Kolkata: Pravin Tambe believes that one’s age is what one feels and at 48, the Mumbai leg-spinner doesn’t think that he is one day older than 20.
On a day when youngsters went unsold at the IPL auctions here Thursday, the former Rajasthan Royals (RR) leg-spinner, who was the oldest player in the list, was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
“I still play with a mindset like I am a 20-year-old young,” Tambe, who has an 18-year-old son, told this agency from Mumbai. “I will bring all my experience and energy to the team and positivity. I know that I can bring that, even if I’m with them not playing,” asserted Tambe.
The bowler said age will not be an impediment. “People say many things but I keep doing my job and put in a lot of hard work. I will like to do well in whatever role given to me be it in fielding or bowling. It’s not to prove anything. If that was the case, I could not have played so long. I’m really excited to play for them,” Tambe, who works as sports teacher at DY Patil School, said.
“My family has supported me all these years. They keep inspiring me. KKR must have seen something in me to have bought me. I’m grateful to KKR team management. I want to give them back. If you get the support, you can go a long way,” Tambe informed.
While Tambe’s passion for cricket still drives him crazy, his son has chosen academics and is now studying to become an engineer. “My son never wanted to be a cricketer he has chosen engineering as his profession,” stated Tambe.
It was Tambe, who clinched a hat-trick (3/26) against KKR to spin Rajasthan to victory by 10 runs in IPL 2014 in Ahmedabad.
“I distinctly remember the moment. I’m really proud to be playing for the same team now. It was a match-winning show and my dream now would be to give a similar match-winning performance for KKR,” Tambe said.
“I never played cricket to achieve anything. I love this game and that’s what has kept me going always,” asserted Tambe, who was last in the news for reporting a corrupt approach from his erstwhile Mumbai Ranji Trophy teammate Hiken Shah.
PTI
