India vs Sri Lanka T20 series: Negi praise for Raina after national team callup

Pawan Negi's all-round abilities could not be ignored by the BCCI selectors and as a result the Delhi player has earned a call up to the India T20 squad for the Sri Lanka series.

Negi gave credit to Suresh Raina and the inputs he gets from his former CSK teammate as a reason for his rise.  

"I've been in constant touch with Raina bhai. We practice together in Noida, and he has been the reason behind my consistency. Whenever he is in Delhi, he makes sure he bats along with me in the nets," Hindustan Times quoted Negi as saying.

"He tells me to visualise different situations in a match and should be my approach. One of the things he told me was that whenever I get to bat early in an innings, I should curtail big shots and try and take the game till the end."

"That is what I have been doing for the last one year and thankfully it has been rewarded."

Negi scored 173 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a strike of 173. He can be a very useful addition to the lower order with the bat. But, Negi is aware that Ravindra Jadeja will be preferred ahead of him. All he can do is wait for his opportunity, in case Jadeja is rested or injured. 

"I know fully well as to what I should be expecting. My job is to remain ready and soak in as much information as possible as there are so many great players in that dressing room," Negi was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Negi also praised MS Dhoni for his continous support while playing under his leadership for CSK in the IPL. 

"Not to forget the kind of support that Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided. He once told me that at this level, the main criteria would be ability to do well consistently," Negi added. 

One of Negi's best performances till date was against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of the Champions League T20, where he picked up five wickets for 22 runs. For that match-winning spell, he was adjudged the man of the match as well.

"It has to be my performance in the 2014 Champions League T20 final against Kolkata Knight Riders where I got five wickets. A Man of the match award in a match with all international players around, it gave self belief that I can play for India," Negi said when asked about what stands out as his best memory in cricket.