Punjab batsman Mandeep Singh who is also part of Royal Challengers Bangalore this season has praised his IPL captain Virat Kohli and admitted he takes a lot of inspiration from Kohli.
The 24-year old who has been recently called up to the national squad for their tour to Zimbabwe has been one of the most gifted talents in India and have made a name for himself during his time with Kings XI Punjab.
The player who has debuted with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2010 went on to become an integral part of Kings XI Punjab as he guided them to IPL finals during his time there before landing at RCB last year.
The young Punjab batsman feels that he is lucky to share the dressing room with the likes of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli as they helped him grow as a batsman.
“I think I have been very lucky to play alongside both of them (Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers). I chatted about (my) technique with AB,” the youngster told the press.
“With Virat, I chatted about fitness, fielding, and batting. In the two years that I have been with him, he has been helping me a lot. He spoke to me a lot about my head position (while batting). I am trying a lot to match his fitness level. His work ethic is inspiring,” Mandeep Singh added.
The 24-year old has made an impressive 432 runs for Kings XI Punjab in 2012 and has been awarded the ‘Rising star of the Tournament Award’.
The batsman believes that spending more time in the middle is key for any batsman but also says that the player should adapt according to the batting position.
“Whatever be the format if you give yourself some time, the chances of you succeeding are better. This is what I have realised in the last couple of years.”
“If you are batting low and have to play shots, then you don’t have a chance (to take time). So, I have to play according to the situation,” he concluded.