BirthdayJune 17
SunSignGemini
Place of birthIpswich, Australia
HometownIpswich, Australia
School/collegeIpswich Grammar School
Currently i am...Playing for Rajasthan Royals, and learning Hindi and the guitar
First breakPlaying for Tasmania when I was 19
Low point of your lifeBeing suspended from a test match
High point of your lifeThe birth of my little boy, Will
You are the first centurion of this year’s T20 league. How does it feel?I’ve always dreamed of scoring a century in T20 cricket, but I would take it all back for the Royals to have beaten Chennai that night.
You scored 101 off just 61 deliveries, including six fours and as many sixes. What did you eat for breakfast that morning?More importantly, I want to find out what Chris Gayle had for breakfast when he scored his 175!
Whichdo you enjoy more? Batting or bowling?I probably enjoy batting a little more, but I certainly do love contributing as much as I can when bowling.
Would you describe yourself as a batting all-rounder, bowling all-rounder, bowler or batsman?I would describe myself as a batting all-rounder.
{{/usCountry}}Would you describe yourself as a batting all-rounder, bowling all-rounder, bowler or batsman?I would describe myself as a batting all-rounder.
{{/usCountry}}Who is the most entertaining to watch in the league: Chris Gayle, Adam Glichrist, Mike Hussey or Kieron Pollard?Gayle for his pure power; and Hussey because he scores so quickly without looking like he is taking any risks.
What do you think of the young crop of Indian batsmen such as Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan?India is lucky to have so many talented young batsmen. Rahane is one of the best young batsmen I have seen and Kohli is one of my favourite batsmen to watch in world cricket at the moment.
Were you disappointed with your show in the last test series against India? Do you want to make amends in the league?Of course, I didn’t do well during the test series. So I am looking to make amends playing for the Royals.
How do celeb owners such as Shilpa Shetty and Shah Rukh motivate players?Shilpa Shetty lets us enjoy ourselves and encourages us to play with absolute freedom. This gives us the best chance to play our best cricket.
What do you think of Rahul Dravid as captain?Rahul is one of the most amazing people I have met and it’s an absolute honour to play under him.
How different is the experience of playing T20 cricket in India from the Big Bash in Australia?This league is something one dreams of playing in. The Big Bash is a great competition, but nothing compares to the enormity of the T20 league here.
Do you think West Indian players have stolen the limelight, when you think of Gayle, Pollard and Bravo?Certainly Gayle has, what a phenomenal performance against Pune. A superhuman effort.
Brett Lee is known to love his music. Do you have a musical side?I love playing guitar and singing. Brett and myself have a lot of jam sessions together.
Your fitness routine.Running is very important for an all-rounder. Core strength is also vitally important.
Formals or casuals.Casually formal.
One Indian dish that you like to eat.Dal makhni.
Have you picked up any Hindi?I am learning as much as I can. It is a lot of fun... but it will take me a long time to become fluent.
Your strategy in a crisis…Keep things simple.
Things that make you smileMy son, WillWatching a beautiful sunsetLearning a new song on my guitarAn amazing glass of wineSpending time with my family
From HT Brunch, May 12Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunchConnect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch