"In a team where you are mixing with some of the best players in the world, you cannot be too disappointed," he said on the sidelines of a promotional event. "I mean we have (Jacques) Kallis, (Brad) Haddin, (Brett) Lee, (Sunil) Narine... and those names are spoken of in high regard in Twenty20 cricket. Of course, you are always hungry to play, as is everybody, but having an understanding of the people around you, the bigger goal of success for the team is quite crucial."
He cherishes the ambience at the Kolkata Knight Riders, and says it has helped him grow. "The best part is the unity within the team. They are a great bunch of guys, and the last two years, in particular, have been special for me. Everyone gets along with each other, we are all very good friends. Within that environment I find it very easy to learn. The relaxed environment bodes well for the future," he gushed. "Having played in teams that have done well, I know that's a great recipe."
Can KKR do a Chennai Super Kings and win back-to-back IPLs?
"Being champions adds a lot of expectations but we have the capability and the squad to do it. There is no reason why we won't hit a momentum at some stage and cash in on it to carry on," responded the 26-year-old from Dublin. The hard-hitting left-handed batsman said switching to the T20 mode is basically in the mind. "You are trying to improve your game in all three formats. From there, most part of your game doesn't change, the basics stay exactly the same," he pointed out. "It's just that T20 is a lot faster, and you have to establish yourself in the match that much quicker."
His ideal T20 batsman? "Brian Lara, the guy I looked up to since I was a kid," he responded. "I had the pleasure of playing against Brian when he had got a helluva lot of runs," he said.
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