Dwayne Bravo revels in Sachin Tendulkars company

West Indian allrounder Dwayne Bravo belongs to that rare breed of players lucky enough to have been mentored by Brian Lara and play under Sachin Tendulkar.

Bravo owes a lot to his cricketing ‘guru’ Lara, not just for his grooming but also for his comeback into international cricket after an eight-month injury layoff.

Now playing under Tendulkar for the Mumbai Indians, Bravo says, “It’s been a pleasure working with somebody like Tendulkar. He is so meticulous about everything and his batting tips are absolutely precious for me. I’m sure when I go back home, I’ll go back a better player.”

But he makes no bones about the fact that it’s Lara’s inspiration that has brought him so far in his career.

“Lara stays close to my place in Trinidad and he knows me from a very young age. He spotted talent in me when I was a kid and helped me shape my game,” Bravo said during a practice session at the Kingsmead in Durban.

When he was out with an injury and couldn’t pick up his cricket gear for close to eight months, it was Lara who kept egging him on. “Lara has been such a huge inspiration in my life. I can never forget what he has done for me,” the allrounder said.

Bravo is also trying to follow Lara’s tips in the ongoing IPL. “Yes, I have talked to him and he has told me how to go about it. I am trying to follow that,” he added.

So does he try to copy Lara’s strokeplay? “Probably the pull shot, I love it the way Lara used to hit it. I also try it from time to time.”

But Bravo’s habit of getting out in the 30s and 40s has come in for some criticism and the stylish West Indian wants to sort that out by talking to Tendulkar. “Yes, that’s an area that has bothered me on a few occasions. I will look to have a chat with the Little Master,” the West Indian added.

Coming back from an injury, will he be holding himself back just a little bit, especially with the T20 World Cup in mind?

“Anyone who knows me will tell you that I never hold back. I always give 100 per cent,” Bravo said emphatically.  He loves the T20 format, which is extremely close to his heart, especially being a West Indian. “The song, the dance, it has that Calypso flavour,” he said, but when asked about his best IPL moment, Bravo had a funny take.

“Well, it was travelling in that private jet of Mr Ambani, back to West Indies last year, so that I could be in time for a Test series. Quite a treatment, wasn’t it?”