‘Saw Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag, Kohli, wanted to shake their hands’: Former England opener recalls Test debut against India
Speaking on the The Edges & Sledges Cricket Podcast, Compton recalled the time when he was in awe of the big stalwarts of Indian cricket when he came out to bat for the first time.
Former England Test opener Nick Compton made his debut in November 2012 in Ahmedabad. The right-handed batsman was a part of the four-match Test series in which India, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni suffered a 2-1 defeat at home. India, at the time, featured the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. But despite the strong line-up England came out on top and Compton, too, played a part in England’s success.
Speaking on the The Edges & Sledges Cricket Podcast, Compton recalled that he was in awe of the big stalwarts of Indian cricket when he came out to bat for the first time.
“I think coming to India, I’d heard some of the banter. There was Kevin Pietersen who had played at the IPL - he knew Virat Kohli really well. And then of course, there were the legends, the Tendulkar, the Dhoni, etc. It was a very proud moment.
“India has been a country, people who know me, know that it is my second home. I have spent a lot of time here, travelling and doing photography. Also growing home, going to many batting camps, learning how to play spin in Mumbai, absolutely falling in love with the people and culture. I really enjoyed it. Going there for my first Test series was a dream come true,” he said.
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“Because you know how much Indian people love their cricketers and how much they support the game. It was amazing. Coming out and taking guard and looking up and suddenly I am looking at Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag, Kohli - you had to pinch yourself. I almost wanted to take their autographs and shake their hands.
“I had to take guard and face the first ball. I remember thinking to myself. There are four Tests in the series. It would be great to experience all the four Tests. I thought that would be the best experience for me. So I tried to spend as much time as I could in the middle and figure out what role I could play for the team,” he said.
Compton scored 208 runs in 6 innings in the series at an average of 34.66. He also scored a half century in the series. Compton’s last Test was against Sri Lanka in 2016.
