Shivam Mavi and a few of his team-mates from Uttar Pradesh were enjoying their off day in Dimapur on Friday afternoon when they decided to switch on the television to watch the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini auction.
And by the time they could settle in, there was already an intense bidding war between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans over Mavi, with the latter eventually managing to rope in the 24-year-old fast bowler for Rs 6 crore.
With a base price of Rs 40 lakh, the uncapped Mavi garnered attention from three franchises and as he watched the proceedings on television, Mavi was excited to get a good deal from his ‘favourite franchise after KKR’.
“Gujarat Titans is one franchise I wanted to play for after KKR, and I am glad that I got a chance to play for it. I did not think about the price tag, but the main target was to go to Gujarat Titans and I am happy,” Mavi told Sportstar.
“I have heard that with Hardik Pandya as the captain and Ashish Nehra as the coach, the Gujarat Titans have a very good management and are very supportive. So, that’s the reason I wanted to play for Gujarat,” he added.
Mavi made his IPL debut in 2018 as one of the brightest young talents of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), coming on the back of a successful campaign with the India U-19 team that won the World Cup under the captaincy of Prithvi Shaw.
He could bowl at 140kmph, and swing the new ball. But injuries and form issues plagued his career, despite Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) backing him throughout. In the 32 games that he featured for the Knight Riders, Mavi claimed 30 wickets at an economy rate of 8.71. And, his personal best in the tournament was 4-21 against Rajasthan Royals in 2021.
KKR still believed in him and spent Rs 7.25 crore in the mega auction in February this year. However, in the last edition of the tournament, he claimed five wickets in six games, at an economy rate of 10.31, forcing the franchise to not retain him any further.
“Having played so many matches, I am used to the pressure. And as far as the price tag is concerned, that’s not really in my control. No matter whether you get Rs 2 crore or Rs 50 lakh, you still have to perform. My only aim is to play to my strength and contribute to the team’s success,” Mavi said.
Over the years, Mavi has been Uttar Pradesh’s pace spearhead in the domestic tournaments and has worked on his variations. “The target is to keep performing for Gujarat Titans and eventually chase my dreams of playing for the country,” the youngster said.
Being the defending champion, Gujarat Titans already has a plan in place and Mavi wants to fit in there. “I will try to play to the best of my abilities and follow the plan,” he said.
In the past, injuries plagued his career and Mavi believes that those hard times have taught him a lesson. “Injuries are a part and parcel of life and for a sports person, such phases will come, but you have to stay calm and ensure that you come back stronger. It is important to ignore the past and stay positive and ensure that negativity does not creep in,” he said.
In this edition of the Ranji Trophy so far, Mavi has claimed 13 wickets in two games and as he gears up for a new beginning, Mavi wants to keep the momentum going.
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