'For a youngster like me, the IPL is a very big opportunity and I am hoping to make the most of it through my performances.'
One of the favourite moments for any athlete across sports is when they make their debut for any team or in any competition, and for Delhi Capitals' new duo of Tushar Deshpande and Lalit Yadav, it will be a similar feat when they make their IPL debut this season.
Having been picked up in the IPL Auction by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 20 lakh each, the young bowler and batsman are excited for the challenge ahead of them.
Speaking on the back of a nets session at the ICC Academy in Dubai, Deshpande said, "It is my first ever IPL so it is always special. But for me, what makes it extra special is the fact that I am getting to do the thing I love the most, which is bowling. I am finally bowling after almost 6 months so it is a different challenge."
"All the bowlers here are my seniors with prior IPL experience. It is a fantastic opportunity for me because by the time I get to make my debut, I would have got some feedback from them, and hopefully that would help me stay ahead and plan my strategy accordingly during the matches," added the 25-year-old who hails from Mumbai.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Lalit Yadav, who has played with some of Delhi Capitals' players before, is also excited to make it big in the IPL.
"I know some of the players from domestic cricket already - like Ishant bhaiya (Sharma), Shikhar bhaiya (Dhawan) and Rishabh Pant - and now I am getting to know the others too. For a youngster like me, the IPL is a very big opportunity and I am hoping to make the most of it through my performances," said Yadav who plays for Delhi in domestic cricket.
Commenting on his new franchise, Yadav considers Delhi Capitals as the team which provides a perfect platform to the youth.
"Delhi Capitals is the team known to give a good platform to the youth. We have so many examples already in our team. Our Captain Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and even Rishabh (Pant) were all identified by Delhi. So, it is definitely the perfect opportunity for me, and I aspire to perform and go on to represent India like they have done," he said.
Head Coach Ricky Ponting and his players have credited a positive team atmosphere for their good performances last season, and both Deshpande and Yadav echo the sentiment.
While Deshpande said that "having people like Ishant and Rabada help first timers" like him, Yadav considered everyone very welcoming and said "the overall team vibe is great."
