Mumbai Indians batsman Saurabh Tiwary recalled his first stint with the franchise and revealed how he was ably supported by his teammates including the great Sachin Tendulkar, who was captain of the side. Tiwary was part of the franchise from the very first edition of the IPL – in 2008 – and stayed on till 2010 before leaving for Royal Challengers Bangalore. But the three years he spent in the MI dugout, Tiwary reckons, helped shape him into a better cricketer.
“I was with the MI for the 2008, 2009 season. I only got to play 1-2 games but they still invested in me. Then in 2010, I got the opportunity to play. Things clicked, and I’m still playing. 2010 was a dream season for me. We played well that season. I won the Emerging Player of the Year award and was hugely supported by the team, Sachin sir,” Tiwary said in a chat with MITV.
The first two seasons – 2008 and 2009 – Tiwary combined to play only seven matches for the franchise, but without much success, scoring 39 runs across both years. His breakout season came the year after in 2010, when Tiwary totalled 419 runs from 16 matches in MI’s road to the final. He was eighth in the list of highest run-scorers, which was led by Tendulkar.
Tiwary returned to the MI camp for the 2017-18 seasons. In 2019, he found no-takers but made a second comeback to the team during the IPL 2020 auction last December. Tiwary has played two matches for the team this year, scoring 42 and 21 before an injury paved the way for Ishan Kishan to replace him in the team. He may currently not be a part of the Playing XI but Tiwary is grateful to MI for all their efforts invested in him over the years.
“Mumbai Indians have always supported me and provided me with the biggest platform. So, it feels good to be back here. They made me the cricketer I am today. I like to play for them because it is a matter of pride. No matter there are 8 teams in the IPL, but MI is number one amongst all the teams. MI is One Family in all aspects. My heart will always be with them,” he said.
Source: IPLT20.com