Test Match Special - TMS does the IPL: Kings XI special, including Pooran on THAT save

Episode Date: October 6, 2020

Nicholas Pooran joins Aatif Nawaz and Daniel Norcross to talk through his incredible gravity-defying save over the boundary, as well as what life is like in the IPL bubble. Plus Sheldon Cottrell tells us why a friend’s Covid diagnosis made him take the virus so seriously, and Mandeep Singh explains the Punjabi spirit behind the team.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimeters and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Welcome to the second episode of TMS does the IPL.

I'm Ardif Nawaz and joining me is my friend, my comrade, a man I've known for 10 years, the man, the myth, the legend, Mr Daniel Norcross, how are you, Dan? Oh, I'm fine, you know, it's like every England cricket fan, the day after the last day of the domestic cricket season, I was at T20 Plus finals day in Edgebaston, a rainy edge. to see the end, the curtain go down. But I was watching the IPL on the TV because it rained so much.

We got to see two games. I got to see the beautiful sunshine, some spectacular cricket. My beloved Surrey lost in the final of the blast. But I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm really well. I'm really looking forward to this week in the IPL. Well, we did see some great cricket this weekend. It was fantastic. So much cricket, absolutely spoiled for choice.

But really, the highlight was the IPL. And as you say, that postage stamp on the ground and Sharger, It is so small that teams are putting on huge 230 run totals and, you know, chasing them. It's crazy. Can you think of a smaller cricket ground off the top of your head? No, I can't, but I dream of them because I used to captain a cricket team, not very well. You know, like captains in club cricket are the least good player, but the best person on a telephone to get 11 people onto the ground. And I have this recurring dream where I'm captaining on a table, not table, on tennis court, right?

and I've got somebody who's hitting it big and I've got to defend a 15-yard boundary and I kind of felt watching at Charger if you were captain and you've got Kyron Pollard comes out of bats I mean it's just terrifying that the road took a heck of a hammering didn't it? The ball kept on disappearing

I don't know how many balls they lost it was spectacular stuff to watch and it was sort of in contrast wasn't it to Abu Dhabi where you know the ground was really quite big and so you were watching contrasting cricket I really enjoyed that. The other thing, of course, was watching CSK's Mammoth opening partnership,

181 to win a game. I mean, that is just, it's like when you break off in pool and then you knock all the balls in with your opponent not getting a chance. That's what it looked like. Yeah, sounds like something Andy Zaltzman would do. Yeah, well, it's been really fun. It's been really fun. A lot of cool stuff happening.

And as the tournament continues to take its twists and turns, we're shining the spotlight on some of its bright stars. This week we're hanging out with the Kings 11 Punjab. What a week they've had. We're absolutely thrilled to get a hold of the most talked about man in cricket at the moment, Dan. I'm sure you'll agree. Nicholas Puran will be reliving every moment of that phenomenal save. It was possibly the most spectacular moment in cricket.

And isn't cricket amazing that, or what he basically did was save four runs? I think they ran two, didn't they? It's not going to go down in the book. You're not going to see it in the book. It'll just say two. But what actually happened was one of the most startling pieces of athleticism I think I've ever seen. The guy's a wicket-keeper. He's building right on the boundary.

The ball goes way over his head. He dives. He's about two and a half three meters beyond the boundary, grabs the ball and then underarms it a nanosecond before his knee touches the ground. And one of the great things about the interview we have with him is he's still disappointed because they didn't get the catch. I mean, how insane is that kind of perfection? Now, everybody's been watching it. It's been all over Twitter, it's all been all over social media. Gary Linneker, love it.

Gary Linneker likes cricket, but, you know, he was moved to say what an incredible moment it was. I've seen people say, is that cricket? I didn't know that cricket did things like that. I thought cricket was a bit of a boring game. Well, it's transformed the image for an awful lot of people of what cricket is, and it's emblematic of just what a dazzling tournament the IPL is. Absolutely. And it's taken it really global as well. Like that moment, I saw people from like China, America, Japan, countries that you don't really associate with cricket, just sharing it, you know, all these big influences and things like that. And yeah, it's extraordinary. It's really fun the chat we had with him. Again, it's just so bizarre that he had, he just didn't clock what he'd done until way later when he finally picked up his phone. It's, it's extraordinary. We're also going to be catching up with Mandip Singh and how he's bringing Punjabi pride to the team and fastball a shelter. and Cottrell about his thoughts on COVID and that famous celebration with the salute.

