When the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) forked out a whopping sum of Rs 8.4 crore for Sameer Rizvi in the mini-auction held in December last year, their decision was met with a mix of surprise and shock. Until the auction, Rizvi was a lesser-known player in the Indian circuit but those who followed the UP T20 league last year got to witness the talent possessed by the explosive right-handed batter.
As the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is fast approaching, Rizvi is among the select few players who will be closely monitored and he boasts the skillset to make a difference for the CSK.
Michael Hussey speaks highly of Sameer Rizvi
CSK batting coach Michael Hussey was impressed with Rizvi's ability after just one practice session and the Aussie legend affirmed that he is looking forward to working with the young batter. More importantly, Hussey confirmed that Rizvi will play the role that Ambati Rayudu used to fulfill for the franchise.
"Most definitely. I think he can definitely play that role. I mean Ambati Rayudu is someone that has so much experience and he’s played for so long. So, he’s a seasoned campaigner, whereas Rizvi is just starting out in his IPL career," Hussey was quoted as saying.
"So, we can’t expect Rizvi to be doing exactly what Rayudu has been doing for so many years. But, of course, we can start developing him and he’s got a lot of natural ability. So, it’s exciting. It’s exciting to see how far he can go.
"I think he’ll bat somewhere in the middle-order. He’s obviously a natural striker of the ball. I only saw him for the first time yesterday. He looks a very talented young prospect. So, I’m looking forward to working with him personally and just helping him improve his game, obviously for this tournament, but also for the years moving forward. We want him to do well in this IPL, but there’s much more years left in his career," he added.
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