"I hope the IPL has not seen the last of me" - ex-RCB pacer Tymal Mills
England T20 specialist pacer Tymal Mills has his heart set on an IPL comeback before retiring. The 28-year-old has featured in just one season in 2017 but believes he has the fire and guile left in him to light up the big stage once again.
After a fine T20I series against India in 2017, Tymal Mills was signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a huge price of INR 12 crore.
However, the left-arm pacer couldn't make a memorable impact and picked up just five wickets from as many games. He hasn't played in an IPL season since and is struggling to get back into the national side as well.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, he attributed the dismal campaign to price-tag pressure and limited opportunities.
"Just about my personal pride, I take pride in my performance, I was disappointed on the whole in how the competition went... I have not been back since. I feel like that big price tag has hampered me since. If you look at it from purely money to wickets taken ratio, you can say that. If I had a whole season to play which I was not able to do, I feel I would have performed at a good level. I am very keen to get back, I am doing my best to try and get back. That's where I want to be. Playing for IPL, playing for England, I hope the IPL has not seen the last of me," Tymal Mills told timesnownews.com.
Although he wasn't picking up as many wickets, Mills caught the attention with his searing pace and a plethora of subtle variations including the knuckleball and a unique back-of-the-hand slower delivery.
"I was bowling at 93 miles per hour" - Tymal Mills
Tymal Mills also revealed that he has maintained both his speed and wicket-taking ability in his injury-marred career and exuded confidence that 'things will fall into place'.
"I am still young. I am still only 28 and still have a lot of years of good bowling in me. I obviously had a lot of success early in my career. I am still bowling fast. Last summer, in some of the games we played, I was bowling at 93 miles per hour. So the pace is still there. I am still taking wickets. I back myself to perform at a good level if I stay fit. That is my only focus at the moment and I trust in my abilities around it and things will fall into place," added Mills.
Tymal Mills is currently plying his trade for Sussex in the 2021 County Championship.