It's going to be a Czech de Fatte show today. So, yeah, I don't know if I got there right, but I've been practicing my Punjabi. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. So let's talk to the man himself. Mr. Nicholas Puran, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for making the time. I saw. No problem, buddy. We've got to ask you about that gravity-defying save. Do you still replay it to yourself in your? mind when you think about it or was it just another bit of cricket to you i mean how do you even start to process it um look i've been looking at that video like a million times now um i'm still actually processing it in my mind i can't believe that i don't i spend so much time in the air and

i save that bumgee but you know i've been practicing on my i've been working on my feeling for the last you know you know when i'm not record keeping my when i'm not wicked keeping i'm on the field and Now, I've been doing some work with Jonty, and I told him I want to improve my feeling. And, you know, that night, it just happened, you know, there was so much a six-year-past. And I was like, Nicholas, you need to save one. And then, you know, I just stopped when I felt like this is the right time to turn the game. Unfortunately, we lost the game. But, yeah, I played that video a million times, and I'm not sure if I can repeat that, to be honest.

You spent a lot of time with the gloves, you know, keeping wicket. And yet you're out there in the deep. So, I mean, are you, when you're running around the boundary for that, because, you know, a lot of your practices spent behind the stumps, are you, how do you get yourself to be aware of, like, boundary ropes? You must have, were you really aware how close you were to the line and that you had to leap at the precise moment you did, or was it all just, like, instinct?

So at first there was instinct, you know, the ball was in the air, and I knew I was close to the ropes, and I just said, you know, no matter what, going to try to catch a ball. And I think while going back, I felt the rope a bit. But when I actually die for the catch, then obviously I'm in the air. So it doesn't really matter if I touch a rope or not. And then it's stuck in my left hand.

And then on my way down, I was like, hey, I can throw this back in. And then it doesn't end. But, you know, I've been practicing this to the last two or three weeks in camp. You know, John, we've been practicing. You've been aware of where the ropes are. And, you know, I have a fair idea of where it was because, you know, It was kind of side-on, so it's kind of side-shuffling towards the boundary. And it just happened, you know.

It didn't happen, my guess. I've been practicing it over and over. Not like that, but I've been practicing. It's been our way off where the ropes are. Was it just a tiny bit of you that was a bit irritated that when you threw it back, there wasn't somebody there was going to catch it, because that would have been the greatest single catch of all time and probably would never be bettered in your lifetime.

So, oh, you know, you've got it back, but there's, oh, the guy just wasn't quite there for it. Yeah, at first I did, to be honest, I didn't know where the ball went. And then I saw Maxie and Maxie was like, man, try to me. I was like, I didn't hear you. And then I was looking, I was like, sh-h-h-ha-ha-ball. I could have probably tossed it close at him because he's a wonderful feel as well. He probably would have caught that somehow. He would have found a way.

And I was like, sh-de-damn. So having pulled off the greatest save in the history of cricket, you were disappointed. That's what you're saying. Yeah, you know, there's always room for improvement and I thought that, you know, getting something out there would have been really good for us. You know, he batted well.

And, you know, if I could have got that ball just closer to Maxwell, then it would have been, you know, brilliant. Did you immediately know that it was something special? Because obviously, you're on the field and, you know, we're watching it home and then we're tweeting it and we're Facebooking it and we're Instagramming it. And it's all over social media.

But you don't know that yet because you're still playing the match. Did you immediately know, were you done something special? Or was it just like, were you so into the game at the time? At first, when it was safe, we were on show whether it was six or not. So Maxi was like, I think it's six. And then I was like, I'm not too sure. And then when we saw it in a big shoot, Maxi was like, wow, wow, great job, good job. And then when I went to Logan, Bongri, they kept showing it on a replay,

and John D was behind me. I was just looking at the big screen. I was like, wow. And then when I went on the bus after the game, I went out to my phone and I was like, Coucher, this catcher blowing up on social media. And he was like, yeah, dad. I was like, wow.

