IPL 2018: Caught candid with Colin Munro
Aggressive with the willow in hand and the friendliest off the field, this is what defines the number one ranked T20I batsman. Colin Munro's last two years in T20I cricket have defined him as a batsman who can conquer oppositions with his aggressive batting approach. Munro has featured in 9 T20Is in 2018 in which he has amassed 396 runs at an average of 49.50, accompanied by a breathtaking strike rate of 193.17. He is the only batsman to score three centuries in T20I cricket.
These factors helped the Kiwi all-rounder to get a spot in the biggest T20 event in the world. Munro was procured by the Delhi Daredevils for INR 1.9 crore at the auction of the Indian Premier League. He has featured in the IPL in the past when he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2016.
The Delhi Daredevils will have a lot of expectations form the 31-year-old southpaw. He will have the responsibility of getting DD off to a flying start.
Here are the excerpts of the interview with Colin Munro ahead of the IPL:
Q. You have established yourself in limited overs cricket but are you looking forward to playing Test cricket in the future?
Munro: No Test cricket. I am looking forward to playing T20 cricket and one-day cricket at the moment. I am focusing on the 2019 World Cup and then we will see what happens after that.
Q. Are you looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting who's been a legend for Australian cricket?
Munro: Ya, definitely. I have come across Ricky Ponting in my first year at the Mumbai Indians where I didn't play a single game. Hopefully, I can do well in this tournament under Ricky Ponting.
Q. Your first game is at Mohali, do you like the PCA Stadium at Mohali?
Munro: I have played at Mohali in the past against Pakistan in the 2016 T20 World Cup. It's a nice ground. It's an easier batting surface. A bit of problem in the field as the lights are too low.
Author: That's because of the airport nearby.
Munro: No idea. Yay.
Food For Thought
While talking about the differences in culture between Kolkata and Delhi, Munro asked the author about the food in Delhi. The chat about this topic went endlessly, which reveals the batsman's food habits. Despite being a cricketer, he maintains the image of a foodie, albeit he somehow manages to create the right balance between his food habits and his fitness.
Munro: I've been to Delhi before. Don't know about the culture, what's the main food here?
Author: People here love Chole Bhature and Gol Gappas.
Munro: What's it called in English?
Author: They are small balls filled with water and a few small potatoes. Water balls!
Munro: Paani Puri! Had it in Mumbai. Can we get it here? Can we have a bit less spicy? The water is spicy, right?
Author: Yeah.
Munro: The Paani. I have 'thanda paani' after the game. What's the food in Mumbai filled with potato and looks like a hamburger? * Acts like he's eating it *
Author: That's vada pav. You have had a lot of Indian food!
Munro: Yeah. What do you call Papdi chaat?
Author: That's the name! Good luck for the tournament, mate!
Munro: Thanks a lot, take it easy ya!