Performing against the country where I was born is special, exciting: New Zealand leggie Ish Sodhi

Wellington [New Zealand], November 18 (ANI): New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi talked about his India connection, as he was born in India, and mentioned that it is special and exciting to play against his country of birth. He said this while addressing a press conference at Wellington on Friday.
He said that had the rain stayed away, everyone would have enjoyed the game and talked about the challenge of playing rain-curtailed matches.
“Everyone would have liked for the game to happen, but unfortunately, the weather came in. You have got to come prepared to play in such games. Important that you are always motivated, it’s easy when a team like India comes along. being born in India it is special to play against India. To perform against my birth nation is special and exciting,” stated the leg-spinner.
The bowler described the love and importance of cricket in his family lineage. He mentioned that cricket was a big part of his growing up years.
“Cricket is massive in India. Growing up in an Indian family it means a lot to watch cricket. To be part of it as a spectacle is really exciting,” stated the Kiwi player.
He talked about the support India gets in New Zealand and said that it sometimes feels like they are playing at home.
“Hopefully, the weather can stay away and we can have a great game of cricket. There’s a lot of Indian support and it sometimes feels like it is a home game for them,” expressed Sodhi.
The spinner talked about adjusting to the country’s cricket grounds and said that his teammate Mitchell Santner guided him on bowling in Kiwi conditions.
“It’s a bowler thing in general in New Zealand. Similar to Adelaide. Wickets don’t turn a lot here. Lots of conversation with Mitch Santner helped a lot. He is willy with his line, lengths, and change of pace. Bowls the ball to cut now and then to get the batter off the strike. An important way to play in NZ as a bowler. We have used this tactic and hopefully will employ it in the current series,”
Adding more to the ground dimension talk, he said, “It was a big ground a while back but not these days, even I can clear the ropes there batting at 8 or 9. Playing T20 in NZ is a whole different dynamic. We have to adjust to the short dimensions here.”
The first game of the three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand was abandoned due to heavy rain at the Sky Stadium in Wellington without a single ball being bowled.
India’s tour of New Zealand starts with a washout, with both teams eager to move on from their World Cup exits. Both teams will move to Mount Maunganui for Sunday’s second T20I of the three-match series. (ANI)