As a cricketer, there’s no greater feeling than representing your country at the highest level. Venkatesh Iyer’s dream of making his dream come true appears to have come true after he emerged into the spotlight during the UAE-leg of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). In October, after concluding the T20 league and getting India’s first call-up for the T20I series against New Zealand, Iyer revealed the conversation he had with ‘idol’ Sourav Ganguly.

In an interview with Sports Tak, the KKR all-rounder said that he got to meet Ganguly after the IPL 2021 final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Following Iyer’s impressive performances to date, Dada gave him some tips that could boost his career at the highest level. “When I was young, I used to bat right-handed while watching Dada. I wanted to be exactly like him so I became a left-hander. It feels nice when people compare me to him,” Iyer told Sports Tak.

The seam-bowling all-rounder has been selected for the Indian cricket team. It is expected that his role in the Indian team in 2021 will be quite different from what he did for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021. Given the number of players already included in the Indian team as openers, Iyer is likely to be groomed to finish games for the team as well as bowl a few overs.

Hardik Pandya, who has reportedly not been considered for national selection due to form and fitness issues, has been replaced by the 26-year-old ahead of the World Cup!