My time to give back to MI: Aditya Tare

On a nervous night at Wankhede in 2014, Mumbai Indians were facing an uphill task of chasing a mammoth total of 190 runs against Rajasthan Royals. To add to their misery, the total had to be chased in just 14.3 overs, in order for them to qualify for the playoffs.

An explosive start by Mike Hussey and Lendl Simmons, followed by a heroic 94-run innings by Corey Anderson were leading the match to a nail-biting end. In the third ball of the 14th over, where Mumbai needed two runs to qualify, Ambati Rayadu pushed the ball to the covers. An overthrow after a single showed that MI were almost through, but a throw from the midwicket came in to run him out. “RR qualify for the playoffs,” appeared on TV screens, but the drama was not over yet.

The umpires informed the respective captains that MI could still qualify if they manage to hit a boundary off the fourth ball. A nervous Aditya Tare took the crease and Anderson, at the non-striker’s endcould do nothing but hope.

Anxious, James Faulker started charging to deliver the crucial ball and bowled a full toss on the leg-stump, which was launched by Tare over the square leg for a six. The next moment Tare pulled his shirt over his head and ran towards the dugout with the team exploding all over Wankhede. RR lost their chance of qualifying that night as they finished on number five, after this fearless feat from MI.

On Sunday, Anant Ambani raised MI’s paddle when Richard Madley announced Tare’s name, for his Rs 20 lakh. The Mumbai domestic team skipper will return to MI after two years. He featured for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils for a season each.

This is surely one recollection that is fresh in Tare’s mind from his stint with the Ambani-owned franchise. “It is definitely a great memory. We were having a poor season and then we made a heroic return. I played a small part in it but hitting that six will surely be a special IPL moment for me,” he recalls.

Tare made his debut in blue colours of MI in 2010 when Sachin Tendulkar was still leading the side. He could manage to break into the side only in 2014, when he had 14 appearances, including the heroics against RR.

Back then, he did not have much experience on his plate compared to his domestic know-how today. The wicketkeeper feels that it is his time to give back to the side that trusted him for so many years.

“I started my IPL career here and the franchise placed a great deal of trust in me in the past. Now, it is the time for me to give back to them and I am training hard for it,” he asserts.

The return will be relatively tough for the keeper, as MI has also signed 19-year old Ishan Kishan for Rs 6.2 crores. The youngster scored 277 runs in 11 games for Gujarat Lions last season. He will probably be the one who will keep the wickets instead of Tare, after the money that has been spent on him.

“Ishan is an upcoming guy and I have experience. Both of us can link up well in the training. I am looking forward to meeting him and the rest of the team. I will fight for my spot,” says Tare.

The first match of the new season will be played at Wankhede on April 7, and Tare who spends a majority of his time at the historic stadium will hope to get on the pitch and deliver for another Mumbai team.