'Excited and honoured': Wanindu Hasaranga on being part of RCB squad for IPL 2021
Hasaranga, who grabbed the attention during India's limited-overs series in Sri Lanka shared an image on Instagram and wrote: "From sitting at home and watching them, to being a part of an amazing team."
The latest addition to the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad, Wanindu Hasaranga on Sunday said that he is excited to join the franchise. Ahead of the restart of the Indian Premier League 2021 season, RCB announced a slew of changes to the squad.
In a press release, RCB on Saturday said that Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera and all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, and Australia's heavy-hitter Tim David have been included in the squad for the rest of the season.
Also read: Did Wanindu Hasaranga's 4/9 against India play a role in his selection for RCB? Head coach Mike Hesson answers
The move was made as a measure to make up for the team's re-shuffle due to the unavailability of a few players for the second half of IPL 2021, including Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Fin Allen, and Scott Kuggeleijn.
Hasaranga, who grabbed the attention during India's limited-overs series in Sri Lanka shared an image on Instagram and wrote: "From sitting at home and watching them, to being a part of an amazing team."
"I am excited, honoured, and thrilled all at once," he added.
Meanwhile, Mike Hesson, who will be taking the dual role of Director of Cricket Operations and Head Coach with Simon Katich not returning for the remainder of the season due to personal reasons, said that Hasaranga's addition will offer depth to the team.
With RCB playing their best cricket in years, as seen in the first-half of IPL 2021 – they won five out of seven games to be placed third on the points-table – the all-rounder's addition offers the team depth, reckons Hesson.
"We have a scouting program that has been in place for the last two years where we know almost every player that is playing cricket around the world at a decent level. Wanindu had been on our radar for a long time. In fact, we needed a replacement in the last IPL, he was certainly the person we called upon. It's not a recency factor," Hesson responded to a query from Hindustan Times.
