IPL beckons Mangela

Rajasthan Royals’ team principals Emerging Media announced the third season of their nationwide cricket talent hunt ‘Cricket Star’ here on Saturday. The winner of the second leg of the talent hunt was awarded a contract with the Rajasthan Royals for three years.

Twenty-year-old Shrideep Mangela is over the moon with his Royals’ contract, especially with his future team having stormed into the final of the inaugural Indian Premier League.
Playing for the Karnataka Sporting Club and training under coach Satish Samanth at the Sanjeevani Cricket Academy, the lanky opener has come a long way.

“After playing at all age groups in the state and training for six to seven years under Mohinder Amarnath, this academy (Cricket Star) taught me to not to ask for permission to do anything but just do what instructions are given to you,” said Mangela, who was introduced to the game by his elder brother as a seven-year-old.

“The Cricket Star camp has made me a fearless batsman. The big stage doesn’t scare me any more. Also I have done obstacle drills which people in the armed forces do, and that helped me believe that nothing is impossible and things have become easier for me now.
“The first week was all about doing drills for making the mind and body fit and raring to go,” the left-hand opener said.

On his expectations from the next season of the IPL, Shrideep said confidently, “I am looking forward to giving some good performances. Now that I have been selected and reached a higher level, I need to make it big and learn to survive in this profession.”