My IPL stint with Chennai Super Kings made me a handy T20 bowler: John Hastings

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is arguably the most celebrated T20 league across the globe, with many T20 stars worldwide featuring in the tournament. In fact, the marquee competition has also witnessed many young players bursting onto the scenes and making it big at the highest level. Owing to this fact, many cricketers dream of plying their trade in the event.

Former Australian pacer John Hastings has also been a part of IPL, and in an interaction, he opened up about his experience. Hastings got his first IPL contract in 2011 when the now-defunct franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala bought him for $20,000. Recalling the day of the auction, the former pacer said that he was playing a domestic game against New South Wales, and the news came.

John Hastings opens up about his first stint in IPL

“It’s actually a funny story. We were playing a day-night game against New South Wales at SCG. I remember clearly, it was the auction and all us grown-up boys were in the auction. Finchy (Aaron Finch) is in there, Cameron White was it there. He (White) went for a million. Then I got picked up for $20,000 (laughs). I spent more over there, then I actually earned. I was laughing as I thought it’s hilarious,” said Hastings while featuring in the YouTube channel of Guy Walker.

Hastings eventually made his IPL debut in 2014 for Chennai Super Kings. Speaking of his experience with the three-time IPL champions, the former Aussie quick revealed that the stint made him a handy T20 bowler.

“My experience with Chennai (Super Kings) was phenomenal. I had four international captains in my team in Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni. To grow in that knowledge was exceptional, and that gave me a much better cricket brain I reckon. That made me into a handy T20 bowler. If you can’t learn in that environment, it’s a loss,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hastings’ journey in IPL wasn’t long as he could play just three games in the lucrative league, scalping three wickets. However, the pacer enhanced his skills during the tenure and subsequently made a comeback in the Australian team. The fast bowler eventually bid farewell from all forms of cricket in 2018.