After the auction: “We were trying to keep ourselves busy and when [your name] appeared, you end up stuck on the screen”
ESPNcricinfo Staff
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Mitchell Sandner – “now a Chennai fanatic” – was the first to get in touch. And then “your phone goes off pretty quickly,” Daryl Mitchell said with a laugh, talking about the calls from his new IPL team, Chennai Super Kings, not long after he was sold for INR 14 crore (about $1,687,000). at Tuesday’s auction in Dubai.
“Yes, your heart starts to swell a bit as you see the paddles go up. And yes, having been through an auction before and they went unsold, it was a special night last night to experience that and now obviously to be a part of Chennai Super Kings is an exciting time,” Mitchell said in a chat with reporters back in New Zealand the next morning.
“[Elder daughter] It’s Addie’s birthday today, so there was a bit of wrapping up of gifts and such while the auction was going on. At auction, you never know exactly when you will be listed. So, yeah, I guess we were just trying to keep busy and watch it, and then when it came on, I guess you end up glued to the screen to see what’s going on.
“Once it’s all over your phone goes off pretty quickly and Chennai will contact you, talk to the manager and Flem [head coach Stephen Fleming], in touch with them to sort out a few things and join the Chennai Super Kings team. Everything happens quite quickly. For now, I guess I’m still pinching myself [because of] how lucky and grateful I am for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get stuck into it in a few months.”
Mitchell, an established member of the New Zealand national team in all formats after 20 Tests, 39 ODIs and 56 T20Is, was part of the Rajasthan Royals, in 2022, but made the starting XI only twice. This opportunity, he hopes, will help him in a bigger way, and not just in terms of his cricket.
“It’s my eldest daughter’s fifth birthday today, so I got her a really nice present waking up,” she said. “Not that he understands what’s going on, but yeah, look, I guess that’s what situations like this are all about, he’s going to help us build the family in a lot of ways. [the two daughters can] they grow and enjoy the things they love, and to me, that’s the really cool thing about it, and that’s why you do all this.
“I understand the game doesn’t owe you anything, but you also have to be grateful for the opportunities you’re given. However I showed up this morning when we woke up, my daughter ran and she [doesn’t] really even consider IPL. So, I guess, in many ways, it’s about keeping things in perspective. And be thankful for what happened in the last 12 hours and be excited about it, but at the same time know that the hard work doesn’t stop and you keep showing up with a smile on your face and sticking with the competition. “
“Obviously you spend a lot of time in hotels throughout the IPL and having some good friends there helps the time go by a bit quicker”Darryl Mitchell as part of a great New Zealand team at Chennai Super Kings
In Super Kings, Mitchell will have a lot of familiar faces around. Sadner, of course. And Fleming. Rachin Ravindra was also acquired in the auction and Devon Conway was already there. Not to forget the physical therapist, Tommy Simsek.
“Really excited to play under Flemme, he’s obviously great in the game in our country as a player and now as a coach as well. To learn from him, he’s obviously had a lot of success and I’m looking forward to the experience,” Mitchell said. “I grew up with Mitch since we were about 12 years old. And now, with Dev and Rachin in the team as well, it’s going to be good fun. Again, a lot of the Indian players – the nice thing about the IPL is you get to rub shoulders with some world-class players, so I’m really looking forward to that.
“Obviously you spend a lot of time in hotels throughout the IPL and having some good friends there helps the time go by a bit faster. Throughout the World Cup, I know Rachin was in charge of the PlayStation group every night, so things like that things are going to happen again. Yeah, look, it’s nice to have some familiar faces, but at the same time, it’s also awesome to be a part of such a nice franchise and such a successful franchise, to learn from some guys and those things are going to be very exciting.”