And then, you know, after that, my phone kept pinging off all night, even the next day. And it was all over social media. I was like, well, is that really the best safe? I was like, okay, cool. Actually, I've actually done something. You went Johnty Rhodes, the camera pan to Johnty Rhodes after you made the save and it had been shown on the big screen.

And he stood up and he basically, he did the I'm Not Worthy sign from Wayne's World. How do you feel about getting that level of acclaim from possibly the most world-renowned fielder in the history of cricket? Yeah, it was a bit different. Actually, being in the field, first of all, I'm a wicket keeper. So, you know, being on the field, you know, as a wicket keeper, you see everything differently from behind the stuff. You feel like this feel like can save a bongji,

can stop this, stop this, stop that, take a magnificent catch. And everyone is like, yeah, it's so easy to see it, but to actually do it is a big difference. So me actually doing something like that, you know, it was good for me and then to see Junti, you know, acknowledging it was, to me, it was very pleasing because you know that I'm working on my field and I'm trying to be better at it

because I'm not the best at feeling because I've just started doing feeling. And to see him acknowledging that and it actually shows that, you know, the hard work we've been put into in practice. It's actually, you know, it's coming to pass in the field now. And, you know, even though it's very good for me,

I think he will be feeling really good as well, you know, knowing that that is what we've been practicing and he's been teaching the same thing every single day at practice. It's a wonderful feeling for him as well. that appreciation came from all over the world as well like johnty roads obviously as dan says you know the greatest field is all time you know maybe the greatest batsman of all time such and tindulka described it as the it's the best scene what he said was it's the best

save i've seen in my life that's got to feel good yeah it must be good this guy i think he played the most number of cricket games so if he had if he said that then it's probably one of the best. As I say, I don't know, I just, I'm just doing my job on the field and, you know, it's really good when you're actually doing something good and people acknowledge it. It just gives you confidence to, you know, keep improving and keep wanting to do more special things. Let's move on to the IPL generally and where you are out there in Dubai, in the bubbles. A lot of West Indian guys have come over to England, to the English bubble, or Traffa bubble.

How is life in this bubble comparing, what with it being 35 degrees and you've got a beach and a pool? How would you describe the two bubbles? I wasn't in England, but I was in a bubble for CPL. It's much different.

It's more relaxed here. There's a restaurant. You can probably tell the chefs whatever you want to eat. They'll try to prepare it for you. There's a beach. There's a gym. There's a team room where it's full of games. The rooms are lovely.

It's in Dubai, actually, we are on the palm. To me, I like it because, you know, you go to sleep at night, you wake up, have breakfast, you have team meetings, you go to the team, and play some games, you go to practice, you practice really hard, you come back, you have recovery session, in the pool, you can either choose to go to the beach here, have the massages. So it's a really, really professional setup, especially for athletes. I really appreciate it because this is

I think all athletes would like something like this I think it helps you to be it helps you to remain focus you spend more time thinking about a game which is good and which is bad at sometimes but you know I like it I really like it

it's new, it's a new norm now but I think we can get accustomed to this it was one of the things that was quite noticeable in England was that when guys came out of the bubble and they went to perform in domestic cricket, they played really well. And is that part of it? You know, because you're like so intensely thinking about cricket,

practicing cricket, talking about cricket, there's no other distractions that if your head's in the right place, it's actually a really great opportunity to develop and grow your game, yeah? Yeah, it's fair enough. I think more time thinking about the game, every day you get the opportunity to learn something different.

frontly if you want to and I think you know this bubble helps you because we have cricket apps that you know instead of watching television all night or being on the iPad or not because just go on the app and look at yourself look at the opponents you know there's a lot of cricket there's a room you can always ask question on a WhatsApp or if not go on meet your teammate talk to the coaches there's so much of the things that we can learn if we choose to and I think you know like as you said the English guys you went to domestic cricket and did really well I think it's because they are in a really good space as well. Like, you can see the IPA games, the first 10 games or whatever the case was.

All the games have been, you know, wonderful, highest coin, really energetic. I think everyone around the world is actually enjoying the IPA at the moment. And I think it's because a lot of players are actually really focused. Nicholas, thank you so much for giving us the time, by the way. This has been an absolute pleasure. And, you know, what I've got to tell you is that moment where you made that, incredible save that we've been harping on about. And I know at some point you'll get irritated talking about it.

