of Mumbai.
His IQ of the game is fantastic. He is an incredible coach. For someone like Bumrah to come into the environment with Shane looking after him was massive; just the baby steps while trying to figure out the bigger picture thinking ‘how am I going to become the world’s best bowler’. And today, he is one of the best bowlers in the world. He has achieved those things quickly; credit to this talent and he is also a smart person. He has listened to the right people,”
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Anderson also commented on Pandya who was due to make his comeback in the IPL 2020 which was suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic after six months having recovered from a back injury.
The Kiwi said, “He has progressed unbelievably well. It is cool to see from where he started to where he is now. There is a swagger about him and he loves being a rockstar. Indian fans love him. He has been a massive part in Indian cricket being the all-rounder they wanted.”
He signed off by saying, “With the lockdown due to COVID-19, someone in his position is raring to go out there I am sure. It gives him a bit more time to recharge engines and go again when he needs to go. Being injured, having time out of the game, you want to get back immediately. He is in the prime, it will be awesome to see where he heads towards the end of his career.”
(With Sportstar Inputs)
