One of the most versatile all-rounders to have ever played the game, Chris Harris is still the man to beat. In an interview to Gautam Sheth, the Hyderabad Heroes captain says that if you love the game, age can never be a deterrent
Being the defending champions surely means a lot of pressure…?
I guess… Yeah! We are getting better every season. Being the reigning champions means that we are now expected to make things happen time and again.
Second season of ICL, your thoughts on that…
I believe that with new grounds, new teams, it is only getting more competitive and proving itself to be one of the most top-notch cricket competitions.
You have played a lot of league cricket in County, New Zealand, where does ICL stand?
ICL is a top-of-the-ladder competition. I can tell you that it is one of the best tournaments I have played in. The competition here is fantastic and the teams are getting better.
At your age, you seem be going stronger and stronger?
I am in love with the game. I have stayed pretty young and fit because of that. But that is not all… One also has to work harder to achieve all this since we are getting bigger.
What do think about ICL’s progress?
Sri Lankan board’s acceptance is a good thing. But since we are only expanding, that day is not far away when players will be able to play anywhere in the world. The league franchise model is the future of cricket. But all said and done, country should come first.
Is T20 the future of cricket?
It is a great format for the audience as well as players. The reason why so many leagues are able to make hay is because T20 games have become popular. From the players’ perspective it develops each and every skill. No more a player can just contribute with the bat or ball. He needs to do a bit more than his specialised act. This eventually has led to more excitement in Test and ODIs. The scoring rate in ODIs and Tests has gone up too.
So the older formats remain safe?
T20 cricket can never affect older formats, there may be less of ODIs, but Tests will remain untouched.
What is the most heartening part of being an ICL player?
The emergence of domestic players has been really good. It is great to watch them. We as international and seasoned players can help them a lot.
