D'Arcy Short has been enjoying a good stint in international cricket recently. A good performance in the BBL made the Australian selectors took notice of his abilities after which he got his first break in international cricket in the Trans - Tasman T20I series involving England and New Zealand as well.
The southpaw hammered the highest total in a BBL match, scoring an unbeaten 122 off 69 balls for Hobart Hurricanes against Brisbane Heat to grab eyeballs and in addition to this milestone, he ended up with a total of 572 runs in 11 innings at strike-rate of 148.57 and with 26 sixes to his name.
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Short opened up about his first IPL season and how he sees it as a doorstep to Australia's ODI squad.
Questioned on his views regarding the IPL, Short answered " No one can take away the fact that IPL is the most popular T20 league in the world and players have benefitted a lot after playing in it. Everyone wants to have an IPL contract and rub shoulders with the best. I too wanted to be part of it and I am excited to go out there and give my best to my team".
He next kept his views on pairing up with Steve Smith and Shane Warne at Rajasthan Royals. He said " It would be superb to have Steve as captain of the team. He is world-class cricketer and a brilliant captain. He has played a lot of cricket till date and gathered loads of experience."
"I won’t shy away from asking him anything. As far as Shane Warne is concerned, he is an intelligent customer. He is a legend and his presence in the dressing room can do wonders. IPL would give a new curve to me. I am also excited to play alongside Ajinka Rahane, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes".
Regarding his strategy to accustom to Indian pitches, Short replied " I think the standard of spin bowling would be quite amazing in IPL. The pitches will also help slower bowlers a bit. I hope to do my job and build my innings in each game. I know the kind of wickets we get in BBL are very different from the Indian pitches, so I will have to adjust accordingly".
He concluded by saying that he wants the platform of the IPL to stake his claims in the Australian ODI squad. He said off the same " After my last BBL stint, I was given a T20 call-up. I was over the moon. The taste of international cricket is what every cricketer desires."
"Playing for your country in all formats, especially Tests, gives you the ultimate satisfaction. I need to use all the chances I get from now on and leave an impression. Doing well in IPL can certainly give a push to my career. I have learnt a lot from my mentor Justin Langer and would keep discussing with him what all I need to do".
Taj Mahal is one of the sites that he would like to explore while his stay in India, Short cited.