But like right now, the most significant thing about it was how much of a casual audience saw it. Like, you know, there were people who've never really been interested in cricket, who've never watched cricket, that were talking about it on social media, that were appreciating it, that were inspired by it. And so what you've done, you know, with what you say, it's just part of your game. It's just another fielding effort. It's just what you do. But what you've done by doing what you do is brought in a whole.

new audience for the game of cricket, and that's something you should be massively proud of. Just to back him up on that, I've got to tell you, there's a guy called Nicky Campbell, who's a radio DJ, does the morning show on a big radio station in England, and he's never liked cricket, has never had any interest in cricket. And he tweeted when he saw your catch, he said, wow, if that's cricket, I could get into it. Do you have a message for these people, all these new people that are your new fans? Because, you know, obviously, a lot of people, we know what you're about. You know, we've been watching a game for a while.

But all of a sudden, a lot of new people have come in and, you know, discovered Nicholas Pura. What's your message for your new fans? Yeah, for the new fans, you know, the ones who haven't been looking at cricket. I think cricket is a wonderful game. You know, it brings unity. If you really sit and watch a game, it's actually very interesting. And once you get a hang of it, you know, you won't be leaving your televisions anytime soon. That's perfect.

thank you so much nicholas it's been a pleasure speaking to you it really really has and uh you know i hope you have a great season i hope you have a really good time over there in dubai and you know um what one one thing i had to ask you because i was going to ask you this earlier when dan asked you about the the routine over there is what's the you said you've got the chef will try and make you anything what's the weirdest thing you've tried to get the chef to make for you uh so lately of lately i've been eating egg fry rice and sweet and so on chicken But I'm going to ask him for some fried chicken and hope he makes that for me.

I need some junk food in the system. Hey, so say all of us. Thanks. Thank you so much, Nicholas. Really appreciate your time, mate. Thank you, buddy. Yeah, I thought Nicholas was fascinating about that catch. So much of it was obviously instinct, wasn't it?

But what I really loved about it was, he was genuinely disappointed that he hadn't got the ball back to Maxwell. I've been pulled off the greatest save of all time. And because he knows, of course, Glenn Maxwell is a heck of a fielder. So he's thinking, if only I could have just got that back to him. And, you know, Maxie going, why didn't you throw it to me? It's like, how perfectionist can you get? I mean, pulled off that, that you're still disappointed

that something didn't work out even more perfectly. It really was extraordinary, Dad. What blew my mind was the amount of thoughts he managed to process in such a small amount of time. like it's a millisecond like diving and then hitting the floor it's a millisecond but the way he described his thought process through it it's like he had all the time in the world and everything's moving in slow motion for him it's like he's moving literally like the flash and he can see himself you know it was extraordinary just to think that he put a lot of thought into it and the process of

him discovering how popular is gone and him telling his telling his mate you know this is blowing up on social media like it was quite nice for him to you know for that to be like a gentle surprise and and And what a great time to put together one of the greatest fielding of efforts of all time where you've got Jonti Rhodes across the boundary watching you do it. That's going to be special. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Now, Punjabis are known for their warmth and hospitality. One player has been keeping up morale in the team,

teaching Bangra to Chris Gale, being a general good guy. He has no idea how big he is here in the UK with British Punjabis. But we're very excited to have. The one and only, Mandeep Singh. Mandeep, how are you? Very well, sir. Thank you. Thank you for having me here. It's our pleasure. Looking at your room and you've actually shown us, give us a little tour of your room.

And it is beautiful. Lockdown's looking quite fun to me, Mandeep, for you. Yes, yes. We have been very lucky that, you know, we have some of the great facilities. And yeah, it's been really nice, really nice. Enjoying the lockdown. Yeah, and this bubble is very good. Is it nice to be focused on? on your cricket completely?

Because usually with the IPL, I know there's a lot of different things that would take up your time. Like you've got all these kind of promotional events and sponsor events and parties and this thing and that thing. Whereas right now I feel like for you, like a lot of the time, it's just cricket, cricket, cricket, cricket, cricket,

is that a nice change? Well, actually, yeah. I think it is a nice change, but when you're in Dubai, you really, you know, you miss out going out. So, but it is different and, but actually it's been really good, really good. Nothing to complain about, you know, loving it. Like, you can spend a lot more time with fellow teammates, which is, you know, which helps eventually.

