Narayan Jagdeeshan, the wicket-keeper batsman from Tamil Nadu, had to undergo a long of anxiety before Chennai Super Kings roped him for his base price of Rs. 20 lakh, moments before the auction ended.

“I was watching the auction on TV, and although there were no expectations, it was hard to shake off the jitters. I just sat on the couch hoping someone would pick me and since it was CSK, it felt great! I think it’s a very good opportunity for me,” Jagadeesan told Sportstar.

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Jagdeeshan, the uncapped local talent wishes to make the most of the opportunity. “With the likes of Dhoni in the team, I  might not get a chance to play – maybe one game here and there and in that one outing, I need to leave a mark,” he said.

Jagdeeshan is excited to share the dressing room with the franchise captain MS Dhoni. Notably, he was only eight years old when Dhoni made his debut for India in 2004.

“He (Dhoni) is an idol to so many cricketers. The mere thought of sitting next to him in the dressing room gives me goosebumps,” he added.

Jagdeeshan also stressed how Tamil Nadu’s domestic T20 tournament helped him develop his game. “Definitely. TNPL has had a great impact on the careers of a lot of youngsters. It has highlighted and enhanced their performances over the years,” he commented.

“M. Ashwin, T. Natarajan got noticed because of their exploits in the league, and there are others too, who probably didn’t get selected, but were in the limelight nevertheless – like K. Vignesh or Sanjay Yadav who played for the Knight Riders (KKR).”

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“Since the news broke, I’ve been getting calls and messages. In fact, I’ve had to turn off my phone at night (laughs),” he concluded.

This edition of Indian Premier League will commence from April 7, with the final to be played on May 27.