Cricket: Ish Sodhi reflects on IPL life as a Shane Warne pupil

Ish Sodhi has been getting tips from Sheik of Tweak Shane Warne. Photo / Deepak Malik /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

Ish Sodhi's leg-spinning confidence has evolved further over the past month after working under Rajasthan Royals team mentor Shane Warne in the Indian Premier League.

Warne, one of cricket's finest leg spinners, played four seasons for the franchise before retiring after the 2011 tournament.

Sodhi made his IPL debut this season as an injury replacement. He signed on at his base price of $104,000 after getting overlooked at January's auction.

The 25-year-old has proven value for money, taking a wicket in each of his four matches.

He sits second on the economy rate rankings, having conceded 5.93 runs per over.

However, Sodhi's prime tournament aim has been to stoke his aggressive instincts and take middle innings wickets.

"I'd almost rather get three for 35 than one for 20, because that would have more of an impact on the team's success."

His ambition has been backed by Warne.

"That's been awesome for me, because sometimes we get so consumed about not going for runs that we become defensive bowlers," Sodhi said.

"Our point of difference as leg spinners is to take wickets and be aggressive. That's definitely something Warney's instilled back into my mind."

Sodhi's wrong 'un - the variation which bamboozles a right-hander by spinning back in rather than away - has often been his wicket-taking ball. He dismissed the Sunrisers Hyderabad's Kane Williamson in that fashion through an inside edge, but the New Zealand captain had the satisfaction of his side winning by 11 runs.

In general, Indian batsmen are so good at reading deliveries from the bowler's hand rather than off the pitch, that Sodhi's approach has become more orthodox.

"I'm probably been using them [wrong 'uns] less and backing my leg spinner more as an aggressive option rather than a stock ball.

Ish Sodhi has made the most of joining the 2018 IPL as an injury replacement. Photo / Photosport.nz

"It's not so much that Indian batsmen hurt you for boundaries – they're probably the same as overseas batsmen - but it's the amount of balls they can pick up and work for singles once they see it early.

"That makes it hard because you can't bowl three or four consecutive balls at one batsman. It upsets your rhythm and they get more of a read on you."

Sodhi has enjoyed an extraordinary couple of months. He took career-best first-class figures of 12 for 62 against Wellington at the end of March; was recalled for his first test in 18 months against England in Christchurch when Todd Astle got injured; and survived 200 minutes and 168 balls as part of an unbeaten 56 to ensure New Zealand drew the test and won the series.

In Kolkata the other night he played in front of a 61,000 crowd or, as Sodhi puts it, "the equivalent of the whole of Papatoetoe", the town where he grew up. Cricketing audiences seldom come bigger.

Next on the agenda after the IPL will be conditioning work at home under Black Caps trainer Chris Donaldson, before he returns for another season of England T20 Blast with Nottinghamshire.

Sodhi will be based at Trent Bridge alongside Ross Taylor, and following in the county footsteps of New Zealanders like Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming and Andre Adams.

"You walk up the stairs and see their pictures on the walls, which is quite cool," Sodhi said.

"It's nice having the Kiwi presence."

Sodhi's mission also has another objective.

"I really want to be part of the 2019 World Cup side [in England].

"I want to play at those grounds and get used to those conditions so I can take that information back and lock it up so I give myself a good chance."