One of the many things that the first season of T20 Mumbai did brilliantly was give young and budding cricketers a platform to showcase their mettle. Shivaji Park Lions’ all-rounder, Tanush Kotian was one of many such players to benefit, as he rubbed shoulders with some experienced heads and played with the big boys of the Mumbai domestic circuit. Here are some excerpts from a chat with the 19-year-old who has even represented India at the U-19 level. 

How was your experience playing in T20 Mumbai?

It was really good. There was some pressure, but every game went well. The matches were close, and there was some pressure building on everyone, so that was great fun in this tournament.

How did it feel to be one of the youngest players in the tournament?

I don’t think like that. We all play together, even at the club level, so the age difference doesn’t matter that much to me.

How was the experience of playing with senior players in T20 Mumbai?

It feels good to share a dressing room with other senior players like Siddhesh Lad. There were a lot of big players, with Vinod Kambli as the mentor. The support staff was great too, so it’s nice to be with them and gel with them. It was a great opportunity for me to learn from their experiences of playing on the big stage.

How was the experience of working with Vinod Kambli?

He encouraged us to stick to the plan and said that it was a way to sure-shot success. He used to share a lot of his own experiences with us from back in his day.

How was it to play in the Asia Cup for the India U-19 team?

It was a great experience, especially learning from Rahul (Dravid) sir. I got a lot of good experience there, and all the coaches there taught me a lot. I am using that experience in this tournament here to read the batsmen’s moves. Dravid worked a lot with us on discipline. He told us to go out there and prove our own game.

What are you looking for in the coming season?

In the coming season, I would like to perform doubly well as compared to this season.