New Delhi: Cooper Connolly had a long chat with the Indian skipper in humid Lucknow last September Shreyas Iyer. As a member of Australia’s A-team, Connolly drew on Iyer’s wisdom when it came to solving spin problems.The 22-year-old went on to score a fluent 70 but little did he know that the 25-minute conversation at the Ekana Cricket Ground had left a lasting impression on Iyer, now captain of Kings XI Punjab.
A few months later, Kings XI Punjab bought the young player for Rs 3 crore in the IPL mini-auction.“Luckily, he was there and we had a great chat. It was all about cricket,” Cooper Connolly told TOI in an exclusive interview.
Cooper Connolly with his Australian teammate Marcus Stoinis at the new Chandigarh Stadium in Mohali. (Photo credit: Kings XI Punjab)
“Look, he’s a world-class player. I love watching him bat. It looks easy. So, it would be great to get into his mind, get to know him a little bit and see how he bats in Indian conditions and try my best in the Indian game. I’m just looking forward to learning from him,” Connolly said while batting with Iyer.Cooper Connolly said his primary goal is to gain experience, learn from top players and challenge himself against the best in the IPL. He expressed gratitude for being selected by Kings XI Punjab, calling it an honour, and was eager to grow under the guidance of the coaching staff and captain Shreyas, whether playing or not.
The moment one of the paddles was raised to me, I thought, okay, I’m going to challenge myself and compete with the best in the world.
Cooper Connolly | Kings XI Punjab
“When the paddle goes up, it feels really good. It’s obviously good,” he said.“I think the main goal initially was just hoping I’d get picked up.“Now it’s just about going out there, experiencing some quality cricket, playing against some quality opposition and learning from some of the great players at Punjab and obviously the great coaching staff at Punjab.
Cooper Connolly (left) with Kings XI Punjab teammates Marcus Stoinis and Priyansh Arya. (Photo courtesy: Kings XI Punjab)
“The moment one of the paddles lifted for me, I thought, OK, I’m going to challenge myself and compete against the best in the world. It was obviously a good thing to get a higher price than I thought. I’m honored to be a part of it and challenge myself against some quality opponents and try to learn as much as I can whether I compete or not. I’m just looking forward to going out there and learning and honing my skills,” he said.It’s been a rollercoaster few months for Cooper Connolly. He made his international debut for Australia in all three formats and was awarded an IPL contract. He admits he didn’t get a chance to reflect because it was surreal.The youngster looked dazed after his poor performance in the series against Pakistan. Then, at the T20 World Cup, he played just two games and performed quite well: taking three wickets in two games.
he [Shaun Marsh] I can contact him to chat about cricket and his methods. Most importantly, I try to model my game after the way he plays, how he gives himself chances in every format, his timing, and his ability to find the boundaries. For me, it’s about reaching out to him when the time is right.
Cooper Connolly | Kings XI Punjab
Now at Mullanpur, the youngster will get the chance to work with the former Australia captain Ricky Pontingin the next two and a half months, he will have the opportunity to correct his technical faults and become a more comprehensive all-round star.Perth-born Cooper Connolly’s batting imitation Sean Marshis also seeking to emulate his idol.“I can talk to him about cricket and his approach. Most importantly, I try to emulate the way he plays, how he gives himself chances in every format, his timing, and his ability to find boundaries. The important thing for me is to reach out to him at the right time.
polling
What aspect of Cooper Connolly’s journey excites you the most?
“He was really good to me. I always loved watching him bat and even now I look back on his great performances, especially his hundreds. It’s about picking out certain attributes from his batting and trying to incorporate them into my own game because he was world-class,” Connolly said.Kings XI Punjab will play their first game at home against Gujarat Titans on March 31 and Connolly has been working with the team to prepare for the most important weeks of his career, which could impact his future.