So we get to know each other a lot more. So I think it's been really good. That's great. Who's at the top of your WhatsApp list, Mandi, from the players? Like, who do you, who are you closest to? There are many, actually. but especially my Punjabi fellow teammates, Arshdi, Prab Simran,

and then Sarfras is there. So these three, four guys are always on top of my WhatsApp list. Excellent. Who sends the funniest memes and the funniest jokes and the little Tautka and things like that? Who's the funniest out of the bunch of the team? Sarfras and Arshdiv and Sarfras. I had a feeling it might be those guys.

I had a feeling. So what sort of things? I mean, what do you do to kick? Because obviously you've got to keep morale up as well. There'll be times, you know, you've come back from a game and it's not gone perfectly or you've lost a tight one or whatever. So who's the guy that sort of keeps the morale going and sort of like boys, the team up? Is that you?

It's the Punjabi guys. Yeah, Punjabi guys, all the Punjabi guys. Me, Ash Deep, Prap, Shemran, Harpreik, Brad. I think we all. you know, gets the team going always. And also, we have a really nice coach and captain. You know, they have the team's atmosphere is amazing because of both of them. So, and even when we have lost our two games, they were like, you know, just keep the same momentum, nothing to worry about.

We do our things right. We have worked really hard. And that's what we can do. Sometimes game doesn't go in your favor. so just you know be same and while going back we are the loudest in the team so that's how we keep the you know fun things going well he's not the loudest member of the team but he's certainly somebody who's quite iconic you've you've had a chance to play with chris gale quite a lot now yeah yeah what's that like like you know playing playing alongside somebody who particularly in this format

obviously an incredible player all round but particularly in this format so decorated so much history so devastating, you know, all those sixes. What is that like just to have him, you know, across the crease from you? First of all, I have to tell you that he's one of the most humble guys I've ever met because obviously he's a big superstar, but he's a very humble guy and very funny too, very, very funny. So, you know, he kind of mix with every player so quickly that you just, you know, it's unbelievable. Normally, superstars take time to mix with young players, but he's just incredible.

I've been lucky enough to play with him. I have started my career with KKR, and he was part of KKR, and then, of course, RCB and then now again, Kings 11, I have learned quite a lot from him, and it's just amazing. I remember once I was fielding against him, actually, I was playing for Kings 11, and he was with RCB, and I was at covers. That was the only time I got scared that he will hit the ball so hard that my hands will not come at the right time and he can actually hit my face. That was the only time I got scared in the field.

He was doing it so well. So, yeah, and yes, he's always open to, you know, have a chat about cricket and he's really, really great. Do you feel like, I know you started with Kolkata, but like, you know, do you feel really at as one of the Punjabi players to be playing for the Punjabi franchise. Like, does it feel like you're at home? Absolutely, absolutely. No doubts about it. I'm a Punjabi and I play for Punjab.

And same, like Ashdeeb also plays for Punjab. And there's no better feeling than that, man. Like, it is, it is home. Did you have that moment where you're watching a specific player play cricket that made you fall in love with the game? Like, and do you remember who that player was? Sachin Tundulka, very easy. What was the moment?

What was the man? I can't really remember that match but I remember all the time watching him bat and you know just wanted to copy him or however he used to play those strokes and even just the simple defense of his was so elegant and it was so pleasing to the eye that I always wanted to you know copy him and just bad like him and that's how and my father was an athletics coach so there was sports in my family and But he never wanted me to play cricket because he was like there is no future in sports in India. So he was very stubborn. Obviously, you must have known that Punjabi parents are bit stubborn sometimes. So that's how I started. I was lucky my big brother is seven years older than me. And he really supported me that I'll be the one who will study but let me play.

So that's how I started. And, yeah, Sachintern Dulkar was my idol. So tell me, how does your dad feel now that he sees you on TV during the actual? Now he's really happy. Do you kind of remind him, you know? Now he's really happy. Now he's really happy. I remember I was just, I think, 13, and I brought some money back home.

