'I think I owe Brendon McCullum and the coaching staff a couple of dinners' - Pat Cummins on his return to KKR

Pat Cummins was a surprise pick at the IPL 2020 auction. Surely, he would have found a team but the sheer amount Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spent on him was surprising. For the fast bowler, it is sort of a homecoming, having played for the franchise before. The KKR bought him for a whopping amount of Rs 15.5 crore and the pacer feels he owes Brendon McCullum and the staff a few dinners for picking him in the team.

Talking about coming back to the team, Cummins shared his experience of being with the franchise back in 2014. He said that he is pumped to get back to KKR and that he had a great time last time when he was with the franchise. He also recalled that they had won the IPL for the first time. However, the Aussie pacer didn’t have much to do in the season as he had played only a solitary game.

“I am of course. My first taste of the IPL, in fact, my biggest taste of India was going over there and playing with Kolkata, when I was a few years younger than what I am now. And I absolutely loved it. I loved that within our team we had so much experience. We had Jacques Kallis, one of the best players to have ever played cricket. And suddenly, I am having dinner with him every night and get to play alongside him.

“Andre Russell had just started to bloom in his career. It was really fun. In my first season, we won the title. So, it always held a fond place in my heart. Even all the staff have been great to us players. I am really pumped to get back there and spend some more time in Kolkata,” Cummins said during the show, KKR unplugged.

Pat Cummins delighted to work with McCullum

Pat Cummins was 22 years old when he made his IPL debut with KKR in 2014. In two seasons with the franchise, the fast bowler played only four matches in total. He was also with the franchise during their Champions League 2014 campaign, in which KKR had qualified for the final.

Talking about his contract, the 27-year-old revealed that he is thankful to Brendon McCullum and the staff for having him in the team. “I think I owe Baz and the other coaching staff a couple of dinners. I think it is great. Coming from someone like Baz. It means, even more, when it is from a player I’ve played up against a lot. He is a former international captain and to get that reassurance like you have something which I want,” he added.

The New South Wales fast bowler said that there is a big responsibility on him to carry the pace department of the team because of the big fat contract. However, he also pointed out that it is exciting for him to be a part of the team.

“I think with a big contract, there is a bit of responsibility that comes with that but more than anything, it is just excitement. You forget about the contract really quickly. As soon as you get over there, you just want to be a part of the team that has success and are all like-minded. I think we have found that in this squad we have put together this year,” Pat Cummins concluded.