When I was 22, Tendulkar and Bravo shared a dressing room. I’m in their shoes now,’ says MI great in a heartfelt statement
One of the most prestigious teams in Indian Premier League history is Mumbai Indians. They have won the league the majority of the time (five times), all while Rohit Sharma served as their captain, and they have had the luxury of some of the game’s greatest players. When the IPL first started, Sachin Tendulkar, an Indian native and one of the best hitters in the history of the game, served as the team’s captain. Other notable players were Sanath Jayasuriya, a legend from Sri Lanka, and Harbhajan Singh.
On Dwayne Bravo’s advice, MI did purchase a 22-year-old West Indian in 2010, which may have been the franchise’s pivotal purchase. In the next 12 years, Kieron Pollard rose to prominence in the league and contributed significantly to all of the team’s championship victories. Pollard continued to wear the MI blue with the Mumbai Indians’ sister team, the MI Emirates, even after he declared his retirement from the Mumbai Indians last year.
In the first season of the DP World International League T20 (ILT20), Pollard captains the Emirates and guides them to the playoffs. Additionally, Pollard has scored 337 runs with a staggering strike rate of 198.24 in his first eight games.
The MI Emirates skipper discussed his long history with the Mumbai Indians club while speaking on the sidelines of the ILT20. Pollard reflected on the moment he entered the changing room as a 22-year-old when asked how he looked back on his time with the MI.
“I gaze back in wonder. In 2010, I entered the MI dressing room at the age of 22. Sanath Jayasuriya, Tendulkar, Zaheer, Bravo, JP Duminy, and Harbhajan Singh were legends. I was just one of the young men in this changing room, who come to learn, observe, and listen to the stories being told. I’m currently in their shoes after 13–14 years have passed, the MI Emirates skipper said in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times.
“I was able to participate in the same franchise. I can only stare back in wonder. And sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize “this is what you’ve done.” I value the franchise because they resemble my family. There is mutual respect. With the Mumbai Indians and MI Emirates, (I wear) 55, so how can I not? Pollard continued.
capable of assuming a variety of roles
In his later years with the Mumbai Indians, Pollard let go of his attacking tendencies and shifted more to rotating the strike and acting as an anchor for the team. The MI Emirates captain, though, keeps going back in time at the ILT20.
“With experience, (I could accomplish it). The environment also affects how you play. It keeps me well-prepared for how to bat in various situations. Additionally, I pushed myself in various scenarios during practice sessions, Pollard says Hindustan Times.
“Therefore, you don’t feel uncomfortable when you go to the field. Yes, there is pressure, and it is ultimately just practiced, but you also recognised what you did to get out of it. The intensity of the match situations is a little higher, but that’s where experience comes in.
When it comes to leadership, Pollard said he tries not to put his teammates under a lot of strain, but he also wants to take a backseat and support their efforts.
As a captain, I try to keep an eye on the issue at hand, try not to put my teammates in too stressful circumstances by knowing what they are capable of handling, and once again watch their skills develop. You may sometimes lead from behind by just allowing young people to have fun, express their youthful energy, and learn what is necessary. Just take a step back and take in what they are doing, the MI Emirates captain said.
“I am confident these experiences will assist them because they are going to be the future of cricket,” Pollard added, expressing trust in the younger players for raising their hands whenever the circumstances required it.