I think it was around $10,000. And my mom literally cried that day that he's so young. and he started earning so yeah so now he feels really good so that is the moment i really cherished and that must be a lovely feeling for you though mustn't it because we all of us like to prove our parents wrong sometimes in the nicest way in the nicest way you know what i mean you must have felt pretty good about that didn't you and actually i never thought about it but now I'm thinking, yes, I'm proud of it. Have you managed to teach any of the foreign players, any Punjabi?

I think not Punjabi, but Punjabi dance, which is bhangara. I have taught Chris Gale especially. You must have seen many videos of us dancing on Punjabi songs. Not many Punjabi words, I would say, but Bhangara I have definitely taught. many foreign players. You know, Dan Norcross speaks excellent Hindi and Urdu, but Punjabi is one he needs to work on.

So if you had to teach Dan Norcross a phrase of Punjabi, which one would it be? Ah, I'll say, I'll start off with Sastikaal. Sastriqal is Namaste or hello. So, Satshriaka.

So, Satshriaka. Sashvaka. Yes, so it's hello in Punjabi and, yeah, greetings. So that's quite simple. Bandi, thank you so much for taking the time to join us, man. It was so much fun. Again, you've got you, I know you're very humble and you say you're not a star, but you have lots of fans in the UK.

Do you have a message for all the fans supporting Kings 11 Punjab in the UK? I'll give the message in Punjabi. I know there are a lot of Punjabi fans in UK. My Punjabi Parvo, and I want to support King's 11. I know you, you know, you're going to wait for that King's 11 trophy jettie. Our team is very good at this time. And as you've seen, as we're going to

that we're very consistently playing. Hopefully, we'll just get such matches get him. And keep supporting us and we are going to do our best to get the trophy this year. Fantastic. Thank you so much, Manteep. It was pleasure speaking to you. Best of luck this season. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. What basically was he saying? Well, in our show, he just said, sort of, brothers and sisters, thank you so much for supporting us and, you know, keep supporting us. Our team is really grateful for all the support that we get and we're going to try and win

all the games going forward. It was just a message of gratitude really more than anything else, and it really speaks to his character. Like, he's that kind of guy who's very, very humble and appreciative of all that support. And I don't know, I get the feeling he doesn't quite understand the level of support there is the Punjab team in particular. And the level of gratitude there is amongst, you know, certainly Indian Punjabis, but also British Punjabis,

who historically have been felt a little bit underserved by the Indian team. I mean, there's a few legends to point to more recently. You know, there's a bit more inclusion, but, you know, it is a community that often feels like it doesn't always get a fair shake. And, you know, there's a lot of people that think very highly of Mandiq Singh for that reason. So what a beautiful message for his community in a very fun language. I highly recommend Punjabi. a lovely guy. And it's great to see, like, a really Punjabi character play for the

Punjabi team. You know, I remember there was a time where people thought about IPL franchises as, you know, they've got these kind of big characters, but how much, how much depth is there to those personas, you know, how much of it really resonates with the area that they purported be connected with. And having someone like, you know, Mandip Singh at Punjab, at Kings 11, Punjab, you know, a very proud Punjabi man, you know, who really embodies that culture, you could tell, you know, respects his family. you know, all of the things that you would associate with, you know, all the positive things you would associate with sort of Punjabi culture, he embodies them. It was just lovely

to get an insight into that. It really was because another time, I think, with IPL franchises, people get this misconception, don't they, that it's a sort of collection of superstars, you know, a Mumbai Indian CSK, Challenges, Bangalore. Are they just a collection of players that shoved together? Well, you know, what he was pointing out was that each team has its identity and the Punjabi team identity is a really strong one. And it's lovely to see how he's sort of inculcating the other players with that identity as well. You know, the idea of sort of teaching them a bit of Bangra and getting, you know, the overseas players getting them down and dirty with Punjabi culture.

It's fantastic to see, isn't it? And it just goes to show that these franchises are more than just a sort of business entity or a reason for selling shirts. They resonate with people from different cultures and from different backgrounds. They have a support base for very good reason. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Our final guest on the show today is a man who, without a doubt, has the best wicket-taking celebration in cricket.

