Tymal Mills became an overnight sensation after being snapped for a whopping amount of Rs 12 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last month. The England fast-bowler, who was forced to give up first-class cricket in 2015 due to a back problems, has become a specialist in the shortest format of the game.
No doubt, his playing career has taken a complete turnaround after the lucrative deal and the bowler now hopes to change his life off the field too.
“I need to buy a house and that will be the first thing,” said the England international who stays in a shared flat in Brighton.
“Buy a house outright, so I don’t have to worry about a mortgage, just have to pay my bills, so if all else fails, that sets you up for the rest of your life.”
Talking about the huge amount of money he was brought for in the player auction, Mills said:
“It’s not real yet, not until it goes into my account and I get paid. I’ve had to make arrangements to receive that money, I’ve never come into that type of money before so I’ve got a financial advisor sorted and spoke to my accountant, and set up my bank account accordingly.
“It is a massive amount of money but I’ve not actually thought about it as it’s not real until it’s real, as such,” he added.
The bowler’s life might have changed for the good but he is under no illusion the spotlight will firmly be on him when he dons the RCB jersey.
“With the price tag I’ve been bought for, there will be a level of expectation and I’m aware of that, but I’m just going to go out there and do what I’ve done and do what has got me this far,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mills will have his task cut out when he bowls on a traditionally good batting wicket in Bengaluru and he is very much aware of that.
“It is going to be tough, playing half my games at Bangalore, you’ve got to temper your expectations and what is going to be a good day there isn’t always going to be a good day somewhere else.”
The left-arm pacer’s career came to a standstill after he was diagnosed with a congenital back condition shortly after his move to Sussex in 2015. But instead, he reinvented himself as a T20 specialist and is now reaping the rewards for his perseverance.
“Being a 22-year-old, to hear those words and to have that option was hard to hear,” Mills said.
“It hit me hard. Some of the tests I had to rule out, other things weren’t nice to have.
“But I’m glad I took the option to continue playing, to give T20 a crack. It’s been an up and down couple of years, a journey that has culminated with getting this recognition in the IPL. It’s a really exciting time and I’m looking forward to getting out there,” he concluded.