IPL Diary: Play and enjoy IPL the West Indies way

By K.R. Nayar 

UAE opener Chirag Suri, who played in the 2017 IPL edition, recalls his experience with West Indies players who made him believe that every day is an opportunity to become a hero.  Read my IPL Diary which appeared in Gulf News. 

Chirag Suri with Dwyane Bravo 
‘Play, enjoy, and forget it’. That is the West Indies' way of cricket. This was revealed to Gulf News by UAE opener Chirag Suri who was a member of the Gujarat Lions team in the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League. He carries with him great memories of being part of that team and recalls how much he enjoyed with and learned from West Indies players like Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith.

“Bravo is full of energy. He is competitive but full of fun. The music he plays on the bus while travelling, the songs he sings, everything he does relaxes everyone. It was a special experience for me. I've never played in such an atmosphere.”

Suri also learned a lot from Dwayne Smith. “Bravo and Smith believe in going out and expressing themselves. Their aim is to give their best and enjoy, and in the process, if they win matches, that is great  Results do not matter to them.. So they never create any pressure for themselves.”

Chirag Suri with Dwayne Smith 

That is how Suri realised that getting tensed brings no success. “They don’t panic and have no fear of failure. All that matters for them is to go out, play, and give their best. According to them, you may be a loser today, but tomorrow you will be a hero. They never worry about their losses because when they come back into the bus to return to the hotel they are normal and cool,” said Suri, who was in tremendous form during the Asian Cricket Council Western Region T20 tournament, the last event before the Coronavirus stopped all matches.


The UAE opener has also played with West Indies players in the T10 tournament as well as the Canada League.: “They taught me an important lesson and that is to be thankful for what you have. All of them believe that every day is an opportunity to become a hero, and they go out to play with that positivity. This is why you always see a West Indies player happy and cool. T20 is about enjoying and playing entertaining cricket, and it fits their approach to cricket and life. No wonder they do well in T20 matches,” noted Suri.  

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