"At times, Hardik Pandya has been an inspiration for me" says Rajasthan's Tajinder Singh Dhillon

Tajinder Singh Dhillon is an all-rounder who plays for Rajasthan in the domestic circuit. He was also a part of Mumbai Indian in the IPL 2018. Dhillon scored his maiden first class century in his second match itself.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Dhillon talks about his cricketing experience with Rajasthan and Mumbai Indians.

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What was your experience with Mumbai Indians in this IPL?

Dhillon: It was a great experience with Mumbai Indians in this IPL. I learned a lot of things from the world's best coaches and players. Before joining the team, I was told that Mumbai Indians is more like a family than a team. This thing proved to be absolutely correct once I joined the camp.

Mahela Jayawardene and Shane Bond have contributed extensively for Sri Lanka and New Zealand respectively. How did the presence of these two coaches created a healthy environment in the camp?

Dhillion: Both of them have been the master of their own times. Mahela Sir and Bond Sir always encourage youngsters. They always helped us and gave us time to time advice. One of the key things that I learned from them was to handle pressure during tense situations.

Mumbai Indians consists of established players like Rohit Sharma, Evin Lewis, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah etc. How the presence of these players helped you in improvising your game?

Dhillon: All of them are masters in their respective fields. If we talk about Rohit, he is a champion batsman. It's always mesmerizing to see his glorious timings of the shots. The thing that I learnt from the captain was to be calm and play a natural game in all the situations. I considered Evin Lewis as the next Gayle. Watching him play the short balls during the nets was definitely a learning experience for me.

Hardik Pandya has been a key all-rounder for the Indian team. As I'm also an all-rounder, he has at times proved to be an inspiration for me. Bumrah has also performed stupendously in the recent years. It was great to see him being calm during the death overs. In the end, they all are very good human beings.

You scored your maiden first-class century in your second first class match itself. What does this accomplishment mean to you?

Dhillon: It was like a dream come true. It is always a special moment to score your first century in your Ranji career. Furthermore, I scored it in front of my coaches Sumendra Tiwari and Devesh Jaiswal which made it even more memorable.

How would you like to analyze your performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?

Dhillon: I always believe in giving 100% to my team. Whether it's bowling, batting or fielding, I always try to contribute to the team in the best possible way. I also thank God for giving this great talent which allowed me to perform well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Who were the players who made you accustomed to the atmosphere of the Rajasthan Ranji Team?

Dhillon: Currently, our team is a mixture of seniors and youngsters. Seniors have always encouraged the younger ones. Seniors like Pankaj Bhaiya, Aniket Bhaiya, Ashok Bhaiya, Deepak Chahar have always supported us.

There are various young cricketers who wish to play in the Indian Premier League. What piece of advice would you like to give to these budding cricketers?

Dhillon: I would like to say to the youngsters that whatever you do in your life, do it with a pure heart and full dedication. If you follow this then you'll definitely get success in your life.