Cricket News

‘They will never have me back’ – Star youngster believes Chennai will not bid for him in Indian T20 League mini auction

The Chennai Franchise had a disappointing outing in the 2022 edition of the Indian T20 League where they finished on the ninth position in the points table in the ten-team competition. Ahead of the edition, legendary wicketkeeper-batter and Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni handed the captaincy to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. However, Dhoni took over the reins after Jadeja stepped down from the role mid-way through the season. Ireland star Josh Little also didn’t have a memorable season with Chennai.

Little recently revealed that he had left the franchise only two weeks after joining them, seemingly because they were using him as a “net bowler” whose services were required when the main bowlers were “tired.”

Talking to Cricbuzz, Little said that he might have been “naive” at the time but said that Chennai might “never have him back.”

“I was told it was something it wasn’t,” he said. “I was told before I went that I’m a net bowler and if someone gets injured then there’s a chance I play. But I couldn’t bowl when I wanted, I’d get two overs [in training] and think, ‘Two overs, I’m halfway across the world here!’ Maybe I was naive because I played in the Lankan Premier League and T10, I had a good year behind me,” Little said.

I’m an international cricketer, it didn’t seem right: Joshua Little

“I’m an international cricketer, it didn’t seem right. The other guys were keen to get involved because they never had that sort of exposure. When I found out I was a net bowler that was required to bowl at someone when the slingers were tired, I was like ‘get me out of here’ – which is probably why they’ll never have me back because I left after two weeks,” Little stated.

The Irish youngster, however, is a part of the Indian T20 League auction, scheduled to take place on December 23 in Kochi. Former Chennai franchise star Suresh Raina has also backed Little to be one of the favourites for the auction. The 23-year-old has taken 62 wickets in 53 T20Is so far and has played in the Lankan Premier League for Dambulla Giants. He was also a part of The Hundred, where he represented Manchester Originals.