IPL 2016: Chris Morris says IPL is valuable to his life
The lanky South African all-rounder Chris Morris made a good fortune at this year's IPL auction when he was sold to Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs 7 Crore which was 14 times his base price of Rs 50 lakh. The Mumbai Indians, Rising Pune Supergiants and Kolkata Knight Riders were aggressively bidding for the talented all-rounder before Delhi grabbed him for that astronomical amount. In the ongoing IPL 2016, Morris has certainly proved that he was worthy of such a hefty amount with incredible performances for the Delhi franchise.
The 29-year-old has shone with both bat and ball as he has picked up 11 wickets at an impressive economy of 6.79 and scored 130 runs with a strike rate of 183.09 in the 10 matches he has played. His breathtaking knock of 82 not out almost won the game for Delhi against the Gujarat Lions.
Recently in an interview, when Morris was asked about his staggering price, the Proteas all-rounder replied, “It's very humbling. I don't think you ever realize the impact it has on your life until a couple of years later, but it's very humbling to know that people rate me so highly in terms for a guy who hasn't played that much international cricket.”
He also added, “It's an awesome feeling to know that people want you to play for their team and that they're not scared to bet for you. I'm very, very grateful for the opportunity, especially in the cricketing part. Financially, no one can replace what it's done because it’s life-changing, no matter who you are. But the cricketing experience is so valuable to my life. Meeting new players, playing with new players, new coaching staff, new franchises.”
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Morris also made it clear that he plays cricket to win and money doesn’t matter in that aspect. He said, “With Delhi the financial implications make you want to perform more, but as I said earlier I'm a guy who plays to win so it doesn't matter what price I go for. If I went for $20,000 I would still put pressure on myself to bowl at the death because it's what I do. I play cricket to win.”
Morris who is playing in his 3rd IPL, also credited the cash-rich league for his growth, “The IPL is so valuable to my life. I get to mingle with some of my heroes, and some of the best in the world. For a young cricketer or a cricketer in the middle of his career, that is incredibly valuable. I'll cherish this for the rest of my life.”
When asked about his immediate reaction after the auction, Morris conceded the fact that he couldn’t believe what he saw and he had to take some time before swallowing the incredible news. He shared this news with his family and his teammates gave him a massive cheer as well. The South African termed that as a very special moment in his life.
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Morris has been excellent for the Delhi Daredevils in the death overs this season. Talking about his death-over expertise, the cunning pacer admitted that mental toughness is a big part of his game. He is a firm believer of coming back strongly even after being hit for plenty.
Talking about his blitzkrieg against the Gujarat Lions, Morris admitted that he has become a better batsman in the last year, He admitted that he had done a lot of hard work over the last year and he has tried to identify his strong and weak areas.
As Delhi fight it hard to earn a place in the playoffs, Morris will have to play a key role to propel his side to the playoffs.