He started off playing football and ended up wowing everyone with his fast bowling skills in Jamaica. He settled into the King's 11 family and expanded the West Indian contingent down there. Welcome to the man with a heart of gold, Sheldon Cottrell. Tell me, Sheldon, what was it like growing up in Kingston? And what was the moment that you first fell in love with cricket? Yeah, most definitely. I can't forget that moment. Obviously, it started out, like, it's similar in India, in the streets where you pass and see, in my time.

You're passing to see kids playing in the park, playing in the road or whatever. That moment when I fell in love like that I was in high school early, my friend actually, we live the same place, but we go to school together. He knew what I can do. So he invited me to cricket practice. I was like, no, I was because I was a football person, so to speak. and he invited me down. And from that, I bowled faster than anyone would have ever seen death. Most people don't know this, though. My first delivery that I bowed with a real cricket ball was a wicked beamer. I almost took out of the match, man.

So did you always have that, like when you first started, kind of know, I want to be a fast bowler. You always had that fast bowler kind of gene inside you, you know, I mean, was that was that the thing that sort of got you hooked and excited? Yes, my, most definitely, I like the aggressiveness when it comes on to a fast bowling. And from that time, I'm all about competing. I used to bowl probably five shortball not over back then because as a yoke fastball I love in the ball carrying to keep up so from that moment on you that's some serious carry for sure how are you finding being part of the king's 11 Punjab family as well because you know like I'm just curious what is it like from that because

you're one of the you know the foreign players how does how do you feel about that dynamic is it quite welcoming, you know, do you feel quite included? You know, is it a process of feeling it out a little bit? Tell me a little bit about that dynamic of being part of the team. To tell you, I'm going to start with at first. I was a bit nervous coming over here because it's a whole new team and I know that you have the core of the team and you have new players. I was a bit nervous, but my first practice session was brilliant. The guys were all jovial. It was all smiles, it was more of a family. It was more of a family reunion than joining a new team to tell the truth. So I felt from that, from the first day of practice outside of quarantine,

I was so welcome. We've got to talk to you about the salute. I mean, it's become a feature of world cricket, basically, and lots of great things that come from it. You know, we've had you saluting the England players when you got them out. We had Just Butler giving you a little salute back And then he got him out again so you could salute him. So we're loving this salute. Can you just tell us the origin of it? Most definitely. It started out a while back.

It is just to show my appreciation to all the frontline workers, the soldiers around the world, the doctors, everyone actually, who is putting their life at risk to make the world a better place because I'm all in for making the world a better place. So it was just to show my appreciation to those guys to tell him that, hey, I'm thinking about you. I appreciate what you're doing and continue the good world. And also, I've seen you, you know, you're big on social media and you're great with young kids. And you've put out on there that you'll follow people back if they salute and wear the masks.

So for you, it's, you know, you take COVID very seriously. kind of responsibility seriously. Explain in your own words, sort of, you know, where you're coming from there. Most definitely, I would encourage anyone, anyone to wear a mask in whatever way I can and I thought I could bring it across by including my salute to make it even more fun

because without fun it, it's gonna be a bit dull. So, especially in these times. But I've really taken COVID seriously when one of my friends got the virus. And the message that hit me that what he sent was, if anything should happen to him, I should take care of his child. I was like, whoa.

But he's fine, no. He's okay. Good, good, good, good. But that really opened my eyes on everything that's happening. So I really want to make a difference in where the pandemic is concerned. That's fantastic. It really is very inspiring.

And thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us as well, Sheldon. Just before you go, tell us, have you learned, because you're part of the Punjabi team, and I know it's not been a huge amount of time, but have you picked up any Punjabi words being part of the King's 11 Punjab? No, not really. Unfortunately, but it's still early days, but not really.

Most of the guys have been speaking English. So, but as I said, it's still early days. I'm quite sure I'm gonna leave with a few Punjabi words. And maybe some dance moves as well. Yeah, maybe, yeah. I like, I've been, if I'm not mistaken, it was my uncle was teaching me a bit of Punjabi Punjabi dance, but I'm not a great dancer, so.

