My favourite memory would be dismissing Sachin Tendulkar in the final in 2010. Chasing 169, Mumbai Indians was at 99-3 in 14 overs, with Sachin batting on 48. That’s when Chennai Super Kings’ captain MS Dhoni introduced me to the attack and in the second ball, Tendulkar was gone! That not only changed the entire scenario but also helped CSK win the title.
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It has been an amazing experience to play under MS - who knows how to use his bowlers at the right time and get the best out of them. It was because of him that I got the maximum opportunity.
When I got picked by the Chennai outfit for the IPL, it was a dream come true. Hailing from Goa, which is considered a football-crazy state, it wasn’t easy to break into the big league like the IPL, even though we played fair amount of domestic cricket.
I am grateful to the IPL for helping us showcase our talents. So, as I look back, it gives me immense satisfaction that Swapnil (Asnodkar) and I could feature in the tournament and also prove our class.
I have spent almost nine seasons with CSK and it has been a fantastic journey. In my debut match in 2009, I scalped four wickets against Delhi Daredevils in South Africa and was adjudged the Man of the Match.
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It was a really special moment as I dismissed the top guns like David Warner, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Karthik.
In that tournament, we were struggling in the middle stage, and that’s when my opportunity came and I lapped it up. The conditions of South Africa helped me deliver and my first game turned out to be a such a big affair. I cherish those moments!
(As told to Shayan Acharya & Wriddhaayan Bhattacharyya on Sportstar Extras IPL special series)
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9zb1sibqxY&t=348s
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