Dindigul Dragons allrounder M Ashwin and wicketkeeper batsman N Jagadeesan addressed the media at the MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the India Cements Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Excerpts:
You have played both in the IPL and TNPL. What is it you are planning to do different in this year’s TNPL?
M Ashwin: TNPL is a very good domestic tournament and last year, it was a huge success. It produced lot of players who went onto play the IPL. It is a great platform for youngsters and Tamil Nadu players to make a mark and get picked in the IPL.
The players are aware that this is a platform for getting into the IPL. So is there an added pressure to perform well?
Ashwin: Pressure is always there, it is about how you cope up with it. Sometimes it is good to have the pressure because it brings the best out of you. As players, we would like to do well under pressure and if we perform under pressure, it adds value to our performance.
How much of the performance from the last year has been motivation or a pressure for you to perform this year as well?
N Jagadeesan: A tournament like the TNPL is a big motivation for all players from Tamil Nadu because they could go out on the bigger stage and perform. But before that we need to concentrate on doing well here because that is the only thing that will give us the limelight to play in other leagues as well.
How much does all this play in the back of your mind?
Jagadeesan: I don’t know about this season, but last year it didn’t play in my mind at all. I just wanted to do well for my team.
What was your experience like when you went for the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s trials?
Jagadeesan: Attending trials with the RCB team is something to cherish. I was happy that they at least tried to consider me. It was really good to play against bowlers like Tymal Mills. It was a different experience over there.
What do you think is needed for young talents, especially bowlers, to play in the IPL?
Ashwin: Performance is something that can take them to the IPL level. As far as bowling is concerned, it is about how well you execute your skills and basically T20 is a dynamic game. It is an intense game, you get only four overs and you need to exhibit your skills under pressure. If you are able to control batsmen like Suresh Raina, then you can think you have done a good job.
How challenging will it for you to maintain the consistency that you had the last year?
Jagadeesan: It is going to be difficult for me this season because the bowlers are not going to bowl the same type of delivery. They are going to come up with some different strategies. It is important for me also to have a plan B so that I can counter attack them.
What does this TNPL mean for each of you, at a personal level?
Ashwin: We are focusing on the brand of cricket played by us and we are not thinking too far ahead. If we are going to play good cricket, we will be picked by some franchisee. It is about how well we do in this TNPL.
Jagadeesan: We just have to stay in the present moment and not just think about the future. We would like to concentrate first on the TNPL.