Well, see if you could incorporate it into the salute. I mean, maybe there's a way of doing like a Bangra salute. That's a good one. That's a good one. I surely decouple of that. Excellent. I'll take the credit when I see it on telly. Fantastic. Listen, thank you so much, Sheldon, for joining us. It's been a pleasure speaking to you.

And keep up the great work, man. All right. Thank you. Cheers. Thanks so much, Sheldon. Cheers. are Sheldon. I mean, what a lovely thoughtful guy he is, don't you think? Artif, I mean, there was that beautiful stuff about masks and his, and the sense of responsibility he feels, but also really, you know, poignant about a friend of his coming down with COVID and opening his eyes to the issue.

And it's, I was just so clear that a lot of people think a sportsman has been entirely wrapped up in themselves, you know. But with Sheldon, he clearly sees a bigger picture, doesn't he? And he sees his responsibility. to a wider society and it's great to see. I think so. I think he seems like somebody who's a little bit more thoughtful than one stereotype of a sports person. He's thinking a little bit about the broader world. I was really grateful to hear at the end of his story

that his friend is recovering and fine now. It was a bit terrifying actually halfway through. But he knows it's a real thing. And the sad thing is there's a lot of people out there who don't take COVID very seriously and don't acknowledge this. pandemic that we're as you know the human race is dealing with right now and and he does and he's using something that is his brand to you know push that out there a little bit more which i think

is a very very cool thing to do it's really nice that he does that and uh yeah it's and you've got him going doing bunga as well on top of it so this is very cool i i really enjoyed that yeah and there's also a lovely insight into the anxiety and vulnerability of a curricula you know because again, you sort of think of them always as filled with confidence and, you know, alpha males striding onto the stage. But he said, you know, before he arrived in the bubble, he was a little bit anxious, you know, a new team, new teammates, different environment. Sometimes we forget this, don't we? We've got to remember that cricketers are human beings and they're stepping into the unknown. I'm not saying he was fearful, but he had like

perfectly natural human emotions, didn't he, of anxiety, I guess, to a degree. He did. And, you know, he speaks to his kind of sense of stability and security that he's able to talk about and go into that kind of detail and give you an insight into, you know, the non-superficial part of his life and career. And yeah, I think that stands in a really good stead, not just on the field, but off it as well. And, you know, he's obviously still a very young player, but I can see him becoming a, you know, somebody who's going to be a huge role model for young kids coming out of, you know, you know, the West Indies, and we're actually really around the world wherever he chooses to play. So a big, big plus he is. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, what a pleasure it was to speak to these great players from Kings 11, Punjab. It seems like a really, you know, well put together unit, Dan.

They haven't won all their games, but they've had very exciting matches all the way through so far. Oh, they've been in every game. They've been so close. It's just tiny, tiny moments could have changed it in their direction. I think they're going to do really well because what you see is fantastic team spirit. I mean, I obviously get on. We heard in the interviews there about, you know, the West Indian guys are mixing really well with the Punjabi guys. They're learning off each other.

They're learning about different cultures. They seem genuinely happy. They're loving being in the bubble together. It's really lovely to watch, actually, because you do sometimes wonder with teams if it's like, oh, it's a bit much spending time inside a bubble with the same people. You don't get that sense at all, do you? It just looks like great fun to me. Yeah, it looks a little bit better than the bubbles we experienced in South Hampton and Manchester, but we won't go into that right now.

What we will tell you is that the IPL is getting more and more exciting, and there's still so much cricket left to be played. And the good news is we're going to be bringing you full match commentary on the last month of the IPL on five live sports extra, starting from Monday, October the 12th. What a great day that is to start off this race to the thrilling climax of this tournament. That's already been so exciting. Dan, are you excited? I'm hugely excited.

I've got three games in three days at one point, which can really good. gets you going and he gets the juices flowing and as you say we're reaching that point in the tournament where every game's going to start to become really important at the moment it's a great fun spectacle by the time we pick up you know a loss and a side could be in serious trouble might not qualify a win might propel them up the table into top spot we're going to be talking about all those sorts of things i can't wait it's the perfect antidote to an english autumn yeah absolutely we're really excited dan will be commentating i will be commentating Many of your favourite names will be commentating, and it all starts on Monday, the 12th of October.

Join us then, and until then, look after yourselves. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. BBC Sounds, Music, Radio Podcasts.