I have been assigned a different role at RCB: Tiwary

BANGALORE: Saurabh Tiwary might still be sporting the long hair which once used to be the style statement of his statemate and icon MS Dhoni. But these days, the Jharkhand youngster differs from the Indian skipper on one point: gymnasium-based training.
Dhoni had equated himself with Tiwary, pointing out their similar tastes - careless about diet and not spending countless hours in the gym, pumping iron.However, Tiwary has changed his training routine, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar, skipper at his former Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisee Mumbai Indians.
"In the last (IPL) season, Sachin sir told me that gym training is important. So I started working in the gym which I was not much used to till then," admits Tiwary, now with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
The 21-year-old is candid enough to state that he misses the presence of Tendulkar in the dressing room this time around. "I don't miss Mumbai Indians the way I miss Sachin sir. Every cricketer would love to play along with Sachin sir. I have played for MI in the last three seasons and I have seen Sachin sir supporting all the youngsters in the side. Before a match, he finds time to speak to each and every youngster personally. If you get the opportunity to talk to an international player, that too Sachin Tendulkar, that itself will motivate you to no end," said Tiwary.
That RCB spent $1.6 million to get the talented southpaw has naturally raised the expectations of the team and its fans but Tiwary has also failed to impress in the limited opportunities that have come his way this season.
"Whenever you perform well, expectations increase and you need to cope with that pressure. I have been assigned a different role here. As a batsman, you should be ready to bat at any number and I want to do well irrespective of the position I bat at," explained Tiwary when asked whether he was worried about getting a go at the top of the RCB batting tree.
The stocky batsman has even tuned his mind for the job as No. 5 or 6. "It always depends on the situation out there. If the run-rate required is 12 runs per over, the mindset will be different from the one during the Delhi (Daredevils) match where the run-rate required was around six," said Tiwary.
Despite the lack of spark, Tiwary still has his reputation intact and like many of the young stars hailing from rural India, the Jharkhandi's success mantra is to keep things simple. "Every batsman has got his own strength. Someone likes to whack it over midwicket but for me, I would love to play in the 'V'. I always try to play to my strength," says Tiwary, about his penchant for straight-batted strokes.
More amusing is reasoning for those delightful shots. "It is very simple - the ball comes straight at you and you have to hit it straight. There is no need to try hitting it here and there. If you look at any good cricketer, say Yuvraj or Dhoni, everyone loves to play to their strengths."
Even his love for Test cricket has its own sweet spot. "I love all the three formats but I adore Test cricket the most because you get the most opportunity to bat in the longer format," said Tiwary while adding that the entire domestic season should be the criterion to get selected into the national side and not just IPL.