'I have come with a blank mind and whatever comes in, I will take it in that manner.'
Venkatesh Iyer has walked into the Indian team's dressing room with an open mind and he aims to absorb everything that the legendary head coach Rahul Dravid has to offer.
Pace bowling all-rounder Venkatesh, an IPL sensation this year, has been fast-tracked into the national T20 side and is expected to keep No. 1 choice Hardik Pandya on his toes.
"I just want to learn whatever I can with Rahul Sir being a stalwart and he has lots to share," Venkatesh told bcci.tv ahead of the first T20 International against New Zealand on Wednesday.
"It's just about how we will pick things depending upon whats asked of us and I have come with a blank mind and whatever comes in, I will take it in that manner."
Skipper Rohit Sharma has given him some valuable tips and it indeed was a special moment.
"If Rohit Sharma being one of the best batter in the world shares something with me, it's going to be special. I hope to enjoy each and every moment of this tournament," a beaming Venkatesh said.
"I spoke with the captain ,coach and had a word with Rishabh (Pant) as well. They were very welcoming and they welcomed me to the squad and gave me a lot of confidence and a little bit of pep talk on how to go about things," he added.
His first day at the nets wasn't a typical opening day as he has already been a net bowler during the T20 World Cup in Dubai.
"Not a typical opening day and I was welcomed with open arms which shows the culture of the team which is very good and they are very welcoming for a new player joining team.
"It was lovely for me to be there and I think I had a wonderful practice session today and we got to learn a lot. They are the pillars of how our batters are and huge credit to throw-down specialists as they have been doing a wonderful job in grooming the batters. I think its a wonderful place to be," the eloquent player from Indore said.
For Venkatesh, it's not about playing a few matches here and there, but to be in the team for a long period of time.
"I have been playing domestic cricket for sometime now and not just me but how my team (Madhya Pradesh) has progressed that is the result that I am getting. The dream is not just to play for but to win tournaments for the country," he said.
