Delhi Capitals team 2021 player M Siddharth reveals Hong Kong Super Sixes' influence

The Delhi Capitals made it to their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) final last season, and the franchise will hope to build on their successful season when the IPL returns to action. The Capitals have a settled squad and they were focused on adding much more depth and stability to their roster with some key signings during the IPL 2021 Auctions. With the acquisition of Australian superstar Steve Smith and Tom Curran, the onus was on adding young Indian players, with players like Vishnu Vinod and Manimaran Siddharth added to the Delhi Capitals team 2021. 

M Siddharth IPL 2021: Tamil Nadu spinner excited to be picked by Capitals, reveals Hong Kong Super Sixes influence 

The Delhi Capitals scourged the domestic players market in the IPL 2021 auctions and one of their picks was Tamil Nadu spinner Manimaran Siddharth. The 22-year-old, who made his T20 debut for Tamil Nadu in 2019, expressed that he is eager to play under Captain Shreyas Iyer and Coach Ricky Ponting. Sidharth said, "The Delhi Capitals has been a really good team. DC were the runners-up last season. Most of the players in the squad play for their respective international teams. I think it'll be a very good opportunity for me to learn from great players and I am really eager to play under Shreyas Iyer and Coach Ricky Ponting". 

Manimaran Siddharth revealed that he was expecting to be picked up in the IPL auctions this year after a successful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign. The spinner had a fabulous Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 final against Baroda, where he returned with figures of 4/20 to help his team register a seven-wicket victory. The slow left-arm orthodox bowler has taken 16 wickets in six matches at an average of 6.81 in his T20 career, making him an interesting option to the Capitals' spin trio of Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra. He said, "I was expecting to be picked in the IPL Auction, but I was really nervous, so I didn't watch it. A couple of players told me after my Vijay Hazare match that day that DC had picked me, and I was elated".

Manimaran Siddharth revealed that his tryst with cricket first began with the Hong Kong Super Sixes competition as he watched his father play the game for Indonesia in the competition. The 22-year-old said, "A month after being born in Chennai, I moved to Indonesia because my father was working there. I was in Indonesia for the first nine years of my life. My father used to play for the Indonesian team and played in the Hong Kong Super Sixes. That's how I developed an interest in cricket. When I started playing, I couldn't bowl properly because I couldn't bowl with a straight arm. Then my brother Bharat helped me to bowl with a straight arm. So, I am thankful to my family for all their support". 

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off on April 9 from Chennai as BCCI unveiled the schedule for the marquee event on Sunday. The IPL Governing Council informed that IPL 2021 would begin at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The Capitals will begin their campaign against three-time champions Chennai Super Kings on April 10 at the Wankhede Stadium. 

(Image Courtesy: M Siddarth Instagram)